Families flocked to Burgess Pool for Menlo Park’s third annual Pumpkin Splash on Sunday afternoon. Each participant received a swimming time slot, a pumpkin, decorations for the pumpkin, and a goody bag.
Participants splashed around in the pool with pumpkins, picking out their favorites to adorn and take home, while Halloween-themed songs like “Thriller” and “Spooky, Scary Skeletons” wafted from speakers around the pool.
The event was organized by Menlo Park’s Recreation Coordinator, Harrison Yee, who has run the event for three years. “It’s a great event,” Yee said. “The kids get to swim around with [the pumpkins], and then they get the opportunity to decorate [them] afterwards. And we send them home with some candy in the true Halloween spirit.”
Families crowded around the pool, waiting for their session to start. This year set a new record for sign-ups, with a total of 240 participants.
It was community member Sarah Afzal and her family’s first time attending the event. Afzal appreciated how many pumpkins and toys children could choose from. “We’re absolutely going to come back next year,” she said.
Afzal advised future attendees to purchase tickets on the earlier side next year. “One thing about this is it does sell out pretty quickly, so for next year, parents should try to enroll [early].”
Community member Martha Matson and her family also enjoyed the event, pointing out how specific of a California event it was. “I think it’s fun to be able to spend more time in the water for kids, especially in October. That’s a unique California thing, to be able to have an outdoor pool day for a Halloween celebration,” she said.
