Draper's Haunted Trail sold out all three nights this fall but still lost money, according to city committee records.

The family-friendly event drew about 1,200 ticket holders per night at $4.25 each. Fog fluid alone ran roughly $300 to $400 per night, and staff overtime added further costs that pushed the event into the red, according to OpenUtah's tracking of the issue. Candy was not given out this year because of costs.

The trail, held at Ballard Arena, is geared toward children 15 and younger. It runs along a one-third-mile wooded dirt-and-paved route with fog effects, themed scenes and strobe lighting, according to the city's Haunted Trail page.

Raising ticket prices and adding a second weekend are on the table for next year. Staff cited budget and staffing limits as barriers to expanding the event at the Oct. 28 Community Engagement and Events Committee meeting.

Kindness signs coming Nov. 7

Draper is also pushing ahead with its Year-Round Kindness Initiative. The committee wants new 4-by-4 signs installed around town by Saturday, Nov. 7, when Kindness Week begins, according to OpenUtah's kindness initiative page.

Each sign will carry a QR code linking to a new city landing page featuring kindness videos. Committee members plan to hand out bookmarks and treats at the library, parks and local stores that first weekend.

The signs were originally estimated at about $70 each, but the committee found a vendor offering them for roughly $20 to $25. Committee members said the mayor and city council would sign a kindness proclamation at a Nov. 10 council meeting.

The committee is also exploring having Draper certified as an official "City of Kindness" through the One Kind Act Today foundation. Committee members said the certification would not cost much because the city already meets many of the requirements.

What's ahead

Four events round out Draper's calendar this year: Veterans Day, a tree lighting ceremony, a holiday market and a Candy Cane Hunt. The committee is seeking volunteers for refreshment, cookie and prize tables.

The tree lighting ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m. Nov. 30 at 12500 S. 1300 E.