Trolloween!
Whenever a friend of family member visits me in Seattle, I always take them to see the Fremont Troll. To me, the Fremont Troll represents the quirky undertone of Seattle which makes it a really fun place to live. This Saturday (Halloween), the Fremont Troll is turning 20 and there is going to be a celebration like nobody's business.
Trolloween, Oct 31st at 7 PM sharp, is the birthday party for the Fremont Troll. We will start the celebration with him under the Aurora Bridge, as he loves a good laugh and a great story. We will soon be off on the annual Haunt of Fremont.
This 20th anniversary of the birth of the Fremont Troll, we'll be experiencing the tale of Dante’s Inferno. Many artists and performers will present their twisted & whacky version of this dark tale, known to us as: ‘Just a little lover’s spat, honey’.
Rain or dry, we will sing, dance, marvel, and laugh our way through the dark underbelly of Dante and Fremont. An unsweetened and piquant family event with plenty of fun to scare the laughs out of any stoic kid or stogy adult.
Come dress as your favorite dead celebrity and take part in our costume walk across the final stage, under the Fremont Bridge, for the appreciation of your community.
If you have been to the Fremont Solstice Parade, you know the Fremont Arts Council goes all out for their festivals, so I expect Trolloween to be amazing this year with lots and lots of performers and artists.
This is a free event but donations are welcome.
Georgetown Haunted History Tour
Tonight I'm going on the Georgetown Haunted History Tour. The tour isn't one of those haunted house tours where people jump out and startle you. At least, I don't think people will jump out and startle you. This is my first year doing to the tour so I guess I'll find out. This is a tour of actual haunted sites throughout Georgetown. I'll report if I see a ghost. Below is information posted on Brown Paper Tickets:
The Haunted History Walking Tour is now in its 5th year, and is hosted by Friends of Georgetown History. Starting at Coliman Restaurant on East Marginal Way and winding through the Georgetown neighborhood to the original Rainier Brewery on Airport Way, the tour features Georgetown's past and current characters, architecture and ghosts. The Walking Tour departs every 20 minutes beginning at 6PM on October 23 and 24.
Location: Georgetown, Seattle (begins at Coliman [Mexican] Restaurant)
Date and time: Oct 23 and 24, tours every 20 minutes beginning at 6pm, last tour begins at 7:40pm
Price: $10
Mess Man's Messquerade 2008 Halloween Bicycle Scavenger Hunt
Like riding bikes while wearing a costume? I know, who doesn't? The annual Messquerade scavenger hunt and party is happening this Friday, October 31, and you better believe I'll be wearing my Wonder Woman costume while riding a bike on Friday.
The scavenger hunt starts at 7pm on Capitol Hill (1420 10TH Ave) in the lot behind Cafe Vita and Wild Rose. You'll need to get there before 7pm to check out everyone's costumes and get your team registration business taken care of. To register for the hunt, either pre-register on the website or register on Halloween before 7pm at the meeting spot on Capitol Hill.
After the scavenger hunt, the big party will be in Belltown this year at the Underground Events Center, which is the same location as the Punk Rock Flea Market. Party starts at 9pm. The winners of the scavenger hunt and costume contest will be announced at the party.
I went last year to Messquerade 2007 and I had such a great time I think I want to attend this event again and again every year for the rest of my life.
Circus Contraption Upcoming Shows (Including tonight!)
It was just brought to my attention that there are still a few tickets left for tonight's Circus Contraption show, Armitage Shanks' Anatomical Snuff Box & Tipsy Gypsy Balkan Club Night. It's an evening of Circus, Cabaret and Variety Oddities followed by a Gypsy dance party. Doors at 8pm, $20 at the door/ $18 advanced purchase. This is the last night of this event so check it out before it disappears forever. More information can be found on the Circus Contraption events page.
There are also a few tickets left for Circus Contraption's 10th Anniversary Really F***ing Scary Halloween Party. The Circus Contraption website says it is sold out, but I was told today that there are still a few available tickets so act fast and buy your ticket now if you want to go. Flying aerial demons, ghosts, and the living dead await fright-seekers inside. Guest performers include Nanda (Portland's incredible acrobaticalists) and Bob Wayne and the Outlaw Carnies, as well as local performers telling terrifying ghost stories and leading a massive séance. The doors creak open at 8pm on Friday, Oct. 31. This event is 21+. Please contact Cathy for information about buying tickets for this event.
Both of these events will take place at The Circus Factory, 3400 Phinney Ave N, in Fremont.
The last of the news I have to share for you from Circus Contraption is they are now booking for December for Holidazzle and A Moveable Feast which creates a unique and memorable way to celebrate the holidays with your office. Holidazzle is a whimsical one-stop-shop for companies who have had enough of the corporate booze cruise. Located at The Circus Factory in Fremont, Holidazzle includes a cabaret-style performance by Circus Contraption that includes live original music, aerialists, acrobats, and comedy, all with a grown-up spin, a delicious custom menu provided by A Moveable Feast, and, of course, a full bar. Eat, Drink, Be Amazed!
Happy Halloween! Now What?
We'll just all go out and meet up with the same 10-16 friends we've known since Jr High and pretend that you're invisible. Welcome to Seattle!
Yes, that happens around here. But, I'm not from Seattle and I made friends despite not knowing one single person in the city, and I'm not any sort of super-awesome super-charmer. So, don't let the cliquey people scare you away. You don't want to be friends with them, anyway.
Back on track: what is happening tonight for Halloween? I'm going to see Henry Rollins, and then later, I might check out The Mercury. The Mercury is a member's only goth/industrial dance club, which means you have to be a member to get into most of their events, or be a guest of a member. What was I just saying about cliques in Seattle? Actually, the folks at The Mercury are really nice and if you're cool and are genuinely interested in events at the club (not just someone who wants to gawk at/harass the hot female patrons in corsets), then you won't have any trouble eventually becoming a member or getting in as a guest.
If I don't go to The Mercury tonight, I will go to The Funhouse. Local bands Millhous and Old Man Smithers are playing with a couple other bands. This show is a guaranteed good time if you like getting rowdy and having beer spilled on you while listening to live punk music. When I say it like that, it doesn't sound like fun, does it? Trust me, it's great.
If these suggestions are not your cup of tea, The Stranger created a list of what is happening for Halloween. My favorite picks of the list:
- Citizen Fish @ Hell's Kitchen in Tacoma - Members include Dick and Phil from the Subhumans. Yep, old punk rocker band, and it's all the way in Tacoma, but... I love this band!
- The Monsters of Electropop Tour @ Nectar in Fremont - Freezepop, Solvent, Novatron, and DJ Electrosect. Go dressed as a new waver!
Mess Man Messquerade Recap
I attended Mess Man's Messquerade, and, despite the very cold temperatures, I had a blast! I arrived at the meeting spot in Capitol Hill where over 100 costumed bicyclists were already gathered, and I was warmly greeted by The Mess Man himself, "Hi, welcome to my party! Did you get some beer? Here, grab a beer." I didn't have a team for the bicycle scavenger hunt, so I needed to find a team. I joined team Oz. Team Oz consisted of Dorothy (of course), pumpkin head guy, a vampire pirate, a Storm Trooper, and me as future girl with rocket pack. Some teams had coordinated themes: Team Alice in Wonderland, Team Cowboy, Team Awesome.
The scavenger hunt took us through Capitol Hill, Denny regrade, Downtown, Pioneer Square, and the end point was a party at a bar by Home Depot in Sodo. We were required to go trick-or-treating and solve riddles at various houses and businesses, sometimes involving confused residents who seemed like they were unaware of their role in the scavenger hunt. There was bicycle trivia (what is the newest bike shop in town? what is in the window at Reload?) and there was Seattle history trivia.
My team was one of the last teams to arrive at the finish point because we took a couple whiskey breaks at bars along the way. It was a cold night and we needed a warm-up. The best part of the scavenger hunt was riding bikes through Seattle in costume. People on the streets cheered and hollered when they saw us bicycling through the streets.
The party at the end of the race was packed wall-to-wall with people. Outside, there were a couple of people pacing along the fence next to the bar looking at all of the bicycles parked outside. "It's bicycle porn," on of them said. Inside, there was live music, and then the announcement of the winners. Team Cowboy won the scavenger hunt. Best group costume went to Zombie Unicorns on a Cloud, a couple on a tandem bike. My teammate won best individual costume after suffering through wearing a heavy pumpkin on his head all night. I got a guppy light and a bicycle pump in the extra prize free-for-all at the end of the awards announcements.
I was bad about taking pictures at this event, but, fortunately, there is flickr.
Henry Rollins Spoken Word
Once upon a time in the 1980s, Henry Rollins was the lead singer of the hardcore punk band, Black Flag. One of the most famous of all of the hardcore scenesters of that era, Henry Rollins later formed his own band called Rollins Band and performed to huge audiences and had mainstream success. Remember the song, Liar?
I love that song. Boy, he sure is intense.
Aside from his music career, Henry Rollins has spent the past 3 decades writing books and performing spoken word, and he now hosts his own tv show on IFC. He has also been in several movies, including one of my favorite movies, The Chase. You can see his discography here.
Henry Rollins is intense, but his spoken word can actually be very light-hearted and funny. Although he is a big superstar now, he has humble beginnings and his spoken word includes stories about his life in a down-to-earth manner.
On a side note, I hear he has worn a halloween costume for his halloween performances in the past, and I'm hoping he wears one on Wednesday's show.
Hive-Mind Halloween Party
This Saturday marks the 13Th Annual Hive-Mind Halloween Party. The theme this year is Xavier's School for Mutant Youngster, so if you still haven't gotten your costume together, you can participate in the theme and dress as an X-Men character, or some sort of superhero. Just make sure you show up wearing a costume.The folks who put on this event are avid Burning Man enthusiasts who have been/are affiliated with the Seattle Burning Man camp called the Space Virgins, and they host several parties a year where they pull out all the stops to put on massive parties with theme rooms, deejays, art showcasing, and lots of dancing and socializing. Check out pictures of the 2006 Hive-Mind Halloween Party.
This party begins at 9pm and will continue into the wee hours, although they have to have the venue cleaned out on Sunday so I'm sure people will get kicked out at some point. More information on the website.
Halloween Costume Bicycle Scavenger Hunt and Party
In case you can't read the flier, I will recap. Saturday, Oct 27, 7pm: $20 ($30 with hoodie) provides you with the following entertainment:
- Bands
- Bikes
- Beer
- Zombies(!!)
- Costume Contest
- Cash Prizes
- Pumpkin Toss
- Team Scavenger Hunt
Be A Zombie In A Movie
If you like zombies as much as I do (I even like Rob Zombie), then listen up; a new zombie movie is being filmed in Kitsap County called Zombies of Mass Destruction. Cool, eh? Well, they are looking for zombie extras to be in the movie! The movie is being filmed now through November 17 in Port Gamble, WA, and they need a bunch of zombies.
If you are interested in being a zombie in a feature film, please contact:
- Email: foregroundbackground@gmail.com
- Phone: 425.246.2725
Shooting Schedule and Other Zombie Details
Puppet Show For Adults of All Ages
During the season of Halloween, watch a dark tale about Dracula.... acted out with puppets! The same folks who bring you Drunk Puppet Night now bring you the harrowing tale of what happened to the most famous vampire's survivors in Dracula: A Case Study:
A handful of survivors from Bram Stoker's original tale have been locked up in Dr. John Seward's insane asylum, their minds having proved too fragile to withstand Dracula's terror. Dr. Seward has developed a fascinating new therapy to restore his tortured patients to sanity. They are using puppets to relive the events of the novel and to reach an understanding of what REALLY happened when they fell under Dracula's evil spell.
This show is produced by the professional puppeteers at Monkey Wrench Puppet Lab, who have:
made a reputation for themselves as Seattle’s most creative, most courageous and most disturbing puppeteers, dedicated to creating ridiculous, inappropriate and artistically excellent puppet plays and events.
Ridiculous and inappropriate puppet plays? The concept is so wonderfully bizarre that I cannot imagine why anyone would not want to experience it. Unless you are afraid of puppets. Then, probably, don't go see the scary vampire puppet show.
Dracula: A Case Study plays October 11 - November 3 at Theater off Jackson (in the International District), Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm. Halloween Show on Wednesday, October 31, at 8pm. Tickets are $15. Thursday, October 18 is Pay-What-You-Can Night.
