Join The Fun At Thompson Park Day Oct. 18

LINCROFT, NJ — From start to finish, Thompson Park Day is fun for the whole family. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 18 at Thompson Park, 805 Newman Springs Road, in the Lincroft section of Middletown.

The festival is a celebration of the fall season: Free activities for the day include kids' races, entertainment, wagon rides, a petting farm, Zany Zombies, Spider Zone, Halloween Touch-a-Truck, pie-eating contests (12:30 p.m. for children & 12:45 p.m. for adults) and more.

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Once again, Thompson Park Day will offer some friendly competitions. New for this year is the Dog Parade & Costume Contest! This event, presented in collaboration with Monmouth County 4-H, begins promptly at 11 a.m. with the Dog Parade followed immediately afterward by the Costume Contest. The competition includes several categories including most creative, best pet & human duo and cutest. One prize awarded per category; enter one category only. The cost is $10 per dog. Pre-registration is required.

The fun continues with the Scarecrow Contest from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Competitors are asked to bring their imagination and decorations while framework and stuffing are provided. Ribbons will be awarded and participants can take home their scarecrow. The cost is $10 per scarecrow frame.

Then the Spooktacular Jack O' Lantern Contest is from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Pumpkins, carving utensils and decorations provided. Ribbons will be awarded and participants can take home their entries. The cost is $10 per pumpkin.

Pre-registration for these contests is available online at www.MonmouthCountyParks.com and guarantees a spot. On-site registration is available for the Scarecrow Contest and the Spooktacular Jack O' Lantern Contest while supplies last.

Activities requiring two tickets ($1 per ticket, sheets of 25 tickets $20) or a wristband ($10 per person) are archery, the climbing wall, inflatables and mechanical rides. The following activities accept tickets only: the Pumpkin Toss Game, Three Barns Toss (one ticket); ceramics at the Creative Arts Center (two tickets); and pumpkin painting (four tickets).

Scheduled activities for the day include:

Kids' Races:

Diaper Derby:

Crawlers – 2 p.m. & 4 p.m.

Tot Trot:

Walkers to 17 months - 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m. & 3:45 p.m.

18 to 23 months - 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. & 3:30 p.m.

2 to 3 years - 2:15 p.m., 3:15 p.m. & 4:15 p.m.

Pee Wee Run:

4 to 6 years - 1:15 p.m., 2:30 p.m. & 4:30 p.m.

Sack Races:

7 to 8 years - 3 p.m.

9 to 10 years - 1:45 p.m. & 4:45 p.m.

Entertainment:

Theater Barn

· 12 p.m. - Pete Magic's Harvest Hocus Pocus

·2 p.m. - Yosi's Dino Kids Rock Concert

·4 p.m. - Tricks, Treats and Beats

Strolling Performers

·12-4 p.m. - Funny Factory Balloon Twisterz (outside Theater Barn)

·1:30-2:30 p.m. - Itsy BIGSY Spider

·1:30- 2:30 p.m. - Haystack Hank

·2-4 p.m. - Poppy Bubbles the Fall Fairy

There is no rain date.