Kane County Reporter

The Campton Hills community gathered for the first annual “Boo After Dark” event, which took place through a collaboration between the Campton Hills Police Department and Campton Township Parks & Open Space. Planning for the event began only a few months prior, aiming to introduce a new activity for residents.

Chief Levand expressed gratitude to attendees and those involved in organizing the event. “I would like to thank everyone who came out and participated in the first annual ‘Boo After Dark’ event. ‘Boo After Dark’ was a collaboration between the Campton Hills Police Department and Campton Township Parks & Open Space. Planning began only a few months ago, with the hope that some residents would be interested in taking part in a new community event. We were thrilled to see more than 2,000 visitors attend the inaugural celebration!”

Reflecting on lessons learned from hosting this first-year gathering, Chief Levand said improvements are already being planned based on feedback from volunteers and participants. “As with any first-year event, we learned a great deal and identified several areas for improvement. Thanks to the overwhelmingly positive feedback from volunteers and community members, we now have a clear vision for making next year’s event even better.”

Next year’s “Boo After Dark” is expected to feature more vendors, giveaways, games, refreshments, food trucks, restrooms, an updated parking plan with improved lighting, additional Halloween characters interacting with guests, and enhancements to the spooky wagon ride including more characters and visual effects. The addition of another tractor and wagon aims to reduce wait times.

The police department has experience growing community events over time; its National Night Out each August now attracts about 3,500 visitors from Campton Hills and nearby areas annually.

Chief Levand also thanked all partners who contributed: “Thank you to all the incredible community volunteers and partners who made this event possible on such short notice, including Campton Hills Police Department, Campton Hills Township Parks & Open Space, Village of Campton Hills, Community Relations Committee, C.E.R.T., CPA Alumni, Accurate Towing, and all the other amazing businesses and residents who contributed.”

He concluded by expressing appreciation for community support: “We truly appreciate your support and hope to see everyone again next year at Boo After Dark!”