Families ride the Dixie Land express train during the Child and Youth Services annual Fall Festival held Oct. 25 at the Youth Service Sports Complex.

Families arrive at the Youth Services Sports Complex, Oct. 25 for the Child and Youth Services Fall Festival. More than 1,600 members of the Fort Jackson community attended the event.

Children try their hand at one of the various arts and crafts stations set up at the Child and Youth Services Fall Festival, Oct. 25. The festival is an annual family-friendly event held for the Fort Jackson community.

Festival patrons reach out to get treats during the Child and Youth Services Fall Festival, Oct. 25. The festival is an annual family-friendly event held for the Fort Jackson community.

Children play with bubbles at the Child and Youth Services Fall Festival, Oct. 25. The event was a safe environment where kids could come out and enjoy themselves, said Gwendolyn Jefferson, Outreach and Parent Central Services director. The festival is an annual family-friendly event held for the Fort Jackson community. More than 1,600 members of the Fort Jackson community attended the event.

Fort Jackson’s Child and Youth Services held a family event filled with games, costumes and candy, all aimed at saying, “thank you,” Oct. 25.

More than 1,600 people turned out for the event.

“This is our annual fall festival. It brings families together so we can thank them,” Gwendolyn Jefferson, director of Outreach and Parent Central Services. “The event showed how much they are appreciated.”

Kids were decked out in their favorite costumes and had “a great time.”

It was a safe environment where you can come and the kids can enjoy themselves, Jefferson added. The fall fest is an annual family-friendly event for the Fort Jackson community that provided multiple functions/activities for a true festival experience.

Her favorite part of the festival is “seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces,” she said. “You can see that everyone is happy.” It was also good to “see so many people who put so much into it. It wasn’t CYS who put it on, but we have partners, we have sponsors – everybody has just come together (to make it a success).”

First Lt. John Jones, Company A, 3rd Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment commander, was there with his family.

“Out here with the family enjoying the festivities before Halloween. It’s a good opportunity for the kids to dress up,” Jones said.

Jones’ wife Tina said she enjoyed the event because it was “good family time to get away from work and school and stuff.”

The annual festival included food trucks, arts and crafts, games, bounce houses, photo booth and a DJ – all for a price that can’t be topped.

“You couldn’t beat this,” Jones said comparing it to a state fair. Entrance into the fall festival was free as was lots of the attractions such as the bounce house and free pumpkins.

For more information about Fort Jackson’s CYS program visit: jackson.armymwr.com/programs/cys-services, or call (803) 751-4865.