Build It and They Will Come...Fall Festival

Okay...I desperately wanted to post about this two Octobers ago, but I didn't have the pictures the first year, and last year, life had other plans for our family and I couldn't participate in the Halloween Countdown.  But I eventually got it together, and it has finally made it as a post for this year's Countdown!  "Better late than never" is my motto anyway, so be it!  2012 was the 'inauguration' of something that I hope goes on for many more years to come.  As nothing gets me as excited for the Autumn Season as attending those quaint Fall Festivals up in New England, where there seems to be one on every corner.  

So imagine my utter delight at discovering my very own little Fall Festival just down the road from my house.  Yep....it was a tried and true, bonafide Fall Festival complete with Corn Maze, Pumpkin Picking, Bouncehouses and Punkin' Chunkin' into the lake.  Bare in mind here, that I do NOT live in the country by any stretch....in fact it could be called a 'suburb' at best, as grocery stores, banks and fast food restaurants are just a few miles down.  So the likelihood of this happening is about a gazillion to one.  But hey....I'm a devout believer in 'wishful thinking' and 'manifestation'....so I choose to believe that I somehow personally and magically, conjured up this little Fall Festival by sheer will, belief and determination!  And POOF....overnight my magical vision appeared in a big field down the road, that is privately owned by a local family who runs a Landscape business.  

I am assuming they just happen to love the Autumn Season too...so why not supplement their income by making use of their lovely property to bring a little Fall Magic to the residents of my town.  They planted corn and made their maze, they built little outbuildings for the farm stand to sell homemade breads and jams, they corralled off a big section to house all the pumpkins for sale, and they built a whole 'punkin' chunkin' apparatus on the edge of the pond.  They decked the whole area out with fall flowers, scarecrows and animated horror figures, and brought in an assortment of bounce houses for the wee folks.  True enough....the scale was a bit smaller than that of farms up north, but it was a fine effort indeed! Also I should note here that all I had with me last year was my iphone, so I took very few shots and they aren't good at all, but at least you can see proof that this manifestation did actually occur....the palm trees under the Corn Maze sign should be the clue that it's in Florida...ha!  

When I first laid eyes on it, the famous line from that Kevin Costner baseball movie 'Field of Dreams' sprang instantly to mind...."build it and they will come!"  Yes!  That's Right!  That's all we needed....someone, anyone, the FIRST one.... to just build it....and we will all come to pay homage to the glorious Fall!  And come we did....that little patch of land under the grand shady oaks was PACKED with curious townfolk every day it was open!  It filled my 'not so wicked lil' heart' to the brim, that all their hard work to bring a little seasonal magic to my town, was being amply rewarded with throngs of Autumn Revelers.  

They didn't charge an admission fee, but made their money through the sale of home made goodies, pumpkins, and tickets to the different events.  They had photo areas, and live music and even some local crafters' selling their wares.  All of that Autumn Goodness.... and I literally could have walked to it if I weren't so dang lazy.  So anyway, I just wanted to share my magical find, as they have been busy each year, making bigger and better upgrades to the property, putting in permanent play-sets and picnic tables etc.  Each year it gets bigger and better and the consistent crowds are proof.  I believe that this year's 3rd Annual Fall Festival is going to be even more stellar than last two.  October is the perfect month to conjure up your own Autumn Magic!  :o)

2014 Halloween Industry Forcast & Trends

So I stumbled upon this Halloween Industry Magazine on-line that talks all about everything Halloween related for the upcoming 2014 season.  It touches on all the latest trends to look forward to in everything from costumes, make-up and accessories, to party decorations and outside yard haunt decor.  There is a palpable excitement brewing for the upcoming Halloween season this year due to the fact that Halloween will finally be falling on a Friday again for the first time in awhile.  A Friday Halloween equates into ever-more Halloween sales of all kinds because kids and adults alike will be able to extend their partying through the weekend....no school the next day for all the little ghouls and goblins coming down from their candy binges, and no work for the adults hungover from their creepy cocktails.  For that matter, a true Halloween Head could theoretically host an All Hallow's Eve Soiree on Friday night, followed up by a Dia de los Muertos Fiesta on Saturday or Sunday!

2014 Halloween Trends via 'Selling Halloween'

Black and White All Hallow's Eve Party

Dia de los Muertos Increasing in Popularity

So just what do the experts predict will be popular this year?  In costumes it seems that DIY (do it yourself) costumes have grown in popularity, probably thanks to sites like Pinterest and Etsy.  So with that, comes a desire for accessories to add to and complete a one of a kind  ensemble, rather than a ready made store bought costume that can only be worn once.  Accessories can be mixed and matched for use with other costumes and even regular outfits, as well as being used again at Renn Faires and theme parties, and for Cosplay and Larping. Licensed characters are always popular, but research has shown that buyers want more quality in their costume pieces and are also prone to mix and match styles and themes like "mixing a fantasy anime wig with vampire fangs and 60's fishnet stockings to make a unique costume."  And..........love em' or hate em', pet costumes are big, with 14% of 2013 celebrants dressing up their pets last year to the tune of $330 million dollars!!!  Wow...who would have guessed that?

Buyers Looking for Quality and Reusable Accessories

Halloween Costumes for Pets is Big Business for Retailers

This coming Fall, many indoor Halloween Parties will be hosted in the 2 weeks leading up to Halloween....so what themes are retailers looking to stock for 2014?  Well as to be expected, the tried and true colors of Orange and Black, along with Purple and Lime, are always the most popular colors.  And as for 'Icons', apparently Cats came in on top in one analysis, followed closely by Bats, Pumpkins and Owls.  Vintage Halloween is always a favorite decorating style and for good reason I'd say.  And although Ghosts and Pumpkins are also perennial faves, the industry experts have seen an uptick in Skulls and Skeleton imagery on the rise.  However, there was also an alternate opinion...that many people dislike frightening imagery, so the retailer in that market was opting for a softer look in their party goods.  What about you all....are you hard core or soft core Halloween Heads?

Orange & Black Most Popular Color Scheme

Black Cats #1 Halloween Icon

Vintage Halloween Always Popular

Uptick in Demand for Skeletons & Skulls

Another hot trend, that I personally LOVE, is the Day of the Dead decor!  However according to industry experts, it tends to be more of a 'regional' trend with those on the West Coast and East Coast digging it more than those in the MidWest.  And apparently those of us who like it, also enjoy it as a year round aesthetic...thus making it a good seller in those areas all through the year. (I can personally attest to leaving some of my Sugar Skull stuff out year round in moderation.)  They also report that the Goth theme of Black and White is popular in costumes, thereby influencing its popularity in the party good sector as party-goes want to match the theme of their shin-digs.  They identified Zombies as a growing trend, with Witches, Tombstones, and Spiders good sellers as well. And lastly, anything 'Glittered" also sells well, much to the dismay and horror of the true die hard Halloween aficionados.

Day of the Dead Celebrations Going Mainstream

Black and White Goth Costumes on Trend

Witch Costumes Always Good Sellers

Zombies a Growing Trend

Breakdown of Top 10 Costumes for Adults and Kids

So there you have it....a synopsis of some of the tantalizing tricks and treats headed our way this Halloween Season.  So the big question is....what are YOU gonna be for Halloween this year?  Will you follow the trends or start a new fad?!  If you'd like to read more Halloween Industry Trend news, check out this link to Selling Halloween!
(All Images from Pinterest and Selling Halloween)

Spooky MAY-hem in Florida!

Time for some SPOOKY MAY-HEM!

Well it's almost the end of May, and you know what that means right?  It means it's time for Spooky Empire's MAY-hem Convention in Orlando, Florida.  How dreadfully delightful that the Ghoulies have come to town.  They kicked off the 3-day event last night with a Day of the Dead Poolside Opener Party, complete with eats,drinks, music and make-up!  A most frighteningly festive way to get the party rolling and start getting in the mood for the upcoming Halloween season.  The Convention rolls back into O-town in October, just in time for the Halloween happenings, adding a Zombie Walk and Hearse & Creepy Car Show! 

 

On Saturday and Sunday, there will be a variety of spooky events happening, including horror movie film festivals, live shows and events, costume contest, horror art, and lots of macabre merchandise to procure for this year's Halloween Yard Haunts.  There will also be autograph signings and photo ops with some of your horror movie favorites, such as "Halloween" Director John Carpenter, Robert Englund aka Freddy Kreuger, Lana Parrilla the Evil 'Snow White' Queen from TV's "Once Upon a Time", Pat Carroll, the voice of Ursula in Disney's "Little Mermaid", and Nick Castle aka Michael Meyers from "Halloween"....just to name a few. You can check out the full list of attendees here!

The event looks to be a virtual Spook Fest full of all things Creepy and Cool.  For any of you Halloween-Heads living in Florida, or just visiting here on vacation.....be sure to check it out this weekend Friday-Sunday, tickets available at the door.  And be sure to catch the video below of Pat Carroll (aka Ursula) doing a reading of the famous intro dialogue from Disney's Haunted Mansion ride...you know, the one you hear when you are in the elevator waiting to go inside and the walls start stretching!!  She has one of the the best 'evil laughs' in the business!  Love her!
(All images © Spooky Empire, Halloween Extreme image © Ricky Brigante)

Day of Dearly Departed Souls!

Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them.

~ George Eliot

So yesterday and today, November 1st & 2nd, is when Día de Los Muertos is traditionally celebrated.  And although I've never been to an event, I sure would LOVE to go.  So this year as I was lamenting my failed attempts at making Halloween happen to my liking...I decided to see if there were any Day of the Dead celebrations in our area that I could attend to appease my hurt feelings.  Well of course there's not...no surprise there, go figure!  There was one museum that had some small something or other, but that's pretty much all I could find.

Until.......I expanded my search to the entire state of Florida.  Then I found something that really caught my interest and looks like BIG fun.  Unfortunately, I discovered this on October 30th and that was just not enough time to get our ducks in a row to head down there today, October 2nd.  It's the South Florida, Day of the Dead Celebration in Ft. Lauderdale.  This is the event's 3rd year, and apparently it grows ever more popular each year.  There are all sorts of fun events going on in the City Arts District which has several streets blocked off for the event.  Here are some of the Fun & Fabulous Festival Offerings...

* Giant Skeleton Puppet Processional and Parade 
* Day of the Dead Art Exhibitions and Market 
* Community Ofrendas and Calaveras Skull Mask exhibits 
* Day of the Dead Film Festival 
* Hearse/Art Car/ LowRider Auto Show
* World’s Tiniest Skeleton Parade Floats & Kazoo Band
* Landscapes of the Dead Exhibition  
* Live Music at the Bone Yard Bandstand
* Circus Bizarra Side Show, Midway and Funhouse
* Memento Mori-Go-Round
* Great & Prescient Fortune Tellers Vladmir Plotzsky & Madame Glo
* Cupcake Burlesque
* South Florida Pirates & Ghost Ship
* Animale Mexotica
* Skeleton Street Circus: Trapeze, Stilt Performers & Cirque Performances  
* Mr. Bones Heckle Puppet Show
* Calaveras Mask Making
* Live Skeleton Body Art and Face Painting
* Kid Zone and Petting Zoo
* Calaveras Cantina Food Trucks (Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, Peru and others)
* Day of the Dead Crafters Market
* Costume Photo Booth
* Exotica a Go Go Day of the Dead After Party at the Mai Kai Restaurant
* Day of the Dead Shimmy Shake Review at the Green Room Nightclub


I don't know about you...but I REALLY want to hit this up next year.  The only I'd like better is if it were being held in a Cemetery...but beggars can't be choosers.  So I'm going to plan for it in advance for next year.  And I think it will fall on a Saturday next year too, so that would be even better.  My only decision is do I want to take the kids to let them experience something cool from another culture, or do I want to go with just the hubby or some friends and really let loose...ha!  I need to start looking for Day of the Dead make-up tutorials on You Tube!

So today on Día de Los Muertos, don't forget to light some candles and honor your relatives and ancestors who have passed on to the other side!  They may be gone, but they are never dead until they're forgotten....so don't forget to remember them today!  After all, the veils are thin and maybe their spirits will see fit to drop in and celebrate the day with you!   
Happy Día de Los Muertos!
(All artwork © South Florida Day of the Dead Celebration)

Sleepy Hollow

 So as you all know, we try our best to get to New England in the Autumn because Florida has no such thing as an Autumn season.  Well, a few years ago, I got a wild hair to add Sleepy Hollow to my list of places to visit on our trip.  Since we stay in Vermont usually, and hit Salem each visit as well...it required a bit of a drive and a change in hotels to make it happen.  It's about 3 hours west from Vermont.  And we were going to see the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, (which is incredible and totally worth doing if you get to Sleepy Hollow in October!).  We also planned on checking out the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery so we could see the actual bridge where the Headless Horseman rode across in Washington Irving's classic haunted tale.

The cemetery was beautiful and I took lots of photos...but sadly, I lost them all, as they somehow got erased from my compact flash card.  I can't tell you how sick I still am about that!  The town, originally Tarrytown, is a very quaint town in the Fall.  The colored leaves blowing by, the shops with their Halloween wares on display, and streets decorated for the season...all collaborate to add to the magic of the legend itself. 

During the month of October there are a variety of activities to enjoy like the Jack O'Lantern Blaze in nearby Croton-on-Hudson, the Haunt Attraction, Horseman's Hollow, Irving's Legend, a master storytelling performance complete with organ music, the Haunted Hayride, Lyndhurst Mansion After Dark, site of the first two Dark Shadows movies, family fun at the Legend Weekends Event, the spectral tales of The Ghosts of TarryHollow and of course, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery Tours where you can enter the crypt of Barnabas Collins and find the graves of Brom Bones and Katrina Van Tassel.  I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to live in this town...what a spooktacular October we would have!
 

As for the infamous bridge where the Headless Horseman chased ole' Ichabod Crane....well, you can find the bridge, and it is pretty....but it was a bit anticlimactic due to the fact that the bridge you see now, is not the 'real' bridge, and is not actually standing in the exact same place it was back in the day.  But it was all still a heap of fun, very cool....and absolutely perfect for a Fall vacation!

Hallowe'en Fireworks!

Well it's July 4th and to me that means FIREWORKS! However, I thought Hallowe'en Fireworks would be even better, and the perfect way to bridge the gap between summer and the upcoming Hallowe'en season. And who better to deliver on Halloween Fireworks than Disney!

Thought these were some frighteningly fabulous firework images. Sorry to say I'm not the one who had the pleasure of taking them, but they certainly deserved to be shared. Hope everyone has a wonderful day and please be safe. ** And remember...should you lose any limbs while lighting off your fireworks, be sure to preserve them for use in this year's Hallowe'en display. Muwahahaha!

HAPPY 4th of JULY EVERYONE!© Photo 2 - Gene Duncan / Photo 5 - Express Monorail

You are Cordially Invited to my MidSummer 'Faerie Day' Soirée!

Well today is officially 'Fairy Day'! So what does that mean? It means "It's a day for fairies, magic, and wishes to come true. For one day, put aside the cynicism of the modern world, embrace the possibilities of the unknown....and believe in fairies!" So please excuse this brief detour off the path to Halloween....and spend a day immersed in the magic of the Summer Season. Regularly scheduled Halloween Obsessing will resume shortly! ;o)

Do you believe in Faeries? I do of course, but then again I also believe in Ghosts, Leprechauns, Father Christmas and The Great Pumpkin. Ah heck....I'll believe in anything if it adds a little magic, creativity and wonderment to my world. So today is the perfect day to join in the celebration of the Faerie Folk!

When I was a young girl, my Grandmother used to take me to the library. Oh how I loved to spend the day at the library, because it wasn't just any old library....no, it was a magical portal to the lands of enchantment. It began to occur to me that 'magical' books always seemed to find their way into my eager lil' hands. Oh I didn't actively know to seek them out mind you...I just happened upon them in my searching, as if some magnetic force was drawing us together.But there were 3 special books that I never forgot. One was a book that taught you how to cast spells. And the other two were 'Faeries' and 'Gnomes' by Brian Froud! I read and studied those books from front to back, and I whole heartedly believed that every last word and picture was 100% real! I remember one day in particular when I read about Faerie Rings and Oak Trees....and I became convinced that I would be able to find signs of the Faeries beneath the big old Oak trees on our property. So I set out with my tools and my book....and I spent the day hunting, and waiting, and wishing very hard that I'd find one. Although admittedly I was also a good bit scared at what I would do if and when I actually stumbled upon them. The years have blurred my memory some, but I'm quite certain that I was successful at locating signs that the Faeries were indeed close at hand, and I'm pretty sure that I almost caught sight of one or two.
Yes, I loved those two books SO WELL in fact, that I gave up my Library privileges entirely. For I refused to take the books back to the library. The fines kept piling up, and their threats of revoking my library card finally became a reality. But I didn't care. As I just could NOT bare to part with those books after being exposed to all of the magical secrets they'd given up to me. And of course it never even once dawned on me that the books could be found anywhere else other than the library. So I became a "Literary Fugitive" of the County Library System until many years later when I finally married and was able to change my last name! But the criminal record was but a small price to pay for entrance to the Enchanted Land of the Faeries!

So to celebrate this most auspicious of days today, I invite you to a Midsummer Faerie Féte! Come join in the revelry and merriment as we wave a fond farewell to Spring
and embrace the Summer Season with open arms.
Please come take your seat at our Garden Fairy Table.
(And feel free to click on the images to view them larger!)We have a splendid lil' spot set especially for you,
with fresh ferns from the Fern Grotto!

Our Midsummer Buffet is filled to the brim with fresh herbs and vegetables straight from the garden, and many delectable treats, sure to satisfy any Faerie's sweet tooth.

Ahhh...Midsummer! All Faeries know that Midsummer offers up Mother Nature's sweetest and most succulent Fruits of the Season. Faerie Berries are a feast for the senses and they come in a kaleidoscope of colors to please the palate and the eyes!

One of the most scrumptious ways to serve Faerie Berries is in a
Perfectly Pink Raspberry Punch. Cool and refreshing on those balmy Summer Days!

Let's not forget the Sweets and Treats, as it's common knowledge that most Faeries are born with an insatiable 'sweet tooth'! We have mini Lemon-Blueberry and Chocolate Muffins
that are just perfect for snacking.

Or how about some dainty little Faerie Cakes....
petite and sweet and perfect for Pixies!

And a Faerie Birthday Cake topped with the plumpest of strawberries, and candles for wishing. Yes, even Faeries believe in the power of 'Wishes'!

Oh, and don't forget my personal favorite....Toadstools! But these aren't just any ole' Toadstools! For these are baked with a smidgeon of Faerie Magic and a pinch of Pixie Dust, mixed in with sweet Merengue and Deep Dark Chocolate!
So Yummy and So Cute!

With bellies full and the Faerie Festivities drawing to a close, it's time to bid your fellow Faeries adieu! For Twilight is falling fast and the Fireflies are starting to twinkle their lights in the Hedgerow. But no Seasonal Solstice Soirée is complete without a Pretty Pixie Party Favor to carry home! And what better way to transport yourself back to the Realm of Faerie, than a lovely scented Butterfly Candle in the Fragrant Flower Scents of Lavender, Honeysuckle, Gardenia and Sweet Pea!

Yes it's true that Midsummer presents the perfect opportunity to embark on a Flight of Fancy in the spirit and celebration of the Faeries who Enchant our Gardens, and usher in the Seasons of the Year. And who wouldn't love to attend a Festive Midsummer Celebration filled with the Mirth and Merriment of a Fine Faerie Feast?! Both Young and Old alike can appreciate a Magical Escape into the Realm of Imagination and Wonder!

So this has been the perfect day to embrace the Faeries with our open hearts
....but more importantly with our open minds!

All you have to do is BELIEVE!

"Tula, vasa ar' yulna en i'mereth.
Lissenen ar' maska'lalaith tenna' lye omentuv!" (All Images © Wendy A. 2011)