Halloween Finale To Close Out Caponi Season

If your child can’t wait until Monday to get his or her trick-or-treat on, Caponi Art Park in Eagan will be hosting their first ever Halloween at the Art Park on Saturday, Oct. 29 from 1 to 4 p.m.

The outdoor sculpture gardens and nature center will feature costumed guides that will give walking tours of the park’s spookiest sculptures, complete with hands-on lessons and candy treats related to the sculptures. Stone skeletons, slithering animals and more can be found throughout the park designed by artist Anthony Caponi. The guided tours leave every 30 minutes from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Attendees will also get a chance to decorate gourds and other Halloween crafts or simply play by jumping in the giant pile of leaves on hand for all-ages frolicking fun.

Hot apple cider, popcorn and other refreshments will be available near the outdoor fireplace.

Caponi Art Park is a popular seasonal attraction in Eagan that features a variety of concerts, children’s activities and themed events during the warmer months each year. This will be Caponi Art Park’s last open weekend of the 2011 season.

Molly Swailes, Caponi Art Park’s program and volunteer coordinator, says the park decided to hold a Halloween event to celebrate a successful season.

“We started off the year with such a bang for Tony’s () ,” said Swailes. “We thought it seemed fitting to celebrate to a successful year of programs with a Halloween event to close out the year.”

Swailes said attendance at the park has been increasing steadily year by year as more people discover the unique combination of art and nature combined with an expanding menu of programs and events.

Highlights of the 2011 season included performances by West African music and dance troupe and the Bill Evans New Orleans jazz band. The recent attracted more than 1,400 people to the park, a record for any event according to Swailes.

“We’ve been really lucky with weather all year,” said Swailes. “The Medieval Fair was a beautiful day and that’s been a real blessing throughout the year.”

The weather for Saturday’s Halloween finale is also looking sunny and Swailes is hoping that will attract a good crowd of costumed kids to the inaugural event.

 The Halloween in the Art Park event is free with a suggested donation of $2 per person. Children are encouraged to come in costume. Caponi Art Park is located at 1220 Diffley Road and complete details are available at www.caponiartpark.org.