FRANKFORT, Ind. — Thousands of trick-or-treaters, a final leadership luncheon of the year, a holiday season packed with events and a race to rebuild the city’s website were among the topics Frankfort Community Development Director Kimberly Black covered Monday on area’s only local, live radio talk show WILO and Boone’s Best 102.7 FM’s “Party Line.”
Halloween Downtown
Black said the city expects a big crowd for Saturday’s downtown trick-or-treat event, which has drawn more than 5,000 children in past years. With Halloween falling on a weekend this year and forecasts calling for temperatures in the 70s, she said she believes attendance will top that mark.
Frankfort Main Street’s Trick-or-Treat on the Square runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. The costume contest begins at 6 p.m. at Veterans Park, with categories for different age groups, including the scariest and cutest costumes, as well as a “best family” category for groups of three or more. Prizes are cash awards. Hoosierland TV will carry the costume contest live and interview spooky ghosts and goblins along the way.
Black thanked the downtown businesses taking part, along with major partners Frito-Lay, Conagra and Zachary Confections, which help provide enough candy for the large crowd.
“We wouldn’t be able to do it without all of them,” Black said.
Citywide trick-or-treat hours in Frankfort are 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday. Black also said there will be soft closures on Boone Street to help keep children safe, since the neighborhood is a popular trick-or-treating spot and large crowds are expected.
Black also encouraged residents to visit the newly decorated Ellis Alley, between Arni’s and Ellis Jewelers downtown, calling it a great spot for photos.
Final Sparkling Success Luncheon of 2026
The last Sparkling Success Leadership Series luncheon of the year is Wednesday, Oct. 28, at the Frankfort Neighborhood Center, 259 S. Third St. The keynote speaker is Anne Hazlett, a local resident and senior director of government relations and public affairs at Purdue University. Her past roles include senior advisor for rural affairs at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and director of agriculture for Indiana.
Doors open at 11 a.m. for networking, and the program runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets cost $25, which covers lunch and giveaways for attendees at the event. Black said seats are still available but asked that people let the city know ahead of time so there is enough room. Reservations can be made through the Mayor’s Office at 765-659-7332.
Black said Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets plans to continue the series in 2027, with three or four luncheons. City staff are reviewing which months worked best over the past two years before setting dates. She said the events draw people from across Indiana and offer a good chance to network.
Muffins with the Mayor Moves Indoors
Muffins with the Mayor continues on the second Tuesday of every month, but for the winter it is moving from the park to the lower level of the Frankfort Community Public Library. The start time also changes from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. The first indoor session is Tuesday, Nov. 10.
Muffins are still provided by local businesses. Mayor Sheets and her department heads attend to hear residents’ questions, concerns and feedback.
Student-Built Letters at Prairie Creek Park
Black talked about the large “Frankfort” letters now at Prairie Creek Park. Frankfort High School students welded the letters, which are about three feet tall, and local artist Ricardo Cortez painted them. Each letter has its own design. The “F” features a hot dog, a nod to the Frankfort Hot Dogs, and another letter shows Old Stoney.
The Raíces Festival committee helped pay for the project, which was unveiled during the festival in September. A plaque at the site lists the students who worked on it, along with Cortez, who is also a Frankfort High School graduate.
“We have students and youth that are very talented in this community,” Black said.
More Murals and Public Art Ahead
After the recent restoration of the downtown Coca-Cola mural, Black said the city is looking at more “quality of place” projects, including refreshing some of its older murals. She said the projects take time because the city wants the work to be high quality and to last.
Black said several residents have offered to help bring back historic “ghost” murals. She noted that each project needs the building owner’s permission and has to meet historic preservation requirements, and she thanked the property owners who have supported the work.
Veterans Day Yard Signs
The deadline to order Veterans Day tribute yard signs for this year’s display was Oct. 16. Black said about 40 to 45 new signs were ordered this year, and her goal is to eventually fill the lawn at Veterans Park.
The signs cost $20 each. People can still order them, but Black could not guarantee new orders will be ready by Veterans Day. The signs will be displayed starting Monday, Nov. 2, and will stay up until just before Thanksgiving, depending on the weather. Each sign is a one-time purchase. The city stores the signs at Old Stoney and puts them back out every year. The pole banners seen around town are a separate project of the Rotary Club of Frankfort.
Holiday Season Kickoff
Black said the holiday season starts with Small Business Saturday and the Shop Local campaign. Over the next two weeks, she and Frankfort Main Street Director Kim Stevens will be contacting downtown business owners about their holiday hours and specials.
The annual Christmas Parade is Saturday, Dec. 5, at 3 p.m. The parade will travel around the courthouse square and end near Old Stoney. New this year, Gem City Impact will host a Christmas village at Prairie Creek Park after the parade, ending with a tree lighting ceremony. Santa will also be there.
What the AI Factory Could Mean
Black was also asked about DataOne’s proposed $7.5 billion “AI factory” data center at the Logix Innovation Campus. The Frankfort Common Council approved a community enhancement agreement for the project in September. Black said she hopes to use money from the project’s community incentive package as local matching funds for grants, which could help the city go after more road and paving money.
She said she also hopes the project will help the city budget, a topic discussed at budget hearings last week and at recent council meetings. “I’m hopeful that what they have promised in the community package is something that they will keep,” she said.
Black said she is working with a company that helps attract new development, including housing, retail, industrial park businesses and jobs.
Comprehensive Plan Draft Coming
A first draft of Frankfort’s new comprehensive plan is expected in four to six weeks and must be submitted to the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) by the end of December. Black said more opportunities for public input, including chances to comment on planning maps and charts, will come toward the end of the year. The plan will also take new developments into account.
Black said she does not yet have updated totals from the city’s community survey but will share them. She said she was pleased with the detailed suggestions people gave, though she would have liked more responses. Several Frankfort High School classes, clubs and youth organizations also took part.
“They’re our next leaders,” she said.
New City Website on a Tight Deadline
Black also asked residents to be patient while the city builds a new website. The company that hosts the current site told the city in July it will shut down in December. Black said about 90 pages need to be moved, and Oct. 31 is the last day she can export content from the old site.
The new website, expected by the end of the year, will be ADA compliant, include alt text on images and offer translation. Black said residents may notice missing or outdated information during the switch and should contact her office with any questions.
Black’s office is at Old Stoney – City Hall, 301 E. Clinton St. She can be reached at kblack@frankfort-in.gov.
