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Mill Creek helps Candy Land celebrate 60 years of delightful adventures
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BIG GAME: Mill Creek volunteer Lori Mowad sets up a life-sized version of Hasbro’s board game Candy Land at the Visitors Center at Fellows Riverside Gardens. The design is part of the center’s annual holiday display.
The life-sized display will be open to the public from Dec. 5 through mid-January.
By Jon Moffett
YOUNGSTOWN — Pumpkins and colored leaves have been replaced by candy canes and garland at the Visitors Center at Fellows Riverside Gardens, but it has nothing to do with Christmas.
The Mill Creek MetroParks facility is instead helping to celebrate a special birthday for a children’s classic.
One of the center’s activity rooms has been transformed into a life-sized, interactive version of Hasbro’s board game Candy Land, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.
Lori Mowad, a volunteer on the Fellows board, said the design is part of the center’s annual holiday display for families.
The floor has been painted to resemble the familiar Candy Land board, and large, movable game pieces can be wheeled around the board during play. The walls are covered with murals painted by local schools that depict areas of the game.
“For the last five years, we have asked the schools to help us participate, and we try not to use the same school twice,” Mowad said.
Students from Canfield, Liberty, Girard and Poland were chosen this year. Each school was responsible for a mural.
The display will be open and free to the public from Dec. 5 until mid-January, Mowad said. She also urges families to come enjoy the display and play a few games together.
“We need to have that family element,” she said. “It’s really important to preserve that family time.”
Patrons can expect to see their favorite Candy Land characters including Gramma Nutt, Princess Lolly, Mr. Mint and Plumpy. Each has its own area on the board.
“The room looks neat,” said Linda Kostka, director of marketing and development for the park district. “The did a really good job with everything.”
But it wouldn’t be the MetroParks without throwing in a little nature.
Some of the characters’ stations have park-inspired activities attached, Mowad said. For example, when patrons visit Plumpy, they’ll learn about the fruit trees indigenous to Ohio. And Gramma Nutt’s cottage is furnished with bark, nuts, acorns and twigs from trees native to the park.
The trip around the board concludes with a photo opportunity. Children can place their faces in a cutout of the game pieces.
Mowad said the children enjoy the displays every year but hopes this year’s theme is one of the best. That local children helped create the environment only adds to the display, Mowad said.
“It’s just eye-opening to see the type of talent we have here in this area,” she said.
Mowad said she has spoken with officials from Hasbro, who agreed to allow the park to portray the game for the display, to come view it.
jmoffett@vindy.com