Afton prepares for fall events

AFTON - With homecoming, Afton Autumn Days and Halloween on the horizon, the city made a few final decisions toward these events later this fall.

Last Tuesday’s Afton City Council meeting prepared the city for a slate of fall events. This starts with East Union’s homecoming, which will take place throughout the week with a parade and coronation on Thursday, Sept. 18.

The parade route for this year’s homecoming parade was decided. The route will follow the typical path starting with the lineup along East Kansas Street starting at Webster, circling around the square through Webster and Railroad streets, then south on Highway 169.

Turning east on Fillmore, the parade will then follow the road as the parade returns to the East Union Schools. City roads were approved to be closed during the parade alongside the necessary Iowa DOT closure for Highway 169.

Confusion over alcohol at Afton Autumn Days was left to the organizers for moderation. Autumn Days will take place on Saturday, Sept. 27.

The Afton Community Club envisioned Autumn Days as a family-friendly event. In the past, the event organizers have invited the vendor Lucky Wife Wine Slushies to the event. The vendor typically applies for alcohol licenses early to receive permission as soon as possible.

Lucky Wife had received an alcohol license in advance for Afton Autumn Days, approved by the Afton council in July. This was done without confirmation of the vendor by the Afton Community Club.

The city debated whether or not they could police an area of the event where alcohol had to be contained so it didn’t spill into other areas where children could be. This included potentially introducing a fenced area where the alcohol couldn’t leave if sold.

Based on the original alcohol license, the alcohol can’t leave the park if opened. The wine slushies sold by Lucky Wife are contained in small pouches with a capped nozzle.

No motion was made against the vendor or the event, leaving the organizers to enforce any rules they wish to impose.

The Halloween annual tradition of Trunk or Treat will continue into its ninth year in 2025, although organizer Janelle Hamelton admits the event could near its end. The event will take place on starting at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, on East Kansas Street south of the square.

Janelle Hamelton said the tenth year of Trunk or Treat in 2026 will most likely be the last. The event was originally conceived as a 4-H project by her daughter Katie. Katie has since moved away from Afton for college, with Janelle organizing in her place.

Even if the event’s time in the Hameltons’ hands ends, the final edition next year will be a good sendoff before potentially handing off the reins to a community organization.

“I am going to try to go big before we finish,” Janelle said during the meeting.

Setup for the event will start at 5 p.m. as groups organize the walk with open trunks, creative stalls and plenty of candy. Trunk or Treat was noted to be an attraction for out-of-town families. For the rest of Afton, door-to-door trick-or-treating will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30.

Afton also approved the alcohol license for the Muscle Mat Club’s annual fight night which will take place sometime in October. The fight night serves as a fundraiser for the club and features grappling and kickboxing matches.

Councilwoman Sheryl Parham gave the sole nay vote for the motion. Police Chief Jake McGuire mentioned an incident which occurred during last year’s event, but said it was resolved before any police intervention. The city requested McGuire to work and patrol on the day the night will occur.