The Wood County Old Settlers Reunion brought crowds to Jim Hogg City Park in Quitman over the weekend, Oct. 30-Nov. 1, with the return of the carnival, Trunk-or-Treat, live music, contests and other activities.

More than 1,000 people attended Saturday evening’s Trunk-or-Treat, one of the weekend’s biggest draws. Families enjoyed candy, costumes and hayrides as part of the Halloween festivities. The carnival also proved popular, selling more than 500 armbands over the weekend.

The midway opened a day earlier than planned, offering rides Friday evening in addition to the scheduled Saturday and Sunday hours.

Carnival-goers could purchase four-hour unlimited ride armbands for $25 or individual ride tickets. Saturday’s activities included the Wood County Electric Cooperative’s annual membership meeting, which drew approximately 350 people.

Food and retail vendors, children’s activities, bingo and gospel music under the pavilion were also part of the weekend. The reunion also featured its inaugural pumpkin pie-eating contest. Steven McKinley claimed the adult title after eating 14 pieces of pumpkin pie in just four minutes. Quitman fifth grader Harlee Mix won the junior division.

Larry “King” Wisdom took top honors in the pet costume contest. Larry, who belongs to John and Joanne Wisdom, was dressed for the occasion as a king, complete with a royal robe and crown.

The weekend marked the return of several traditional reunion activities, including the carnival, as organizers worked to bring new life to the longstanding Wood County event.

“Seeing our communities come together to celebrate the Old Settlers Reunion was truly special. Bringing back the carnival, watching families make memories, and seeing generations enjoy this tradition reminded us why this event means so much to Wood County. We are incredibly grateful for our sponsors, local businesses, volunteers, vendors, and everyone who supported this year’s reunion. This event would not be possible without the amazing support of our communities. We look forward to continuing to grow this event while preserving its history and passing this cherished tradition on to future generations,” Vice President Brook Rogers said.

Treasurer Joanne Wisdom also thanked those who helped make the weekend possible. “A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped spread the word and came out to support this year’s Old Settlers Reunion. It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying themselves making new memories. We may be a little tired after all the hard work, but seeing our community come together and enjoy the event makes every bit of it worthwhile. We are especially grateful to our generous sponsors, volunteers, and everyone who helped make this year’s reunion possible. Thank you for making it such a special weekend. We look forward to seeing everyone again next year,” Wisdom said.