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Cool fun on hot day at Dade City's Scarecrow Festival

By Erin Sullivan, Times Staff Writer
In print: Monday, October 13, 2008

Jordan Sulsona, 8, of Riverview stuffs hay into a shirt at the Scarecrow Festival in Dade City on Saturday. Jordan came to the event with family members, including his father, Wendell, whose birthday is on Halloween. Hundreds of people showed up to make scarecrows and play old-fashioned games.
	[KERI WIGINTON | Times]

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DADE CITY — The hay flew in the air, a yellowish dust coating everything within several feet, as kids and adults grabbed at bales and stuffed fistfuls into jeans and shirts at the Scarecrow Festival in downtown Dade City on Saturday. Every minute or so, it seemed, someone sneezed.

Hundreds of people showed up to make scarecrows to take home, to participate in games — such as sack races — and to browse food and crafts from vendors. It was sweltering Saturday, an odd scene amid all of the pumpkins and apple cider and other cool-weather, autumn things.

Jordan Sulsona, 8, worked intently on his scarecrow with his grandparents helping him. His dad, Wendell Sulsona, watched a few feet away.

The Sulsonas love Halloween. It's Wendell's birthday and his parents' anniversary — plus his grandmother's birthday. He will be 43 on the holiday this year and, this past weekend, he and his family began decorating their yards. He has a large, close-knit family, with his parents next door and sisters and other relatives nearby. Sulsona has as many Halloween decorations in his attic as he does Christmas ones.

"Fog machine, strobe lights, black lights, tombstones," he said.

When asked how many costumes he and his family have, he drew a blank.

"Whew," he said. "I don't know. A lot."

Their first of many holiday parties will be this week, complete with hayrides, pumpkin carving and a setup to take photos of everyone in their costumes. Sulsona, who is a manager at a CVS, and his family take advantage of community events because they're fun and free — something important in these harsh economic times. He also believes in supporting local organizations and businesses.

"It's important," he said.

His wife, Deborah, 33, wasn't used to going all out on Halloween until she became part of Sulsona's family. Now she has her own specialty: spooky Halloween mice made out of chocolate-covered cherries with Hershey's kisses faces (with drawn on whiskers and eyes) and ears of almond slivers. "They're really good," her husband said.

After the holiday — and his birthday — are over, Wendell always tells himself to not buy any more Halloween decorations and costumes. But when he sees them on clearance, "I just can't help myself."

Erin Sullivan can be reached at esullivan@sptimes.com or (813) 909-4609.