Things will start getting spooky in Homer on Oct. 27 with the Coast Guard's 12th Annual Haunted Hickory.
The Hickory is a Coast Guard cutter that is transformed into a haunted-boat, which is open to the public for tours during one evening out of the year. The suggested donation is two non-perishable food items per person.
According to the Homer News, the tradition of a haunted Coast Guard cutter dates back before the arrival of the Hickory. The Sedge originally began scaring locals on their ship back in 1991. The Hickory picked up the tradition where the Sedge left off in 2003. US Coast Guard Public Affairs Officers ENS Justin Davis said it was crew members who first proposed the idea.
“I’m not sure who, but some crew members came up with the idea of hosting a haunted ship that would serve to be a fun event for the community, but also serve as a way to collect non-perishable foods that can then be used to give back to the community during the holiday season," Davis said.
Davis said last year over 1,200 people attended the event, and the food-drive collected over 3,000 pounds in donations as well.
“The canned food drive is fully optional, but we are looking forward to seeing if this year we can again surpass our quota [from] last year with what people bring in," Davis said.
Donations go the Homer Food Pantry. The Haunted Hickory will open its doors to the public on Oct. 27. There are two different tours. An earlier tour for children and those easily scared will run from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The Hickory will reopen from 6 to 9 p.m. with a scarier tour for teens and adults.