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Downtown celebrates festive activities with families

Children gather to receive candy outside the Maurine Gray Literacy center parking lot, Saturday. UP photo by Jocelyn Morales.
Children gather to receive candy outside the Maurine Gray Literacy center parking lot, Saturday. UP photo by Jocelyn Morales

The Art Museum of Southeast Texas’ grounds were filled with children dressed up as their favorite characters as they enjoyed Day of the dead and Halloween-inspired activities. The Eat-A-Bug Family Arts Day is one of the four annual family events AMSET hosts and this year it attracted more people than before, Kara Timberlake, PR coordinator, said.

“Children came dressed in their most creative costumes, and were intrigued by the fried crickets and mealworms provided by Bill Clark Pest Control,” Timberlake said. “Many brave kids and parents tried the crawly delicacy and received an ‘I Ate A Bug’ sticker that they were able to wear proudly.”

The event also gave children and parents a chance to make sugar skulls to commemorate Día de los Muertos. Other activities included trick-or-treating booths, rides, fortune telling and dance performances.

In addition, families were encouraged to visit the museum’s current exhibits — “Woven Wonders” and “deborah Luster: Passion Play” — that served as an inspiration for the many hands-on activities.

“Downtown Beaumont had a lot of exciting family events to offer that weekend, and we enjoyed getting to be a part of the fun-packed lineup,” Timberlake said.

In honor of Dinosaur Day, the adjacent Texas Energy Museum featured an outdoor program including activities such as excavating fossil replicas and allowing kids to papier-maché a giant dinosaur.

As part of the arts day, the Beaumont Public Library provided the children with books and games.

Families were invited inside the Civic Center for activities including face painting and balloon animals, as well as ball park food and Halloween candy supplied by Beaumont police and other organizations.

Story by Jocelyn Morales, UP contributor

Category: Features