Churches in the county are gearing up for fall festivals and activities to bring in the harvest season.

With Halloween just around the corner, area churches plan to offer a safe and fun alternative for children to enjoy the activities that come along with the holiday.

“We have been doing our fall festival for years and years,” Charlotte Barkley, organizer of Linden Baptist Church festival, said.

“We wanted to provide an alternative for those that want to trick-or-treat,” she said.

Linden Baptist Church is among the host of churches that will offer this type of activity to children in the area. Their fall festival will take place Oct. 31 from 5:30-8 p.m.

“We want to provide a safe environment and a fun environment for children as well as families,” she said.

Barkley said they ask that those planning to participate don’t wear any scary costumes in order to not frighten the younger attendees.

“We will have a games, music, food and a good time,” Barkley said.

In addition to the fall festival in Linden, there will be several others including Church Aflame’s Hallelujah Night on Oct. 31 from 5-7:30 p.m.

“We have been hosting this event for about 8 years,” Pastor Mickey Green of Church Aflame said.

Green said they love to welcome families to the event.

He said they wanted to name the event something that would stay with an emphasis on Christianity.

The event is free of charge and will include inflatable activities, food, cotton candy and a host of other activities inside and outside of the church.

“We want children to get safe candy and be safe on the holiday,” he said.

Some other church events planned for this month include the following:

•Fairhaven Baptist Church Fall Festival will be Oct. 31 from 5-7:30 p.m.

•First Baptist Church, Demopolis will hold an event Oct. 28 from 4-7 p.m.

•Trinity Episcopal will hold an event Oct. 28 from 5-7 p.m.

•Christian Chapel Baptist Church will hold Fun Night at the Life Center Oct. 31 from 5-7 p.m.