QUEENS — It's so much fun it's scary.
A Kew Gardens cemetery is planning to organize its first "trunk-or-treat" this Halloween, during which local families will decorate their cars and give away candy from their trunks, the organizers said.
Trunk-or-treating, also known as Halloween tailgating, has been gaining popularity around the country, said Carl Ballenas, president of the Friends of Maple Grove.
It's usually organized in church or school backyards in order to make candy-collecting safer and easier for children.
“One of the main goals is to provide a place where it’s safe for the kids to go trick-or-treating,” said Ballenas.
He believes that this is the first time that trunk-or-treating "is being done at a cemetery, which adds kind of an interesting twist to it."
Ballenas said he hopes the event will become an annual tradition in the neighborhood. If local families like it, he said, the group is considering adding a costume parade for kids and possibly a puppet show in the future, Ballenas said.
The participating cars will line up in the Victorian portion of the cemetery and will take part in a competition for the best decorated trunk.
The event will also include a food drive to help the needy. Residents can bring canned food goods, which will be later donated to local food pantries, the organizers said.
This month, the group is also planning a two-session "Mummymania Workshop" (Oct. 18 and 25), during which kids will learn about the mummification process and Egyptian gods and culture.
They will also make life-size two-dimensional mummies, Ballenas said. The mummies will be used during a murder mystery dinner theater (Nov. 15), an event during which guests will be solving mysteries.
Trunk-or-treating will be organized near the Lefferts Boulevard and Kew Gardens Road entrance to Maple Grove Cemetery. Vehicle set-up will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 31; trunk judging will take place at 3:30 p.m. (there will be a $100 prize awarded to the best decorated trunk); trunk-or-treating will start at 4 p.m. and will continue until 6:30 p.m. To register your car and for further information email info@friendsofmaplegrove.org or call 347-878-6614. Cars should be registered as soon as possible.
