Tears of pure joy and thanks filled my eyes as I looked out into the crowd of thousands gathered in downtime Brownwood on Saturday, October 30th for the 1st Boo Bash festival.
I thought about the years 2019 and 2020. There was hazard tape around our parks, shelves in the store were empty and for those that were deemed essential to work, they had to carry a piece of paper in their vehicle telling those of authority they had authorization to be out during the lockdown. It was a rough season for many. People lost their lives to illness as well as mental illness when the isolation became too much. But this year there was hardly a quiet street or a dim drive way in Brown County with fall festivals, haunted houses and trunk or treats in abundance this Halloween season. The 13th annual Trunk or treat filled downtown Brownwood and a brand new Halloween celebration made for some unforgettable memories for all ages.
It was joyful to hear the laughs of many coming from every corner you turned as we gathered for festivals and fun. In a time when things in our nation have had a tendency to feel so uncertain it was without a doubt moving to see downtown Brownwood animated with little ghosts, goblins, and witches.
The residents of Brown County showed our resilience as a community as we laughed, danced, and sang until we were out of breath. Many parents with small children out trick or treating explained to me that even though their child was older, it was their first time to trick or treat. This is because they were born into the pandemic or right before quarantine started. It was both heartwarming and heart breaking to watch the 3 year olds trick or treat for the first time but the excitement on their faces lit the entire block.
There have been many times in our great nation’s history where we have fallen by no choice of our own but we arose even stronger. This felt like one of those moments to me but it was secretly nestled right here in our own community.
Our community that was once shut down is alive and booming. New businesses are moving in downtown as they continue to restore the beautiful history of what Brown County once was. It’s exciting and encouraging to see the revitalization not only downtown but in the way we gather and celebrate. This proves that although we may fall we will rise again. We are far from “out of the woods,” but we continue to take positive strides forward.
For me, this pandemic has made me realize how quickly things can change and how easy it is to take the little things that are actually really big, for granted. I caught myself with tears in my eyes many times handing out candy to smiling kids. Something so simple and so small felt so huge after what has been endured because of the pandemic. A couple of years ago they were tears of worry and strife but this weekend they were tears of pure joy and thanks.
Thank you to the many sponsors and organizations that continue to bring life to Brown County. We have kicked off the holiday season and I know there are more exciting things planned for upcoming months. Make sure to keep up to date right here on Brownwoodnews.com so you don’t miss a moment of fun with all the celebrations.
[Story by Miranda Windham]
