The ghost train at Burke Lake.

Burke Lake Park, Fairfax County hosted around 2.500 people of all ages, who made a chilly Oct. 25 into a pre-Halloween holiday. Scooby Doo, Winnie the Pooh and giant pumpkins among other characters were the main attraction for children who formed long lines  in the early morning to get on the Ghost Train.

Starting at 8 am, the event organizers from NOVA’s Park and Recreation program along with more than a 100 volunteers, met at the entrance of the park to initiate a day full of scary fun and enthusiastic thrills.

The train ride went through a 1.75 mile loop from 10:00 am until 5:15 pm. Once aboard,  riders became light-hearted and surprised by all the characters found in the “Haunted Forest”. Giant pumpkins provided treats, the Ninja Turtles defeated evil and scary witches danced around Waldo. All the while Little Red Riding Hood was chased by the Wolf, and the Scooby Doo gang solved a new mystery.

“It’s really cool, when you get on the train is like being on a field trip. It’s really fun stuff, people pop-up on you and you get to see a lot of famous characters” enthusiastically stated  Jay Caperalli, a nine year old boy who was present at the event for his third year, accompanied by his parents and cousins who came from Dale City just to enjoy the ride.

Once organized by the Fairfax County Park Authority, the Ghost Train event passed into the hands of the Recreation and Park Society in 1994. It began 30 years ago as a scary event, until Northern Virginia Community College turned it into an event kids and families could enjoy together.

“It was a youth program where little kids came to ride the choo-choo train. Even though [we] expected [people] to come for Halloween, you didn’t find little kids here because you would only find scary things” stated Nancy Chamberlain, Assistant Dean of the Park and Recreation’s program at the Annandale campus and the head of this event since 1998.

In charge of the event for 13 years, Nancy Chamberlain works with volunteers from different clubs of the college such as the Hispanic Student Union, Phi Theta Kappa, as well as with her own students from RPK. Her commitment to and love for this event has brought to the park and the organizations she works with $250,000 since she assumed the position.

“Each year is getting better and easier thanks to the students that come to volunteer. I’m very proud of every single one of them and thankful for their help” she stated after the train passed by filled with little kids’ loud, happy voices. Putting 3000 hours of work and around $ 4000 every year, this event is recognized as an alternative for Halloween for all family members by surrounding communities.

Volunteers comprised college students of all ages including grandparents providing activities for their grandkids. “It’s wholesome entertainment when you have kids. It’s different and a good supervised activity for the entire family to get involved. It’s also nice to spend time outdoors and enjoy nature,” commented Nelson Letona, a 67 year old man volunteering for the first time in his Dracula custom.

Whether it is to spend time outdoors with the family or looking for an alternative for Halloween, Burke Lake Park gave a great show at an affordable price. People from different states were present as well to enjoy the Ghost Train and the different scenes of characters prepared for the public. A 12 year old girl, Jade Turner described the experience very well, “It is very exciting, freaky and fun.”

By: Grecia Balboa

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