Hill Country Living
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Hill Country Living
By Coulter Fussell
I hope everyone is preparing themselves both mentally and physically because Water Valley’s biggest night of the year, Halloween, is mere days away! I say we should probably prepare ourselves mentally because, due to a Netflix documentary, the sudden national collective interest in a certain very notable serial killer from the 1990s has kids and teenagers running around dressed like mini-versions of the nightmares of their parents’ youths. Not cool, kids!
And I say we should prepare ourselves physically because chocolate. When I moved to Water Valley 18 years ago, I was completely surprised at Water Valley’s near rabid enthusiasm for Halloween. At the time, I thought the fervor for ghouls and goblins seemed out of character for what seemed to be a slow-rolling and occasionally tightly-wound religious town. I would soon learn that a slow-rolling and occasionally tightly-wound religious town can party, too! And party well!
I also lived on the corner of Dupuy and Leland Streets at the time and that intersection at about 6:30 p.m. on Halloween night looked like an anarchic, swarming whirlpool of little ghosts, Spidermans, mermaids, witches, football players, Incredible Hulks, dinosaurs, fairies, cowboys, skeletons, black cats and zombies. And I would be remiss if I failed to mention the one time a little kid was dressed like Richard Simmons.
Between Snookie and Mary Lou Williams’ epic inflatable, light-up Halloween driveway display and the entirety of Panola Street, the night was essentially a family-oriented street party where everyone in the county was invited. If you could steal from the Christmas playbook and describe Halloween as “magical,” then I’d say that was pretty accurate.
Water Valley is keeping our great Halloween tradition alive again this year with several Halloween events. Both Crawford Sports Complex and Baker Street Parks have Halloween night events going on. There are stops up and down Main Street and, of course, the time-tested, tried and true Panola/Leland/Dupuy Streets trifecta will be in effect.
As my kids gets older, I am both relieved and nostalgic about the holiday. I’m relieved that I don’t have to deal with it anymore but, man, it sure is cute! I’m at the parental stage now where I can stand on a friend’s Panola Street porch with a drink in hand and watch the other parents chasing their maniacal, sugar-bombed, costumed kids through peoples’ yards. Halloween is very chill now.
Speaking of chill, one of my favorite yearly events is coming up – the Water Valley Rotary Club Chili Cookoff! This event will take place on November 5 during The Chamber of Commerce Holiday Open House. The chili party goes down during the day in Pocket Park. This is right outside my studio door so it gives the effect of someone throwing me my own personal chili festival, hence my partiality.
It’s also conveniently located near Turnage’s Drugstore where you can purchase a pack of Rolaids.
Contest entry fee is $10, buy-a-bowl-of-chili fee is $5 and all proceeds got to the Water Valley Band.
In the meantime, see you all at the Water Valley Main Street Association’s Wine Down event on Thursday the 27th at 5:30, which is quickly becoming a popular trick-or-treat for grown folks. Happy Halloween, Water Valley!
