MARYSVILLE — While Makaila and Nathan Myers snuggled with bunnies in the petting zoo, Piper Staley painted a pumpkin and entire families rode the hay wagon through neighborhoods around the Schaefer-Shipman Funeral Home for the annual Harvest Festival Oct. 4.

“I’m painting it to look like Five Nights at Freddy’s” Piper said of her pumpkin, one of 185 painted that day and set out to dry by the funeral home’s fireplace.

“We live right around the corner, so we’ve been coming all five years that they’ve done this,” said Piper’s dad, Aaron Staley. “My favorite part is just getting to watch the kids.”

Funeral home director Allen Ice estimated that the festival drew at least 300 attendees. Almost 70 hot dogs were cooked and served for free.

Foster’s Produce of Arlington supplied miniature pumpkins for painting, corn stalks and hay for the petting zoo, which Ice deemed the most popular attraction.

“The hay rides are also pretty popular, and we get a lot of kids lining up for the face-painting,” Ice said. “We couldn’t keep the kids out of the bouncy house, not that we wanted to.”

Ice considers it a privilege that the community has allowed Schaefer-Shipman to serve their needs over the years. As such, he sees the festival as an opportunity to connect with them under more positive circumstances.

“We don’t want people to be afraid of the funeral home,” Ice said. “We’re just people like you, who are here to help during difficult times. It’s not a scary place, and the harvest festival lets us get to know you.”

Ice hopes to host city police and fire service vehicles at future festivals.

“It’s our way of giving back to the community, so that families on a fixed budget can get fed and have fun together,” Ice said.