Washington Assembly of God is hosting its second-annual fall festival — now bigger and better than before.

The fall festival, which debuted last year as a community event, is slated for Oct. 31. Daniel Haskett, pastor at Washington Assembly of God, said the church held festivals on a smaller scale in the past for church members, but this one is geared more toward the community at large. He said about 1,200 people came out to last year’s event, leaving him and the church pleasantly surprised.

He said the church works hard to create an atmosphere where families and children are always welcome — and he believes this festival will certainly help that endeavor.

“We try to do as many things as possible to create a family friendly atmosphere. We believe that kids are the future, so we try to put our focus there. The church is behind that,” Haskett said.

To him, next week’s festival is more than just a church event. It’s a festival for everybody to enjoy, no matter one’s background.

“To me, it’s kind of like a small-scale county fair. That’s the feeling that we want and the vibe that we want to give,” Haskett said.

The festival is free, except for some candied apples and other fall-themed treats that children will be selling for fundraising efforts.

About 12-15 cars will be lined up at the church as part of “trunk or treat” — each car will be decorated to match the event’s superhero theme and will provide candy for children wishing to trick-or-treat.

There will be inflatables, a bungee run, a mechanical bull, dunk tank, free hotdogs and drinks, a chili cook-off, carnival games, a pie-eating contest and much more, according to Haskett.

He said the event offers a safe opportunity for those who want to take their kids to an event on Halloween, especially once the sun goes down and trick-or-treating ends.

“It’s a really cool thing to be able to provide a safe, family friendly atmosphere here in Beaufort County,” Haskett said.

The Fall Festival is slated for Oct. 31, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Washington Assembly of God, located at 2029 W. Fifth St., Washington.