A Guide to Halloween Movies for “Wimps”

May 22, 2020 by halloween Leave a Comment

Halloween movies for “wimps” is the sort of genre for those who want to get in the spirit of the holiday without too much lasting mental trauma. Not everyone likes to watch movies about things that go bump in the night. There are plenty of Halloween fanatics that can’t stomach a slasher flick in which a deranged and masked killer does away with an entire team of camp counselors, in just under two hours. While also opting to consider some of the family friendly Halloween movies, there are some that fall in between the two categories.

Dark Comedy Halloween Movies for Wimps

If you can stomach spoof comedies based on horror movies, the Scary Movie collection is a way to go. The only problem is that you may not get all the references to horror movies they make. Generally, they can be a mildly humorous way to laugh at scary movies without hiding behind your hands the whole time.

While it is hard to determine what category Rocky Horror Picture Show falls under, it does at least promise not to scare. It also is not a family friendly flick. It’s a little bit strange comedy and musical and all cult classic. You either get it or you don’t, and if you are going to give it a try, find a theater that does midnight showings with a live cast acting it out in front. If nothing else, it’s worth seeing for the younger versions of stars Susan Sarandon, Tim Curry and even rocker Meatloaf.

Another of the Halloween movies for wimps that falls into the comedic category is Shaun of the Dead. Again, a spoof of the zombie horror film, Dawn of the Dead, but this one holds its own for those who have not watched the scary movie version. Simon Pegg leads the crusade against the undead and that alone, makes this movie a must-see for Halloween or anytime.

Taking it up a Notch

While Tim Burton’s movie Sleepy Hollow does use the tag line “Heads Will Roll,” it just borders on scary. The imagery is beautiful and Johnny Depp plays a great Ichabod Crane – not to mention Christopher Walken’s impressive rendition of the Headless Horseman. If you cover your eyes during the decapitation scenes and side with a wimpy Ichabod, you’ll probably really enjoy this updated version of a holiday classic.

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp also work some cinematic magic perfect for Halloween with Edward Scissorhands. Though also not scary, the dark premise and setting adds a spooky feel. Anytime Vincent Price is playing the role of someone’s “creator” there is bound to be an element of scary, but this one goes in a different direction with it.

File Under Family or Wimps

While on the topic of Tim Burton and Halloween, a great movie for wimps and families at Halloween is the magical Nightmare Before Christmas. This animated classic dabbles in the spooky but sticks closer to the love story and moral journey of the main character, Jack Skellington. The beauty of this one is it can be watched to get in the spirit of Halloween or Christmas, and can be enjoyed all year round.

Another movie that could appeal for families or “scaredy cats” is The Addams Family, either the first one or really any of them. Based on the 1960s TV show, this version from the ‘90s pokes fun at the lives of a family of monsters and freaks. It’s a fun, feel good series that can leave you in the holiday mind frame without keeping you awake at night in terror.

And finally, a great family friendly or good for wimps Halloween movie is the classic It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. This has practically become a holiday necessity along with carving pumpkins and eating candy. Most adults can recall growing up with this being a TV special at some time during the month of October, and this is a tradition that is sure to last for generations to come.

The End, My Friend

There is no need to be ashamed if gore flicks, slasher films or horror movies in general are not your cup of tea. There also isn’t any reason to subject yourself to scary movies that may be too much to handle. At Halloween, movies are a fine method to use to get in the mood for the holiday and to have as background noise while carving jack-o’-lanterns or having a Halloween party. The idea is to keep it user-friendly for what your limits are. Halloween movies for wimps may not be a genre yet, but there are plenty of suitable ones for the category when it does happen.

Costume ideas for the disabled / Handicap Halloween Costumes

May 22, 2020 by halloween Leave a Comment

For people with a handicap or disability, finding a good Halloween Costume can be a challenge. We’ve put together a few ideas below to help you or someone you love out. The costumes range from quite simple to very elaborate depending upon your inclination and time. We also have pages for more handicapped costume ideas, ideas for costumes for people using walkers, costume ideas for people using crutches, and costume ideas for people using wheelchairs. The Halloween.biz Forums also have sections to discuss these type of costume ideas.

* Wrap a foot in an ace bandage. Get some mittens or ski hat. Instant injured skier costume!
* Drummer Costume. Attach containers (e.g ice-cream containers, empty paint-cans) to a wheelchair with rope, duct-tape or similar material. Use a hoola-hop with card-board for the bass drum (over the front of the chair). Use paint-brushes or large pencils for drum-sticks. Dress in appropriate attair for the music to be played (e.g. rock, 50s etc)
* Fred Flintstone and car costume. Obviously dress as Fred with a pre-purchased costume. Create the sides and top of the car from cardboard or light wood. Ditto for the dash. Cover the side-wheels in grey plastic. Voila, Fred Flintstone driving his car.
* King or Queen and throne costume. Wrap back and rests with gold or silver paper. Attach garland, plastic jewels and the like to the cart. Dress up regally in velvet or velour. Buy a crown and scepter and even the costume at a costume store.
* Pumpkin Costume. Get a big orange leaf bag, cut a hole in the large end and put it over a wheelchair. Instant pumpkin!
* For someone on a respirator, you could be a deep sea diver. (Or someone with the bends, decompression sickness).
Of course, one could just be a pun “Walker” from The Walking Dead.

If you have more ideas or want to talk more about it, come and see the Halloween.biz Forums costume section.

Some other great inspiration is shown below:
Photos of costumes from the Bridge School: from a fireman in a fire truck (the wheel chair) to an ice cream stand to a flower in a garden to Alladin on his magic carpet to a biker and babe! These are some wonderful costume ideas.The MDA also has some pictures of more costume ideas.And finally, there are more great ideas are on this page.

Costume ideas for wheelchairs

May 22, 2020 by halloween Leave a Comment

For people with a condition requiring them to use a wheelchair, finding a good Halloween Costume can be a challenge. We’ve put together a few ideas below to help you or someone you love out. The costumes range from quite simple to very elaborate depending upon your inclination and time. We also have pages for more handicapped costume ideas, ideas for costumes for people using walkersand costume ideas for people using wheelchairs. The Halloween.biz Forums also have sections to discuss these type of costume ideas.

* How about going was the painting “Whistler’s Mother”? You would wear a black dress and the white scarf. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistler’s_Mother
* Wrap a foot in an ace bandage. Get some mittens or ski hat. Instant injured skier costume!
* Drummer Costume. Attach containers (e.g ice-cream containers, empty paint-cans) to a wheelchair with rope, duct-tape or similar material. Use a hoola-hop with card-board for the bass drum (over the front of the chair). Use paint-brushes or large pencils for drum-sticks. Dress in appropriate attair for the music to be played (e.g. rock, 50s etc)
* Fred Flintstone and car costume. Obviously dress as Fred with a pre-purchased costume. Create the sides and top of the car from cardboard or light wood. Ditto for the dash. Cover the side-wheels in grey plastic. Voila, Fred Flintstone driving his car.
* King or Queen and throne costume. Wrap back and rests with gold or silver paper. Attach garland, plastic jewels and the like to the cart. Dress up regally in velvet or velour. Buy a crown and scepter and even the costume at a costume store.
* Pumpkin Costume. Get a big orange leaf bag, cut a hole in the large end and put it over a wheelchair. Instant pumpkin!
* Robot or evil machine type of a costume.
* Dress up as an astronaut, and make the wheel chair up to look like the moon rover.

If you have more ideas or want to talk more about it, come and see the Halloween.biz Forums costume section.

Halloween Makeup Ideas

May 22, 2020 by halloween Leave a Comment

Halloween Makeup Ideas

A lot of the theatrical makeup used for Halloween dress-up can cause reactions in sensitive people, so always test it first. Or, read the ingredients before purchasing. You don’t want to look like a leopard with spots, if your goal was to be an Egyptian queen! If you’ve purchased your costume then it will usually have a few make-up ideas in the package. If you are lost and don’t know what you’d like to do, then look at some books or designs on the Internet and they will inspire you.

If you sweat a lot, then chose a light makeup up look. The more “greasepaint” you put on your body, the bigger the likelihood that you will sweat. There are natural mineral makeups out there plus specially designed ones used in show business, that won’t cause reactions. They can be more expensive but it’s worth it if you’ll feel more comfortable. Some costume designs require a lot of makeup to create the look, while a few hardly need any. A lot of costumes use masks and if you aren’t allergic to latex then this is an almost instant way to glam up your outfit.

Makeup for animal costumes is more complex than a lot of others This is like those face paintings that the kids get done at county fairs. One accidental wipe at your cheek and the look may be ruined. Even little babies can have a few dots or noses or whiskers on their faces. Of course, any makeup for babies should be hypoallergenic from the get go. Watch out for glitter. It’s usually applied by a spray and it can cause reactions, besides the fact that it tastes funny if you get some in your mouth. Use a well-lit makeup mirror for your makeup if it’s complex. Try and get a photo of the look you’re aiming for and tape it up on the mirror at eye level so you can refer to it.

One thing to be careful of is makeup staining either your skin or an area of your home where you don’t want it. You have to get it off you before you go to bed, and sometimes it does take special removers. Test first, well before you’ll be needing it, and also test how to get it off. Remember — read about both the makeup and the way to get it off, because you don’t want your skin being removed along with it.

Theatrical makeup artists study for a long time because they often have to age or “young” an actor up for a role, or create a monster or disfigured person (such as in Phantom of the Opera) and these become an integral part of an actor’s costume. Once they start to act, then the two often meld together to form the character. We’ve gotten a few tips together for specific looks.

Monster

This is not just throwing a bunch of makeup on your face and mixing it up together like a bread pudding. At the base of every monster is the person or being which existed before they became a monster. Somehow, you have to transcend the bridge and make your monster real. If it’s an “affliction” then make it as simple, and as real as you can. Sometimes a perfectly simple Mardi Gras-like mask can help, as in Phantom of the Opera. There needn’t be anything behind a mask, but we can always wonder.

Swashbuckler/Daredevil

For men, there’s a certain swagger to an explorer or adventurer or pirate. This can mean beard stubble, which is easy for men as they have their own. Just don’t shave for a few days. You can always stipple on some black makeup as well, unless you are a red head of course. An old sword wound can be created as long as it doesn’t curl up on your face like a mini-venetian blind because of sweat. One director made himself up as Nanki-Poo in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado, and he was so active that his eyebrows started to peel off. I couldn’t look at him without choking up. You can buy wounds in either a magic shop or makeup store or off the Internet.

Women’s Makeup

Most women use makeup every day, but some do not. Most women leave the superhero and heavy makeup look to the men and opt for a more natural makeup job. Most women know when they look silly so most women will do alright at Halloween. Have a friend help you if need be. Help the men in your family with their makeup, because they are no doubt quite inexperienced at it. Have a happy and safe Halloween.

Halloween Costumes for Pets

May 22, 2020 by halloween Leave a Comment

Pets today are often considered part of the family, and are treated as such most of the time. Halloween costumes for pets are commonplace, but they need not be common. If the pet is dressing solo or part of a group, then the size, temperament of the pet and wishes of the owners have to be taken into consideration. There should be no restriction on movement for the pet and it should be able to see and walk normally. Safety should be first and foremost on Halloween, for children, adults and pets. A few pets have no tolerance for wearing anything, especially hats, so if this is the case, then you must costume your pet simply.

There are hundreds of pet costumes to be found on the web, but many you can make or adapt yourself. If you are in a patriotic mood or perchance marching in a 4^th of July parade, then an Uncle Sam costume for your dog would be a wonderful way to show your pride in the US. These are usually made of a simple bodysuit in red, white and blue, with a matching hat. The latter should be lightweight or your dog will think a bird has landed on his or her head and they’ll try and shake it off.

Another funky outfit is called a dog riders cowboy and it has a miniature cowboy riding your dog like a bronco. Test your dog first as it’s the same as a hat — your dog may simply want to shake the cowboy off. A cute outfit for a pug is a bumblebee. Everything is flexible and comfortable so the likelihood is your dog won’t try and shake it off. There’s a bee-striped shirt (leaving your dog in a natural state in the rear), an antenna headband with a set of black pompoms for antennae, and mesh wings.

If you’re into gardening then dressing your dog up as a flower could work. For this ensemble the manufacturer has made a light green cape, bright pink flower petals, and a set of antennae to match of pink and green. Are you from the islands — Hawaii, that is? Perhaps you’re just a fan of that nostalgic cop show set in Hawaii. It’s a comfortable and simple outfit, with a lei and a Hawaiian shirt. Perhaps this would suit that surfboarding/skateboarding bulldog they have in Southern California.

A butterfly ensemble from Animal Planet has printed foam wings that look like a bright Monarch, plus an antennae headband. Another one from the same company and TV channel is a cowboy dog costume. This can make your little dude into a regular cowpoke It’s made from a character jumpsuit, has stuffed arms, a vest with a fringe, a rope, and a cowboy hat with string to hold it under your dog’s chin. Another costume suitable for a pug, is Yoda from Star Wars. It has Yoda’s big green ears sticking out from the headpiece and a jumpsuit with attached arms. If you love Star Wars then let your dog be the Jedi master for a change.

Zelda the rock star could make your dog over into a punk musician, with its zip-up black jacket, red spikey wig, pants, and a studded dog collar. By far and away the most unusual new costume for this year is a hammerhead shark one. This is another Animal Planet outfit, as is the raptor (dinosaur variety). Both the shark and raptor have nice teeth, but they are harmless. Kids love these types of costumes and they could be used as puppets throughout the year.

If you’re into The Flintstones, then Zelda the cave dog is the perfect outfit for your dog. It’s a stone age riot with its animal print wrap-around shirt, and a black spiked wig. This particular outfit would be perfect for a trick or treating stone age party, including the dog of course. There are classic dog dress up outfits such as a foam bun which fits around your Dachshund making him or her into a real “hot dog”, or a pink tutu for your poodle. Pet stores have regular clothes for all sizes of dogs and these can be used or adapted towards Halloween costumes for pets.

Cats were never mentioned I regards to dress-up, because we all know how cats feel about any kind of costume: “What — you want me to wear that?” Perhaps a cat who’s eaten a whole can of tuna might be inclined to wear a headband for a few second. Just maybe…

Halloween Food for Children

May 22, 2020 by halloween Leave a Comment

Halloween food for children is about more than the sweets they pick up while trick-or-treating. Many parents host Halloween parties during this time of year, and the food can add to the overall holiday appeal of the party. The key is to keep it spooky without going overboard. Keep in mind the fear factor should be well below the planning involved for an adult Halloween party. Get the children to have fun, not need therapy afterwards.

Spooky and Sweet

You know you can’t go wrong with Halloween foods for children when there are sweets involved. Though they may round up plenty of goodies during their trick-or-treating, make some home baked treats. The easiest option is to decorate cupcakes in a clever manner, and there are plenty of alternative ways to do this. You can use icing on a plate to give the appearance of spider legs with the cupcake being the spider body and maybe a little red hourglass on the cupcake for a black widow. Icing can make spider webs, ghosts or use stencils to get into more intricate designs.

If you want to do an entire cake instead, there are also several options. The two most popular are the “graveyard cake” and the “worms in dirt.” Worms in dirt may not be spooky, but it is gross and a great choice of Halloween foods for children. The first layer is Jell-O with gummy worms, topped with crumbled cookies for dirt. Add a few gummy worms protruding from the “dirt” for extra fun.

The graveyard cake is however you would like to interpret it, but the general idea is to create a cemetery. Use cookie crumbles for dirt or green icing for grass, and whichever type of cookie you would like to create tombstones. Marshmallows or whipped cream make great ghosts. Just remember, using extra touches such as plastic spiders, may not be a good idea for younger children. Make sure to keep choking hazards out of the food planning.

Frightening Foods

A fairly easy but delicious treat is a variation of pigs in a blanket. Instead of wrapping the dough around the entire hot dog, wrap it like a strip of cloth winding around to create a mummy effect. Leave a slit of dog exposed and use two mustard or ketchup dots for eyes. This same idea can be applied to mini pizzas, too. Arrange the shredded cheese to look like strips of bandages with an “opening” at the eyes. Once the pizzas are cooked, or before they are done, use olive slivers for eyeballs.

For ghostly snacks as part of Halloween foods for kids, consider using potato skins. Use a thin layer of sour cream like “icing” to paint the potatoes white and then use scallions to add eyes and a mouth to individual ghosties. Slice hot dogs length ways in slivers to create a “worm” effect. Mix the cooked hot dog slices with ketchup and add to a hoagie roll or bun for a tapeworm sandwich.

Edible Scares with a Healthy Twist

For the ultimate in “finger foods”, create a look that resembles real fingers. Carrots or string cheese sticks make a great looking finger, especially if you have the extra time to carve some lines to make “knuckles.” Get creative with fingernails. For example use red or green bell pepper slivers for a monster hand look. Optional tip: create a dip to go with the snacks and arrange the “fingers” to look like a real hand reaching back from inside the bowl.

Of course any variation of a deviled egg with an olive twist can create the look of an eyeball. Using olives in halves or slices and with or without the pimento can actually turn a variety of foods into eyeball looking treats.

Get the Party Started

In the end, it is really more about the overall party than just the snacks. Keep in mind ways to add games, a costume contest and some ghost story telling for a holiday event that will be unforgettable. Consider the ages of the children who will be attending and make sure the scare factor and food items are age appropriate.

Decorating is also another detail not to overlook. Add some fake spider webs and jack-o’-lanterns to the room and help create a real mood for the party. Download some spooky but fun holiday tunes or find a CD with creepy noises or songs to get all the kids in the Halloween party mind frame. While Halloween foods for kids can help add to a holiday party, the other details help truly make it one.

Halloween Games for Adults

May 22, 2010 by halloween 2 Comments

Halloween games for adults are the best way to add some entertainment to your holiday soiree. While it seems only the costumed kids get to have fun during trick-or-treat this time of year, parties are the perfect celebration for adults. The costumes might get a bit more risqué and the mood a little bit more frightening, but it can be a good way for adults to enjoy the holiday. If you are planning a Halloween party you’ll need to do a little planning to make it memorable.

Bobbing for Apples

A classic game for all ages, really. This Halloween favorite may not be adored by anyone with excess Halloween face makeup, but everyone else should have a blast. Using a large metal basin tub or a plastic kiddie pool, you’ll want to play either outdoors or somewhere you don’t mind the floor getting wet. Add your water and your apples and then let everyone take a turn at dunking their heads in the water and trying to retrieve an apple. Players are not permitted to use their hands. Usually, a small group competes and whoever gets the first apple or the most apples, wins.

“Witch Hunt” Scavenger Hunt

This is generally more enjoyable if you can use more than one room and possibly even the outdoors. Make a list of five to ten things guests are supposed to find and try to weave in the Halloween theme. So, for instance, if you have “something you might find in a graveyard” guests can do their own interpretation by bringing back a rock, a worm or a handful of dirt.

This can also be played more like a version of an Easter egg hunt. Hide clues in plastic pumpkins and plan out where guests should go during the hunt. Each team starts with a clue that is meant to lead them to the next hidden clue. The first team to get all of their items or clues wins.

Mummy Wrap

In this game, couples work together to beat out all the other couples playing. Using toilet paper, one person wraps and the other person is the mummy. The first team to wrap their mummy completely from head to toe is declared the winning team. Other variations of this game include having more than one person wrapping or using a blindfold on the wrapper so the mummy has to verbally lead the couple to victory.

Pin the Tail on the Devil

As one of the Halloween games for adults, this can be changed to anything Halloween related. There’s pin the nose on the jack-o’-lantern or witch, for example. You can use any decoration from a Halloween store and either cut a section off, or trace and make your own body part to get pinned. Blindfold the guests, spin them a few times to disorient them and let them take off in the direction of the wall. Whoever gets closest, wins the game.

Pass the Organ

Using a good sized sponge or partly peeled orange, the object is to pass the item down the line without using your hands. The party gets divided up into two teams and blindfolds are an option. If the guests are blindfolded then they aren’t expecting the damp, squishy object that feels like a heart being passed to them. The first player starts with the object grasped between his chin and neck and works with the next person to pass it to the same spot. Whoever gets the “organ” to the end of the line first, without using their hands, wins.

Name that Yuck

Before the party, plan to have a row of bowls, usually five or six is fine, and fill them with something that feels yucky to the touch and have guests guess what is in the bowls. Peeled grapes can feel like eyeballs or make a gelatin brain mold, for example. Allowing things to be at room temperature for a while can add to the grossness factor. The guests waiting to play are in another room, and the guest taking his turn to guess is blindfolded. Whoever gets the most right answers wins. If some people tie, then decide who guessed their items the quickest.

In addition to these Halloween games for adults, there are also other well-known classics such as using an Ouija board or simply having a costume contest with different categories such as most original and sexiest. With the right décor, some scary movies or music in the background and everyone in great spirits, these Halloween games for adults will be the highlight of your holiday party.

Halloween Costume ideas for Crutches

May 22, 2010 by halloween Leave a Comment

A Giraffe, with the crutches as long front legs
A skier that hit a tree: Crutches can look like ski poles, or just crutches.
Tiny Tim from a Christmas Carol
The Penguin from The Batman Movie, IF you can use a cane instead
Big foot after being injured by a hunter
Jouster who has been injured. Knights shield that has been damaged etc.
Mr Monopoly with a coat, top hat and cane
Injured athlete: gymnast, football player etc.
Hit and run victim with tire tracks, fake blood etc.

Halloween Decorations

May 22, 2010 by halloween Leave a Comment

Halloween House Decorations

Halloween house decorations can turn any home into a haunted home during this holiday. You can get in the ghastly spirit of the holiday by adding some spooky, eerie or gross details to the home. What other time of year would you invite rats and bats indoors or make the effort to create a final resting place for dead bodies in your back yard? So live it up by celebrating the dead, or un-dead, and add some flair to your Halloween haunted lair.

Halloween House Decorations for a Haunted Home

Honestly, these days it is almost impossible to narrow down the choices of how to decorate your home for Halloween. We’ve come a long way from just the simple paper cutouts that hang on a door or wall. These days, homes can come alive with the undead and macabre fairly simply. It really all depends on how much or how little you want to decorate.

One of the easiest ways to add little touches of a fear factor to the home is by adding plenty of fake vermin. Those critters you spend money having exterminators keeping out of the home, you can now add with great enthusiasm. Plastic spiders, roaches and rats can be scattered about a room to add some yuck. Of course, do not use the little critter décor if you have little ones or pets as these can be choking hazards.

Add fake cob webs to corners and ghosts suspended from the ceiling. Ghosts can be created by using sheets, pillowcases or white trash bags. Simply lightly stuff with paper, close off with wire, string or rubber bands and hang for some scare factor. Remember to use caution and never hang anything too close to a light fixture or ceiling fan. To go all out, check out your local party supply store. There are plenty of monsters and other details you can add to up the amount of ghoulish delight you want in your haunted house.

Not so Scary Options

Halloween doesn’t have to be just about ghosts, goblins, demons and the undead. Halloween house decorations can also be selected to offer more of a seasonal theme than a haunted appeal. So think fall, instead of fear.

Pumpkins still add holiday finesse, only this time they don’t require any carving. In fact some gourds of all sizes, shapes and colors can really make a home look festive for this holiday. Of course that also means adding some hay to the look. You can put cloth or plastic on the floor and then use hay bales for décor or even seating. Make sure to use some loose bits around the room as well.

Apples and dried corn also add some festive holiday flavor to a room. If you’re really feeling in the spirit of things, you can also incorporate a scarecrow into your decorating and take it that extra step. Use some paper leaves to create an ambiance of fall, not just Halloween.

Crafty Ideas

Using homemade crafts to decorate for Halloween can be budget friendly and good for the whole family to get involved. Use some ideas you find to work together on a larger project or to create smaller individual pieces. A family sign is a good DIY project.

You can create one sign that everyone contributes to, or signs for each person to have on the door to their bedroom. You can also create one to hang outside. Go with either an autumn look or a haunted theme and color or decorate as you please. You can, in fact, take the eerie idea even farther by creating signs that look like tombstones.

You can also create holiday themed mobiles as part of your Halloween house decorations for inside the home. Again, family members can work together on one or create individual mobiles for different areas of the house. Use paper, felt, cloth, markers, glitter, glue and anything else you can think of to make a mobile. You can use patterns or stencils or do it all freehand.

Cut out drawings for younger kids and let them color with crayons. Once you have a collection of black cats, pumpkins, ghosts, bats and witches, create your mobile. You can use a coat hanger for better support if needed, and remember to make the top of the mobile larger than the pieces hanging from it.

Look online or do some party store browsing to get some ideas and inspiration. Make what you can and buy what you can’t. Either way, your Halloween house decorations will be sure to get your whole family in the spirit of the holiday.

Halloween Festivals or Events Around the USA

May 22, 2010 by halloween Leave a Comment

There are thousands of events and festivals and happenings around Halloween time, spread throughout the U.S. Some of the dates vary each year but some are fixed, so it’s wise to check before heading on out to any particular one. Another good idea is to find out whether the event itself is family-suitable, and whether or not the crowds are rowdy or family-friendly, as well. Of course, not all of the events are listed and there’s bound to be some within a short distance of your local city or town. If you have your own event, let us know in the comments below.

New York City’s Halloween Parade

This huge and diversely-populated city is not the place to be if you dislike large crowds. The party and parade is simply gigantic and it starts early evening on October 31st. The jumping off point is usually 6^th Avenue, and it goes from Spring Street to 21^st St. The event ends about 11pm but some celebrants carry on into the wee hours. There are 100s of large puppets, over fifty bands, along with parading citizens all dressed up. Millions watch from the sidelines according to the usual estimate.

Arkansas’ Magic Screams

This one is a theme park makeover held throughout October on the weekends. It’s in Hot Springs at the Magic Springs and Crystal Falls park. A lot of the things to do and see are family-friendly, with goblins and ghosts, wizards, costume contests, pumpkin painting and a haunted trail.

Witch Trial Recreation in Colonial Wiliamsburg in VA

Take part in this dramatic trial of a woman accused of being a witch (it’s set in 1706). Cry Witch is 1 of several offered here in the spirit of Halloween. They also have tours and evening walks by flickering candlelight, which talk about ghostly legends.

California Theme Park & Other Halloween Bashes

Universal Studios in Hollywood holds an annual event and they audition actors a few months before. Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park becomes Knott’s Scary Farm for the season. The West Hollywood Carnival attracts costumed participants (usually about half a million) along Santa Monica Boulevard. The huge retired luxury liner, The Queen Mary — which is docked in Long Beach, gives paranormal tours, haunted hotel rooms, ghost investigations and dinners around Halloween. Disneyland in Anaheim is decorated to a T for Halloween, and it holds parades and has crafts areas as well.

Ripley’s (Believe it Or Not) Events

Ripley’s Haunted Adventures in San Antonio, TX; special horror movie guests at their location in Gatlinburg, TN; the same at their location in Myrtle Beach, SC; Carnival of Screams at their Tussaud Palace of Wax in Grand Prairie, TX; and ghost walking tours as well as ghost train adventures in St. Augustine, FL.

Around California

Several Dia de los Muertos festivals, or the Mexican Day of the Dead, are spread throughout California. Altars for loved ones may be created at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery; in San Francisco they hold a procession all the way from the Mission District through to Garfield Park; Oceanside is the site where thousands of marigolds are used to decorate altars honoring ancestors, and where visitors can make their own in a Chalk Cemetery.

Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa, FL

The park is transformed into Howl-O-Scream during the Halloween season, using scare zones, haunted houses, roller coasters and shows. Lots of screams here!

Misc. Events Across the Country

Events are held at the Nickelodeon Family suites which are in Orlando, and at some of the Great Wolf Lodges at other locations. Disneyworld decorates up a storm in Orlando, FL each year. In Key West, FL, they hold a Gnomes, Toads and White Rabbit Tea parties themed event. There are street fairs, costume contests and a parade. Alice in Wonderland is the theme. There’s a coronation ball as well as Captain Morgan’s Fantasy Fest Parade right through the historic downtown area of Key West.

In one of the best cities in the U.S. to celebrate Halloween — New Orleans — you’ll find The Witching Hour Ball (Anne Rice’s Lestat fan club puts this on), Haunted History Tours, and the Voodoo Music Experience. Just walking around New Orleans at this time will let anyone soak in the mysterious and romantic and exciting atmosphere of this legendary city. And oh, the food, glorious food, in New Orleans!

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