Ghostbusters, Chucky and a killer rabbit aren’t your usual football crowd. But they were among the costumes on show as Mickleover FC brought the community together for its Halloween Fireworks Display and Fancy Dress Parade on 31st October.
As proud sponsors of the club, some of the Vibrant Doors team headed down to the Vibrant Doors Arena for an evening of fireworks, fancy dress and getting involved in the festive fun. For our Senior Marketing Manager, Julie Hayes, that last part included some unexpectedly well-publicised dancing…
Music and Fairground Fun From the Start
The weather was perfect and with doors opening from 5pm, the evening offered plenty for families to enjoy. There were fairground attractions for younger children and bigger rides for the bigger kids and adults, alongside a selection of food and drink vendors, as well as the clubhouse bar keeping everyone suitably lubricated.
BBC Radio Derby’s Becky Measures hosted the event, with DJ music helping to keep the entertainment going between the parades and displays. Two choir performances also added a lovely musical contribution to the Halloween celebrations.
“There was such a lovely atmosphere,” said Julie. “People had really gotten into the Halloween spirit with their costumes and it was great to see so many families enjoying an evening at the club. There was plenty going on wherever you looked.”
Lots of Frightful Outfits and One Thriller Moment
Separate fancy dress parades gave younger ones and older kids their own chance to take to the stage, with Becky introducing the costumes as participants made their way across.
First, second and third prizes were up for grabs, with Mickleover FC Executive committee member Steve Cooper and a fellow judge selecting the winners. Sam, our Director, was also on hand to present the trophy and prizes on behalf of everyone at Vibrant Doors.
The programme also included two opportunities to join in with a Thriller dance, and with so many brilliant Halloween characters gathered in one place, there was certainly no shortage of suitable costumes!
Julie entered into the spirit of the evening too, earning praise for her moves…
“I managed to get a shout-out for my dancing, which I’m choosing to take as a compliment!” Julie said. “It was all part of the fun. You can’t go along to something like this and resist joining in.”
Two Fireworks Displays for a Family Friendly Evening
The fireworks programme was designed to give families a choice about how long to stay. A quieter display for under-12s was scheduled for 6.15pm, lasting approximately 15 minutes, while the larger main display was planned for 8.15pm, with around 20 minutes of fireworks and music.
That earlier display meant families with younger children could enjoy the fireworks and head home without having to wait until later in the evening. For those staying on, there were rides, refreshments and more entertainment to enjoy before the main display.
Ahead of the event, Vibrant Doors also helped spread the word locally. That included giving pet owners advance notice that fireworks would be taking place, so they could make preparations for their beloved furfolk.
Coming Together for a Good Cause
There were also collections made during the choir performances with all money raised supporting the National Hereditary Breast Cancer Helpline, a charity founded by Becky’s mum, Wendy Watson MBE. The charity provides information and support for people concerned about their family history of breast cancer.
Vibrant Doors couldn’t be more pleased and proud to make a donation in support of the charity’s work, adding another meaningful reason to be involved in the evening.
“We were really pleased to support the charity and join everyone for the evening,” Julie added. “Events like this show how much the club brings to the local community. It’s lovely to be involved and see people coming together to enjoy themselves.”
A big thank you to organiser Roger Lee, who’s Executive Board Lead of the club, to Becky, the choir and everyone at Mickleover FC who helped put the evening together, and of course to everyone who came along in their Halloween finery!
Our partnership with Mickleover FC gives us plenty to cheer about, and this was another great reason to get down to the ground. Hope to see you at the next one, with lots of other events planned for the community over the coming months!
