Newport City Hall is decorated to represent the various places in The Wizard of Oz, including the haunted forest, for the city’s Trick or Treat Ghost Walk from 4-7 p.m. Friday.Trick-or-treaters on Friday won’t have to follow the yellow brick road to step into the world of Oz – they just have to skip to Newport City Hall. Inside the building is completely transformed — the waiting area is Munchkin Land, the city manager’s office is Emerald City, a large wizard head with glowing red eyes sits above one of the doorways and a house dropped on the Wicked Witch of the East is in the lobby.
Sherri Marineau, a Newport city hall Halloween committee member, turns on the lights of the miniature hot air balloon floating over decorations of The Wizard of Oz’s Emerald City.The effort is part of the city’s Trick or Treat Ghost Walk, which involves City Hall, the nearby 60+ Activity Center, and the Recreation and Aquatics centers. The free event launched last year, welcoming more than 1,300 trick-or-treaters and was an especially big hit since the weather was so rainy.
The city has a Halloween committee with more than a dozen staff who plan decoration themes and put their crafting skills to use. This year, city hall is themed after The Wizard of Oz while other city buildings have an underwater and traditional spooky Halloween theme. In addition to candy, books bought through the Newport Library Foundation will also be handed out.
The Trick or Treat Ghost Walk takes place from 4-7 p.m. Friday.
Have a photo to share? Send it here.
Newport city hall Halloween committee members Patty Riley, left, and Sherri Marineau stand between card board cutouts of Dorothy and the Tin Man from the film, The Wizard of Oz. Decorations also include a projection of a tornado, flying monkeys and the scarecrow in a cornfield.
