Halloween has changed since I was a kid. Back then, in the 1950s and ’60s, you didn’t wear your costume to school, adults very rarely dressed up unless they were going to an adult costume party and every kid wandered the streets after about 6 pm, pillowcase in hand to gather their loot from their neighbours.
Now, of course, Halloween has become something of a growth industry and people of all ages dress up and have fun.
Here is a large selection of photos from Halloween 2014 that I hope you’ll enjoy. They begin with Begbie View Elementary School’s very successful Carnival and fundraiser and proeed through the week until Friday night.
But just before I get to that here’s a video of Bobby Pickett singing that Halloween favour, The Monster Mash, which hit the airwaves in 1964 when I was 11. I think I dressed up as Dracula that year…
Here are the photos. Enjoy!
Mountain View Elementary got into the Halloween spirit early in the week with its Carnival and Fundraiser on Tuesday evening, October 28. It was HUGELY successful and attracted parents and kids from all over the city. David F. Rooney photoParent Jennifer Nothstein may not have looked like particularly but, as she put it, :had scary earrings.” David F. Rooney photoShannon Meloro and her daughter Terren were in charge of one of the concessions at he carnival. David F. Rooney photoHunter Fuoco and Dominic Meloro enjoyed the pillow fight. David F. Rooney photoSo sis Joe Murphy and Jonah Adam, who whacked away at each other under the watchful eye of referee Kim Bibby. David F. Rooney photoWith three-month-old daughter Isla bundled up in one arm, Emily Grady talks to three-year-old Micah about the different hand-carved pumpkins at the carnival. David F. Rooney photoHalle Wolgram decorates young Cadence McAstocker’s face at the face-painting table. David F. Rooney photoThis beanbag game proved to be tougher than it looked. David F. Rooney photoThe Meloro clan loves Halloween, as you can from this photo (taken on relatively dry Thursday evening). The various creatures that go bump in the night here are Nathan Phillips, Ava, Graicen, Dominic and Terren Meloro, Mark Cameron snd Kernic Weedon. The place looked pretty cool by night, too, s you’ll be able t see in the last two image sin this photo feature. David F. Rooney photoThe girls at Revelstoke Cable, including new general manager Tracey Buckley (left) were a mixed bag of characters. David F. Rooney photoHere’s the not-so-scary crew at People’s! David F. Rooney photoHere are the library gals all dressed up: Susan Knight (left) is Claire, Kendra Runnalls (center) is Geillis (both characters from the Outlander TV series based on author Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series) and Lucie Bergeron is Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Kendra Von Bremen photoThe good ladies at Work BC had great pumpkins and friendly smiles but not-too-spooky-looking little hats, Frighteningly stylish, girls. David F. Rooney photoYou could find just about anything at Cooper’s, from a Wild West sheriff to a hot dog slathered in mustard. David F. Rooney photoI didn’t want to leave out Carole who had customers to deal with at her til while I shot the others. David F. Rooney photoThe ladies at the TD Bank milked the occasion for all it was worth. David F. Rooney photoKiller costumes! Hey! Who’s the Killer Klown with the gory machete? Is he a Killer Klown Looking for a seat on Kouncil? David F. Rooney photoFarmer Steve Hui was almost overwhelmed by his whole barnyard full of odd-looking animals at Phrmasave. David F. Rooney photo
Ahhh! It’s sylvester and Tweetie! That’s cute! David F. Rooney photoThere was a host of different costumed folks to serve you at Revelstoke Credit Union Insurance. David F. Rooney photoHardware store from hell? Hardly — not when you’ve Horsefly Boy, Ms. Smartie Pants (I thought that was particularly clever) and everyone else to help you find what you need. David F. Rooney photoI found young Liam Bolton taking a space walk down First Street and couldn’t resist. David F. Rooney photoThese ladies were more than to direct you a mad scientist or two at Selkirk Medical Clinic. David F. Rooney photoEveryone was dressed up at the CIBC. David F. Rooney photoConversations Coffee House saw Cat Woman, Wonder Woman and Bat Girl on hand to whip up a latte for you. David F. Rooney photoWalk down Mackenzie Avenue and you never know who you might encounter… maybe a celebrity like Hunter S. Thompson and his hippy-dippy friend. David F. Rooney photoAnd just down the street at The Modern it as all about peace, love and bellbottoms. David F. Rooney photoThere was a scary bunch down at City Hall — especially that parrot! David F. Rooney photoAnd what should I encounter as I walked down the steps of City Hall but a troll out shopping. Nice feet, Linda! David F. Rooney photoThe Community Centre main desk was, uh, manned by a crustacean and a cowgirl. David F. Rooney photoAnd over at the Credit Union none of the staff were in costume (though they did have treats and pumpkins) but that did not deter these little creatures from coming in and hitting them up for Halloween treats. David F. Rooney photoErnie and Bert get ready to meet all the little monsters who attended Team Gloria’s Halloween afternoon party for local kids at the Traverse. David F. Rooney photoIt looks as though young Mr. Cooper the Clown managed to give this witch a scare at Team Gloria’s party. Way to go, Coop! David F. Rooney photoRemember the Meloro house photo way up at the top of this photo feature? Here’s what it looked like at night. Shawn Filipchuk photoAnd here’s what some of their 25 hand-carved pumpkins looked like. Great job! Shawn Filipchuk photoJames and Linda Walford’s house on Fourth Street is also a traditionally spooky place come Halloween. Here’s how it looked on Friday. Linda Walford phoot
