Halloween events 2012 -- Round 1!

Okay everyone, it's my favorite season, and you know what that means -- lots of fun spooky activities across the state! Here is my first batch of listings. Have fun!

Fright at the Fort -- Lucky 13!!!
http://fortknox.maineguide.com/fright/
For the last 13 years, Fort Knox has opened its historic doors to a troupe of volunteers who spookify the already atmospheric location for a benefit haunt attraction which helps fund restorations at the fort.

This year the evenings they will be running the event on Friday and Saturday evenings, 5:30-9:00pm, starting on Oct 19 & 20, and continuing on Oct 26 & 27.

Here's this year's preview trailer!

The Medicine Show
www.ziggurattheatre.org
Ziggurat Theatre Ensemble is offering families a unique theatrical experience for the Halloween season with the presentation of The Medicine Show, an original play using masks, drumming, song and dance that will be performed outdoors in a wooded field in Bowdoinham. Drawing upon local Native American lore, The Medicine Show will transport audiences back in time and far from civilization to tell a harrowing story of heroism, sacrifice and redemption. Tormented by demons from his dreams, a young boy alone in the wilderness stumbles upon a traveling medicine show whose performers are all stricken by a mysterious malady. Believing their illness is caused by the same sinister figures of his nightmares, the boy battles these demons. By turns spooky and spiritual, The Medicine Show is “as memorable for its winking wit and raw beauty as for its mesmerizing power” according to the LA Weekly.

The play opens on October 13 and runs through October 28. Showtimes are Saturdays at 7:00pm (October 13, 20, 27) and Sundays at 7:00pm (October 14, 21, 28). It is being staged at the Bowdoinham Public Works building, 8 River Road (adjacent to Mailly Waterfront Park) in Bowdoinham.

Tales of Terror at the Victoria Mansion
http://www.victoriamansion.org/events_rentals/details.aspx?NewsID=9
Victoria Mansion is excited to announce its 6th annual Tales of Terror, a celebration of the Halloween season featuring spine-tingling stories from 19th-century writers performed by local storytellers. The Mansion’s original 1860 interiors will be dimmed to gaslight levels for the evening, making the event a haunting night of history and horror.

This year, Tales of Terror will consist of 4 shows over two evenings. On Friday, October 19 at 6:00 and 8:00 pm, storyteller/playwright Lynne Cullen performs two stories by great writers of Victorian horror fiction: "The Family of the Vourdalak" by Aleksey K. Tolstoy and "Louella Miller" by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman.

On Saturday, October 20, actress/storyteller Brittany Cook performs works by Edgar Allen Poe in Poe’s Menagerie, a radio play featuring some of the writer’s best-known beasts. The 6:00 Saturday performance is for children 10 and under, and includes family-friendly stories "The Conqueror Worm" and "Hop-Frog." The 8:00 performance is for general audiences, and will include Poe’s "The Raven" and "The Black Cat."

Little Festival of Horrors at Portland Public Library
http://portlandlibrary.com/
http://portlandlibrary.com/gorey/home.htm

The Portland Public Library announces its “Little Festival of Horrors” to celebrate the genre of horror during the 3 days leading up to Halloween. The library has created this festival to introduce literature, film and art based in the genre of Horror. The festival offers author talks by local horror writers Elizabeth Hand and Rick Hautala paired with films, including a screening of The Night of the Living Dead followed by a “Zombie Crawl” into Monument Square, and horror related art shows. PPL branch libraries will also be offering events in conjunction with the festival. All events are free and open to the public.

The Little Festival of Horrors will be punctuated by two art shows at the Main Library featuring an art exhibit, Elegant Enigmas: The Art of Edward Gorey in the Lewis Gallery and an art installation by Brunswick artist Christian Matzke based on the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, which will be in a study room in the Teen Lounge.

On Monday, October 29th, at the Main Branch at 5 Monument Square, author Elizabeth Hand will be giving an author talk at 4:00pm about antiquarian ghost stories. This will be followed at 5:00pm by a showing of a related horror film (title TBA). [NOTE: Those of you who have yet to read Elizabeth's work will be pleasantly surprised when you dip into one of her many books. I suggest Saffron and Brimstone and Generation Loss.]

On Tuesday, October 30th, at the Main Branch, Maine horror writer Rick Hautala will give an author talk on the horror genre. This will be followed at 5:00pm by a showing of a related horror film (title TBA). Rick has been writing Maine-based horror stories for many years now. His book Little Brothers is a great favorite of mine.

On Wednesday, October 31st, at the Main Branch, there will be a youth zombie make-up workshop in the Teen Library, followed by a free screening of horror classic "Night of the Living Dead" at 5:00pm, and the Halloween finale will be a Zombie Crawl onto Monument Square at 6:30pm.

Also on Halloween, Riverton Branch Library will have a 3:00pm film showing of "Scooby Doo and the Legend of the Vampire" and at 4:30pm they will show "Monster House." Snacks and treats will be provided! Kids are encouraged to wear their costumes.

If you are on Peaks Island for Halloween, the Peaks branch is hosting stories and a craft program at 6:30pm for ages 5-8.

More on the Edward Gorey show in a separate post all its own, later! :)