Wayside Presbyterian Church, 600 Stony Battery Road, Landisville, will host its 11th annual Trunk 'n Treat and fall festival on Wednesday, Oct. 23. The free event will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m., and it is open to children of all ages. Participants in sixth grade or below must be accompanied by an adult to participate.

During the event, members of the congregation and the surrounding community will park their cars in the lower parking lot of the church, which will be closed to traffic. Vehicles will be adorned with Halloween decorations and lined up with candy-filled trunks, and owners will hand out treats to costumed children as they make their way to each car. In the event of inclement weather, activities will take place inside the church.

Complimentary snacks and hot dogs will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Live music will be provided by Grace Notes, Wayside Church's resident praise and worship band. Members of Wayside Church's family ministry team and youth group will operate a tent to offer games and activities to children and parents.

Professional magician Erick Hershey will perform in the church's pavilion; the magic show will feature whimsical, Halloween-themed spectacles appropriate for children of all ages, and Hershey will roam the church grounds to entertain guests throughout the evening.

Wayside Church held its first Trunk 'n Treat community event in 2013 to provide a safe alternative and creative spin on traditional neighborhood trick-or-treating. The church has continued to hold the event annually, and it has grown into a tradition that is beloved by both congregants and members of the greater community. "In the past, we've had hundreds of people attend from across Lancaster County. In recent years, we've started doing more outreach to our immediate neighbors in the Hempfield community," said Steve Fritz, Wayside Church's pastor. "We get a lot of returning families every year who appreciate the more family-friendly focus on the season."

Wayside Church frequently hosts free, community events throughout the year, including concerts, picnics and arts and crafts activities for children. The church also offers jazz worship services that incorporate toe-tapping tunes and unique renditions of classic worship songs. The jazzy Sunday services feature Wayside Church's music director, Janelle Pabon, as well as the church's accompanist, Charlie Postas. Every summer, Wayside Church hosts Waystock, an annual outdoor concert and family-friendly event open to the public.

For more information about Wayside Church and its events, visit http://www.waysidepc.org.