NEVADA CITY, Calif. October 29, 2023 – ‘Twas a sunny Sunday morning and yet, there was a lot of unusual activity at the Rood Center. The lobby seemed transformed into a prop shop. County employees were seen carrying tree and mushroom cutouts, witches’ hats were floating near the ceiling – of course we had to investigate. Here’s what we learned, ahead of Tuesday’s big reveal!
Sneak Peek
Past the “Witch’s Lair” sign up the stairs, floating hats above candles and bats lead to the Rainbow Road – Mario Kart’s final course of the Special Cup.
The Sheriff’s Office looks like a Pumpkin Patch, across the hall more Halloween themes are being built by each department. The corridor on the west side has a pinkish glow at the end. Make your way past monsters, through the Enchanted Forest, dodge the Secret Agents and you’ll arrive at … Barbie’s?!
Halloween Spooktacular on October 31st from 3-5 pm
Many county employees were busy decorating the hallways and offices for Halloween, when the whole Rood Center is open to ghosts and ghoulies of all ages. You are invited to roam the haunted halls of the County building, go on a Spooktacular Scavenger Hunt, and gather tasty treats from County departments, where you’ll find a different world behind every door.
Come and discover Pirates and Deep Sea Monsters or meet Alice in Wonderland. A Haunted Mansion, a shipwreck and a spooky graveyard await the courageous explorers who will make their way through the Haunted Hallway.
Scavenger Hunt
Grab a Halloween Spooktacular card and have it stamped at every stop, then enter the drawing to win a prize. You can also vote for your favorite office/theme and of course there will be loads of candy.
Don’t forget to wander up to the Madelyn Helling Library. Candy, Face Painting, Balloon Twisting, Spin Art, Fire Trucks, Free Books and lots of other Fun stuff will be waiting for you.
But wait, there’s more!
Once you have raided the Rood Center’s candy supply, take the free Nevada County Connects shuttle to downtown Nevada City, where merchants will open their doors to trick-or-treaters. Shuttles will run between the Eric Rood Center, the library, and City Hall every 15 minutes from 3:00 pm until 7:00 pm.
For a big finish, head to East Broad Street, where residents go all out for trick-or-treaters. East Broad will be closed to traffic at the Y (East Broad and Cottage Street) beginning at 5:00 pm.
Editor’s note for those wonder: The annual event is a gift to the community from Nevada County’s employees, who donate the treats, decorations, and their time to transform the Rood Center. Some decorations are on loan from Nevada County Media. No taxpayer dollars have been expended to provide a Halloween for all.