BELLAIRE • MEMORIAL • RIVER OAKS • TANGLEWOOD • WEST UNIVERSITY

Bellaire Pumpkin Hunt 2019

By Pooja Salhotra, Staff writer | October 28, 2019

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Carmella Hawney (at left, dressed as a fairy) and her friend Mary Carlton Call (at right, dressed as Minnie Mouse) show off their costumes. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)

It was 10 minutes until 4:30 p.m. on Thursday afternoon and the countdown had already begun.

Kids ranging from a few months old to 10 years old stood eagerly around a circular enclosure in Bellaire Town Square, where hundreds of plastic pumpkins lay, some holding Halloween candy and some holding tickets for special prizes. When Bellaire Recreation Supervisor Victoria Arevalo signaled the start of the Pumpkin Hunt, the kids were off, gathering pumpkins.

Kids ages 0-4 and 5-10 hunt for pumpkins in the Bellaire Town Square. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)

One lucky grand prize winner from the 5-10 age group, Max Juang, won a guitar donated by School of Rock, while Carmella Hawney, the winner from the 0-4 age group won a battery-powered ride-on toy.

Around the periphery of the park were booths offering other activities such as ring toss and face painting, while the main stage featured entertainment by “The Lost Boys Band.”

See our slideshow below for some Buzzworthy photos.

Steve Scharpf brought sons Hendrix Scharpf, four months old, and Quentin Sharpf, two and a half, to the Bellaire Pumpkin Hunt. Hendrix dressed as an elephant while Quentin chose to be an astronaut. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)
Brothers Tai Nguyen (at left, dressed as the cookie monster) and Ever Nguyen (at right, dressed as a ninja) eagerly await the start of the Pumpkin Hunt. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)
Caroline Ortiz and her brother Levi Ortiz collected plenty of prizes and candy. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)
Friends Carlin Burns and Vihaan Mehta, both four years old, were excited to run into each other at the Bellaire event. Both dressed as characters from the animated television series, “PJ Masks.” (Photo: Pooja Salhotra).
Keenan Hawney’s older sister Carmella won the grand prize in the 0-4 age group. Keenan collected the prize for her. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)
Emiliana Genisbernal dressed as a ballerina butterfly. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)
Entertainment was provided by local '80s dance band, “The Lost Boys Band.” (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)
Adriana Grays (at left) pulled out this Twister costume from her collection of Halloween costumes. Her granddaughter Aaliyah Collier is dressed in a matching Twister costume and grandson Austin Collier dressed as Black Panther. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)
Kids ages 0-4 and 5-10 hunt for pumpkins in the Bellaire Town Square. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)
Hundreds of kids wait for the Pumpkin Hunt to begin at Bellaire Town Square. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)

Steve Scharpf, Hendrix Scharpf, Quentin Sharpf,

Steve Scharpf brought sons Hendrix Scharpf, four months old, and Quentin Sharpf, two and a half, to the Bellaire Pumpkin Hunt. Hendrix dressed as an elephant while Quentin chose to be an astronaut. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)

Brothers Tai Nguyen (at left, dressed as the cookie monster) and Ever Nguyen (at right, dressed as a ninja) eagerly await the start of the Pumpkin Hunt. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)

Caroline Ortiz and her brother Levi Ortiz collected plenty of prizes and candy. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)

Friends Carlin Burns and Vihaan Mehta, both four years old, were excited to run into each other at the Bellaire event. Both dressed as characters from the animated television series, “PJ Masks.” (Photo: Pooja Salhotra).

Keenan Hawney’s older sister Carmella won the grand prize in the 0-4 age group. Keenan collected the prize for her. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)

Emiliana Genisbernal dressed as a ballerina butterfly. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)

Entertainment was provided by local '80s dance band, “The Lost Boys Band.” (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)

Adriana Grays, Aaliyah Collier, Austin Collier

Adriana Grays (at left) pulled out this Twister costume from her collection of Halloween costumes. Her granddaughter Aaliyah Collier is dressed in a matching Twister costume and grandson Austin Collier dressed as Black Panther. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)

Kids ages 0-4 and 5-10 hunt for pumpkins in the Bellaire Town Square. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)