West Jefferson will be full of young people on foot and in costume this weekend for Halloween and related activities so motorists are encouraged to be cautious on the roads Friday and Saturday.

During the events on Friday evening and Saturday, police will be out on bicycles and four-wheelers and on foot encouraging people to park along Jefferson Avenue, Main Street and the Backstreet and walk in the neighborhood for Halloween trick-or-treating and visiting West Jefferson Baptist Church for the Trunk or Treat event and hayrides. West of the Ashe County Farmer’s Market along Second Street will be a busy place especially on Saturday night.

Candy will be handed out by downtown merchants on Friday from 3-5 p.m. and all day Saturday. Those participating will have posters in their windows to identify them as a site for candy. Some are participating on Friday and others on Saturday. Posters are available at the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce on Jefferson Avenue.

West Jefferson Methodist Church will be the site of a Coffee House Talent Night sponsored by the Ashe County Arts Council. The West Jefferson Fire Department will be offering rides on their antique fire truck for the children beginning at 6 p.m. and have candy and goodies to hand out.

Ashe County Farmer’s Market will be open Saturday evening 5-8 p.m. with lots of activities. There will be games for children of all ages (you too, parents) to play, such as cake walk, clothespin drop, caramel dip, pumpkin face painting and apple bite on a string. Each game will only cost the low price of 50 cents per ticket or $2.50 for all five.

For the low price of 3 canned food items, Angelia Shepherd Photography will provide a 4”x6” color print of you or your children dressed in your Halloween costumes or not. The proceeds will be donated to the Ashe Outreach Ministries “Backpack Program”.

Also, the market will be selling soft drinks, hamburgers and hotdogs, with all the trimmings at the open end of the market.

The last regularly scheduled Saturday market for 2009 will be Oct. 31 from 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

The Holiday Mistletoe Markets will take place on the following Saturdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Nov. 21 and 28 and Dec. 5 and 12.

Also, there will be a winter market in the indoor shelter January through March 2010.