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Cortez O’Lanterns and Community Outreach at Goblin Gathering

Published

Oct 24, 2025

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A display table with an orangeAn outdoor


Returning to G.T. Bray Park for the first time since Family Fun Night, Lasting Manatee joined the annual Goblin Gathering on Friday, October 17. Teamed with Manatee 311, we quickly set up our two tents and tables to hand out free candy, Manatee 311 merchandise, and program pamphlets to the expected 3,000+ children and their families. From 4 to 8 p.m., we enjoyed meeting the county’s smiling ghouls, goblins, royalty, superheroes, and every kind of costume character who came out for Halloween fun.


An outdoor Halloween event photo area with a large skeleton decoration and shiny purple and orange sequin backdrop. Four young boys in black shirts are posing for a photo near hanging white ghost decorations and a

A mother and her two smiling children pose for a photo at an outdoor autumn event, sitting on hay bales decorated with scarecrows, pumpkins, and artificial fall leaves.

A park pathway lined with vendors under white canopy tents, crowded with diverse people strolling between the booths on a sunny day.


Attendees enjoyed a number of exciting activities: giveaways of candy, toys, and merchandise from multiple county divisions and community organizations; food trucks serving a variety of sweet and savory options; inflatable slides; live performances to keep energy high; and a costume contest that crowned a few lucky champions.

 

An outdoor event booth features an older woman engaging with a staff member and two children, one in a blue fairy costume with butterfly wings. A white SUV is parked behind the booth, which is under a canopy tent with

An outdoor event booth features several people, including an adult handing an item to a child in a ladybug costume. The table has an orange jack-o'-lantern candy bowl, stacks of materials, and small gray favors, with a

Attendee in a large inflatable T-Rex costume leans over the Manatee 311 booth at an outdoor community event, engaging with staff under a blue canopy. There is a nearby tent with decorations. The table has Halloween candy and branded 311 merchandise

Our area was a nonstop hit! Kids were already excited about our County’s newest limited-edition 3D printed manatee toy, the Cortez O’Lantern. We already told our social media followers that only 600 were available, and that they could be picked up at the Lasting Manatee or Manatee 311 tables. All 600 were gone by the halfway point, just two hours into the event!

 

An outdoor Manatee 311 event booth under a teal canopy features several smiling staff members. The table has an orange candy bowl, various program pamphlets, and different giveaway toys and branded goods.

As each child approached our table, their “Trick or Treat!” was met with free candy, a Cortez O’Lantern, and their choice of 311-branded toys like sunglasses, LED glow sticks, fans and more. For the accompanying adults, we gave out Manatee 311 drawstring bags where they could store their child’s new toys and also find inside a brochure about our coming Home Recovery Program and Buyout and Safe Housing Program. These are Lasting Manatee’s programs that will serve low and-moderate income homeowners countywide, and will offer recovery for 2024 hurricane damage through home repairs, home replacements, or home buyouts for eligible applicants. All information on those programs can be found by clicking here to read our Action Plan document.

An outdoor Lasting Manatee event booth under a white canopy features two smiling staff members. The table has an orange candy bowl, Lasting Manatee program pamphlets, and different giveaway toys and branded goods.

The crowds stayed steady and lively through sunset and the 8 p.m. close. As we packed up for the evening, we reflected on how memorable this event is for families, Manatee County staff, and community members involved each year. Special thanks to Joanna Bailey and our Sports and Leisure Department for coordinating such an entertaining, free event for thousands of Manatee County families and neighbors. We look forward to our next opportunity to meet community members, share information, and continue supporting recovery and resilience in our neighborhoods.