Countdown Day 19: Halloween parties

Halloween parties are long-standing tradition in this country, with fortune-telling and bobbing for apples staples of that tradition.

The Voodoo Queen and I recently went to an old-fashioned annual Halloween event that continues many of the traditions of Halloween parties. Called "Frank-en-Fest," it's a party given in the Dayton, Ohio area by entertainer Art Bausman, who is one helluva nice guy. Frankenstein (or, more accurately, his Monster) is always a part of the celebration, along with hot dogs . We got in the spirit of the occasion, and ate franks and festered.

This year's Frank-en-Fest was our first but, hopefully, not our last. It was a lot of fun. There were films shown (Castle condensed versions of all the Universal monster classics like Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, Creature From the Black Lagoon and others); there were fireworks, beanbag games, an open fire, hot cocoa and grilled burgers to enjoy, and everyone won a door prize--and all the prizes were different!

Below are photos. Some of the accompanying captions are even believable!

Here's host Art Bausman among the inflated ghouls that welcomed all to the festivities.


16mm films were shown, including Disney's classic cartoon, Lonesome Ghosts:

This guest told fortunes:

One of the many cool door prizes given out (the t-shirt, not the lady!) :

Below, a partygoer laughing at a man whose pants have caught on fire. (I wonder if he'd told a lie?)
One young guest got her roasting marshmallows too close to the fire:

Okay, okay, it was really a sparkler in her hand. Although why she'd want to roast and eat that I have no idea.

The Voodoo Queen observes more guests arriving.

Below, dumbfounded guests observe a lady zombie (notice the glowing eyes) make off with a hot dog. It made us all wonder what meat was used in those Hallow-weiners!


By the end of the revelries, host Art was threatening to throw sulphuric acid at guests who didn't clear out:
Okay, I'm fibbing. It was hydrochloric acid.