Halloween returned to Argo Park in Summit on Oct. 31 with the free Boo Bash, the park’s first Halloween event in a while, according to Daria Amerik, project manager in the grants department at SGA Youth and Family Services.
The event ran from 3 to 7 p.m. and offered candy, photo ops, a bounce house and free hot dogs. Hocus Pocus played at 5:45 p.m., with free popcorn for moviegoers.
Amerik said her organization made a point this year of sponsoring both Halloween events: the Trunk or Treat at Summit Park on Oct. 24 and the Boo Bash at Argo Park.
“If we do something at Summit Park, we have to do something at Argo Park,” she said. “It’s just as important.”
Argo Park serves a whole other community that also needs Halloween programming, Amerik said.
The Boo Bash also served as the showcase for the Argo Sparks, a new fall youth baseball league, which played its final game day on the park’s baseball field during the event.
“It was their first time playing,” Amerik said.
Players from Wharton Elementary and School District 104, split into kindergarten-through-second-grade and third-through-fifth-grade groups, played on Saturdays and Sundays for eight weeks, she said. The players competed among themselves rather than against outside teams. The first season was about having fun.
“We had a lot of girls too this time,” Amerik said.
Baseball is nearly nonexistent in the area, Amerik said. But “there seems to be a lot of interest by schools, parents, kids, so we’re really excited.”
Organizers hope to bring baseball back in the spring with an opening day designed to sign up players, Amerik said. They hope to have the fire and police departments come out to grill.
Summit Mayor Sergio Rodriguez stopped by during a busy day to watch part of the game. He said many people who have come to the park have gone on to great things.
“Hopefully this is the next generation,” Rodriguez said.
The Boo Bash was made possible by the Summit Community Network, SGA Youth and Family Services, the Summit Park District, The Lights On Collective and Nubian 9.
SGA is part of the Summit Community Network, a coalition of local service providers, public servants and residents working together to enhance the quality of life for Summit residents. SGA and community partners formed the group in July 2020, when they saw a pressing need for collaboration in Summit. It has since grown into a network of partners.
The network’s vision is to empower Summit residents to be active members of a thriving community, Amerik said. Its coalition of more than 80 partners looks for grants together and allocates programming funds in three areas: crime and safety, youth programs and community engagement, she said.
The coalition offered 22 programs in the area during calendar year 2026, serving seniors, families, kids and workers, Amerik said. Workforce programs for teenagers will be a big focus next year, she said.
