Enter the limits of Halloween Town at your own risk.

Your heart will be pounding after taking part in the family-friendly Halloween Hustle 5K. See formerly cute and cuddly dogs, cats and other pets dressed up in their best costumes. Kids can collect so much candy from local businesses and from a massive trunk-or-treat event that they’ll stagger around like zombies.

And of course, be on the watch for the return of the Master of Scare-monies, Sammy Terry in the (rotting) flesh.

“He’s become a staple for us,” said Holly Johnston, community events and programs director for Franklin Parks and Recreation.

Downtown Franklin transforms into Halloween headquarters all day Saturday. The city parks and recreation department is bringing back Halloween Town, a family-friendly community event featuring hay rides, creepy and crawly animals, food trucks and lots of candy.

At the same time, participants have the chance to tackle a really scary problem plaguing the community hunger.

“It’s not required, but it’s something we can do to give back to the community while every one is having a good time. Even if they want to bring one can, that’s wonderful. Every little bit we get will help somebody,” Johnston said.

Halloween Town is a relatively new celebration for Franklin, created by the city’s parks department in 2018. Organizers used a $2,500 grant from Festival Country Indiana, the county’s tourism organization, to stitch together a few other longtime Halloween traditions into a single event.

The parks department had organized a Halloween-themed 5K on a late-October Friday, and planned the traditional trunk-or-treat event the following night on Saturday. But organizers decided it made more sense to combine the two on one day, rather than spread it out over two.

The event’s inaugural year was a hit, with hundreds of people flocking to the downtown square to take part. Torrential rains put a damper on participation the following year, though, and in 2020 the pandemic forced a scaled-back version, with a virtual 5K, distanced trunk-or-treating and a self-guided driving tour of decorated homes.

Organizers are looking forward to capturing the original spirit of the event, Johnston said.

“We’ve learned that Halloween is one of the most loved holidays. It’s fun to have something downtown where people can do different things with the kids,” she said. “Last year, we did Trick Your Trunk, but that was the only thing we did. So it’s going to be fun having it all together again.”

The festival kicks off bright and early for the Halloween Hustle 5K or 1-mile family walk, which will wind along Franklin’s Greenway Trail under falling leaves and along buzzing meadows.

After a short break, Halloween Town really comes alive in the afternoon. People can sign up Fido or Fluffy to take part in the Howl-O-Ween pet costume contest. Silly Safari will have some spooky animals to show off to crowds. Pumpkin decorating, face painting and other activities will keep the kids busy throughout the day.

“We’ll have a craft where kids can decorate their own trick-or-treat bags, so that will be fun,” Johnston said.

Audiences get to see a group of smart-aleck kids save the world from Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Mummy and other classic movie monsters in “The Monster Squad,” showing at the Historic Artcraft Theatre.

Hay rides departing from the city hall parking lot and traveling through nearby Province Park offer a perfect way to make some seasonal family memories, Johnston said.

“That ride will go down into the park, so it’s a little scenic. Those seemed to be a hit with people,” Johnston said.

Sammy Terry is again scheduled to be the centerpiece performer during the event. The character was created by Bob Carter, a producer, director and performer at WTTV Channel 4 in Indianapolis. From 1962 to 1989, Carter would don the creepy makeup and hooded cape, introducing that week’s spooky film on Nightmare Theater. Together with his sidekick, a rubber spider named George, he would mix humor and horror in a way that kids and adults found exhilarating.

Even after Nightmare Theater went off the air, Carter continued to portray Sammy Terry until 2010. His son, Mark Carter, took over, and has done public appearances, festivals and television specials ever since.

But for the younger festivalgoers at Halloween Town, nothing will top the bounty of sweets they can seek out at the event’s close. During Trick-the-Town, kids can go from participating business to business throughout downtown, picking up candy and other goodies. At Trick Your Trunk, decorated cars will be passing out treats all along North Main Street.

And throughout the day, people can drop off nonperishable food at locations on the courthouse square and outside Trick Your Trunk, to help feed those struggling with food insecurity throughout the community.

“Everything we do that day is free, except for the run in the morning. If people want to bring food for the food pantry, we’ll take those all day downtown,” Johnston said.

Halloween Town

When: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Downtown Franklin

Schedule of events

9 a.m.: Halloween Hustle 5K run/walk and 1-mile family fun walk, Franklin Recreation Center, 396 Branigin Blvd.; $22 registration for 5K, $2 per person for family fun walk. Registration starts at 8 a.m.

All day: Food drive, throughout the festival

2-4 p.m.: Sammy Terry, main stage

2 and 7:30 p.m.: “The Monster Squad,” Historic Artcraft Theatre, 57 N. Main St.

3 p.m.: Howl-O-Ween pet costume contest registration, main stage; registration accepted between 2 and 3 p.m.

3-5 p.m.: Kids activities, including pumpkin painting, face painting and other crafts, West Court Street

3-6 p.m.: Hayrides, city hall parking lot

3-7 p.m.: Food trucks open

4-5 p.m.: Silly Safaris

4-7 p.m.: Sammy Terry, in front of the Artcraft Theatre

5 to 7 p.m.: Trick-the-Town trick-or-treating at downtown businesses; Trick Your Trunk safe trick-or-treating on North Main Street

Information: franklin.in.gov