FORT CARSON, Colo. – The bright yellow and orange colors of the leaves and the cool breeze set the tone for the Warhorse Fall Festival held at Turkey Creek Ranch, Oct. 19.
The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, along with the Family Readiness Group sponsored, organized and funded the event, which was free to soldiers and their families.
“We are very excited to host the first Warhorse Fall Festival,” said Col. Omar Jones IV, commander of 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div. “This is a great way to get everybody together to enjoy being part of the team and for us to celebrate the end of our reset and start the training cycle.”
The festival had a plethora of free events for soldiers and families to participate in such as: a haunted house, face-painting, a bounce house, horse shoe toss, pie-eating contests, costume contest, three-legged zombie race, pumpkin golf, pumpkin bowling, pie tossing, chili cook off, hay rides, candy crafts and various games.
“Each battalion was in charge of holding an event, one for children and one for adults, but the battalions went above and beyond and are having anywhere from three to six events each,” said Valarie Adams, Family Readiness Group leader for the brigade. “There [was] a lot going on.”
Soldiers volunteered to help run the different booths.
“This has been strictly volunteer, no one has been forced to do this and we’ve had a blast,” said Sgt. Harry Brown, information systems operator-analyst, Troop B, 2nd Special Troops Battalion. “The turn out has been a million times better than any of us expected.”
The event brought the Warhorse community together and allowed children to have a good time.
“My favorite part was seeing Sarah, [my daughter], just have fun; she really liked the playgrounds and the bouncy houses,” said Kayci Jardine, civilian participant. “We had a good time just wandering around.”
The festival would not have been possible without the many people who contributed to the event.
In his opening remarks, Jones said “We want to say a big thank you to everybody who came out here and helped make this possible: the fire department, Fort Carson Mounted Color Guard, the battalions and their soldiers, the FRG and all the families.”