By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Halloween on a Friday is good news for a great many ghosts, goblins, and area businesses promoting the holiday late into the evening hours. For other businesses, the date is a little inconvenient. Dry Lake Brewing in downtown Great Bend will host its annual Pumpkin Smash event the Saturday following Halloween. That required some action from the city council Monday as City Administrator Logan Burns presented the motion.
"Dry Lake Brewing has requested a temporary extension of its premises into the alley and parking lot to the west of its building for the purpose of hosting its annual Pumpkin Smash event on Nov. 1 from 4 p.m. to midnight," he said. "The event will include food trucks and the pumpkin smashing contest. Consumption of alcohol and liquor is planned in that proposed space."
Dry Lake Brewing has been granted similar permission for the event since 2021. The council approved a pair of ordinances that will temporarily allow alcoholic consumption in that area. Monday's vote will also close the alley behind Dry Lake Brewing between Forest and Lakin Aves. from 4 p.m. to midnight, and close the city-owned parking lot at Lakin and Williams during that period as well.
Halloween on Friday will not impact downtown events in Great Bend. The Downtown Halloween Boo is scheduled around Jack Kilby Square from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25. Barton Community College will host its Haunting on the Hill from 2-5 p.m. that Saturday at the Fine Arts Building, and Great Bend High School will host its Halloween event from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday.