Over 1,000 pounds of candy will be shot out of a cannon at local Halloween event
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IDAHO FALLS – If the COVID-19 pandemic has put a stop to your Halloween celebration, an Idaho Falls business is inviting you to come and celebrate safely in the outdoors.
The U-Pick Redbarn at 2726 Rollandet is hosting its first-ever Halloween Candy Blast on Oct. 31.
“We have an open outdoor event that’s super fun for kids. They’ll be able to dress up, have their pictures taken, take home a mountain of candy and have a bunch of fun all day long,” co-owner Rollie Walker tells EastIdahoNews.com.
Beginning at 11 a.m., 2,500-3,000 pieces of candy will be shot from a cannon every 15 minutes and rain down on trick-or-treaters, totaling 1,000 pounds throughout the day.
“All the candy will be wrapped,” he says. “It’s an all-outdoor event, so it’s COVID friendly.”
Scary kids movies will be shown on the big screen in the loft of the barn throughout the day, and families will have unlimited access to all the activities, including train rides, pumpkin cannons, corn pits, a straw maze, jumper pillows, 70-foot slides, hayrides and an obstacle course.
The event will also include a food truck festival with tacos, doughnuts, caramel corn, hot dogs, nachos, soda, and bottled water.
Real turkeys, chickens and pheasants will be on-site, as well as kittens. A professional photographer will be taking photos for people to download at no cost.
U-Pick Redbarn is a seasonal business that operates throughout September and October each year. It typically closes before Halloween, but Walker decided to make an exception this year.
“All of October is the buildup for Halloween day, and Halloween this year was going to be a big letdown,” says Walker. “Kids are getting denied a lot of privilege and fun opportunity because of the restrictions, so we’re trying to be a positive voice and opportunity, given the current situation.”
U-Pick Redbarn got its start as a pumpkin patch across from the zoo at Tautphaus Park 15 years ago. The website indicates cousins McNeil and Chase Walker opened the business as kids to earn money for church missions. They hired someone to help them fix up the old barn and eventually added a train.
McNeil died in 2016 when a semi-truck slammed into him while he was riding his tractor.
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The venue has continued to grow in popularity over the years, and Walker says the turnout this year has been one of their best ever.
“We’ve had an unbelievable amount of people — 25% more than last year,” he says. “The funnest sight I see is kids screaming because they don’t want to go home.”
Walker is looking forward to the final day of the season, and he’s excited to offer a place where families can come and spend time together safely for seven hours.
“We’re hoping that we’re a happy answer for a sad problem,” he says.
The Halloween Candy Blast goes until 6 p.m. Cost of admission is $5. Visit the website or Facebook page for more information.