Giving trick-or-treaters haven

Young Chang

Ghosts and goblins are not normally the province of area churches, but

every Halloween a few establishments welcome children to haunt their

hallowed halls in order to provide a safe environment for

trick-or-treating.

Rock Harbor Christian Church will hold its annual Rocktoberfest at the

top of Triangle Square’s parking lot this year, moving it away from the

parking lot of the Costa Mesa Senior Center, where it meets, because of

the festival’s growth.

“It’s a family-friendly carnival,” said David Trotter, director of

communications for the Costa Mesa church. “We want to provide a safe

place for families and kids and even teenagers and singles to come. And

obviously, in light of everything that’s gone on, we just feel that

safety is something people are concerned about.”

With terrorism fears now adding to the usual parental anxiety of

tainted candy, organizers stashed away generous mounds of sweets to give

away through games, contests and other carnival booths at the fest.

“It’s a fun, safe kind of alternative to going around

trick-or-treating,” said Katherine Mull, a founder of the church and a

Newport Beach mom who has taken her children to Rocktoberfest every year.

Co-sponsored by Triangle Square, Rocktoberfest will feature two bounce

houses -- inflatable structures with netting on the sides -- an obstacle

course for adults, craft booths, games, a haystack for kids to jump into

and fish for candy, a classic car show with 25 cars predating 1972 and

live skits.

At Newport Mesa Christian Center’s Harvest Festival, a petting zoo,

pony rides and six bounce houses will be offered besides the traditional

trick-or-treating for the 2- to 12-year-old set.

“It’s just so people can have a safe place to go, because you always

hear the stories of someone having something in the candy,” said Pastor

Gabriel Gaeta. “It’s so kids will be able to be in a central place and

have fun with their families.”

Though free bibles will be handed out, the emphasis of the festival is

on community and family, not religion.

Gaeta said that recent events in the United States has made the church

-- on the corner of the Vanguard University campus -- a bit more security

conscious when it comes to the Halloween festival.

“For the first year, we are requesting that police officers come and

be on site here,” Gaeta said, adding that the festival’s head security

coordinator is a police officer.

Security is also a concern at Rocktoberfest, which expects about 2,000

visitors this year. Organizers have asked that no one wears a mask.

“People are more than welcome to dress up in whatever costumes, but

just to know who’s walking in,” Trotter said.

Mull said she appreciates this -- her 9- and 7-year-old were afraid of

scary masks when they were younger -- saying the fun is plentiful just in

the costumes.

“Part of the fun is that it’s well-lit,” she added. “You can really

see what some of the costumes are. Sometimes, trick-or-treating, you try

to run into people and you miss them.”

-- Jennifer K Mahal contributed to this story.

FYI

WHAT: Rocktoberfest

WHEN: 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday

WHERE: Triangle Square, at Harbor and Newport boulevards and 19th

Street in Costa Mesa

COST: Free

CALL: (949) 548-2600

WHAT: Harvest Festival

WHEN: 5:30 to 9 p.m.

WHERE: Newport Mesa Christian Center, 2599 Newport Blvd.

COST: $5

CALL: (714) 966-0454