COVINGTON, Ky. – If you’re one of those people with a section of your closet reserved for Halloween costumes, then swing the doors wide and ponder your choices. This weekend there’s more than one costume event that beckons.
Get sharp with your carving skills too. Halloween is next week, but the time is nigh to get your jack-o’-lantern in order.
And while not everything is about pumpkins and costumes this week, there’s a decidedly scary theme, what with Samhain right around the corner: Spells cast from a stage, spooky things to stitch, creepy movies to watch, Halloween-themed libations, and more.
Not digging all the seasonal vibe? Kick back and listen to live music, take in an art exhibit, shop the farmers market, do a food tour, and lots of other things.
What will it be? A snaggletooth smile? Scowl? Smirk?
Whatever it is, Covington Parks & Rec’s Pumpkin Carving Night tonight is the place for you to unleash your creativity on that big round orange-colored head. All pumpkins and carving tools will be provided at this free family-friendly event, which takes place at David Housley Pavilion in Randolph Park.
Then on Saturday, Parks & Rec will put the newly created fabulous jack-o-lanterns on display at its Jack-O’-Lantern Festival (also free), which will feature a costume contest, free food, games, arts and crafts, candy, bounce houses, and face painting.
“Quirky” is a description The Cov wears with pride. Eerie and bizarre, too? Never a doubt.
Need convincing? Check out the Spooky Secrets Tour, a 2-mile stroll that starts tonight and runs through Oct. 30.
Inspired by Northern Kentucky-based author Kathryn Witt’s Secret Cincinnati: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure, the guided Spooky Secret Tour is led by Jill Morenz, president and CEO of Aviatra Accelerators.
Aviatra is a local nonprofit that helps women entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Proceeds from the tour support Aviatra’s fine work.
The tour stretches from the riverfront to MainStrasse Village and takes in all the scary, creepy, strange tales in between. You’ll hear hair-raising stories, walk off calories, and support women entrepreneurs all at the same time.
While costumes abound this weekend, you don’t need one to cast yourself as someone or something else. Case in point: Live Action Role Play – The West at Juniper’s tonight.
This is a role-playing game where participants physically portray the character and pursue goals within a fictional setting. A designated “Gamemaster” decides the setting and the rules to facilitate play (think of your childhood and that one bossy neighborhood kid).
With a willing suspension of disbelief, you are set in the old West, where a group of folks have prospered. With a taste for finery, they have ordered a shipment of enviable treasures from the East Coast – things like jewelry, paintings, spices, clothing, sculptures, and more. That shipment arrives at the local saloon, ready for auction, and the cast of characters (possibly you among them) show up to make your bid.
Whether you are cast as a lawperson, criminal, honest woman, dishonest man, rebellious strong gunslinger, lady of the evening, or an altogether different sort will be decided when you arrive at Juniper’s. Point is, everybody bidding on that shipment has their own dream and agenda they’re aiming to fulfill, so the stakes are high, and … well … it’s the wild west.
Sip a themed drink and focus on your character coming out of this game alive. And while costumes aren’t required, they’re encouraged.
Sure, there are loads of costume parties and pumpkin-carving events between now and next Thursday, but have you ever attended a “delightfully spooky embroidery experience?”
We’re curious.
Is deceptively benign verbiage being employed here to lure unsuspecting innocents into a tenebrous vault of torture? Will joyful stitchers be found shackled to a dungeon wall by the vise-like grip of embroidery hoops, their attempts to scream muffled by skeins of thread? Will hundreds of crewel needles be punched into their heads, akin to Hellraiser’s Cenobite Pinhead? Or, is “spooky embroidery experience” really code for a call to nefarious web-weavers to gather and plot evil doings?
Godspeed to the brave souls who attend Saturday’s Spooky Sip & Stitch - Embroidery with Elizabeth Watkins at Purple Paisley, Local Artisan Shop. May you emerge healthy and safe, and with a worthy Halloween sampler of your own creation.
The Braxton Halloween Party & Costume Contest on Saturday has an array of opportunities for you to be duly honored for your creativity, because they’re offering prizes for best individual, best couple, and best group costumes.
The real fun will play out on Braxton Brewing’s LED Dance Floor, where you can show off your lit (and spookiest) dance moves.
Queen City Cabaret and The Carnegie team up for a night of musical tricks and treats on Saturday with I Put A Spell On You: A Creepy Cabaret, featuring haunting jazz standards and campy cult classics.
Expect something to tempt the tastes of every ghoul and goblin at this one-night-only event. Queen City-based drag performer The Lady Phaedra will be making an appearance, and so will Cincinnati Opera’s Victoria Okafor, with her silvery soprano voice.
Stick around after the show for what The Carnegie says will be the “best Halloween party in town,” serving up devilishly delicious cocktails, special performances, and an audience costume contest.
Saturday’s Halloween MainStrasse Bar Crawl has 20 MainStrasse Village venues participating, each with its own frighteningly good drink specials, chilling live tunes, ghoulish DJs, and wickedly good prizes for best costumes.
Here’s who’s participating: The Standard, Paddy’s on Main, Zazou, Juniper’s, Cock and Bull, Mac’s Pizza Pub, Goodfellas, Wiseguy Lounge, Creative House of Art & Design, Village Pub, UpOver, Zola, Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar, Strasse Haus, Gypsy’s, Crafts & Vines, Rosie’s Tavern, Bar 32, Happy Days Tavern, and Larry’s.
‘Crawl’ at your own pace and enjoy.
Tonight: Beyond the Stage Live: Deuces II at Madison Live … Alex Poteet at Smoke Justis … The Missy Werner Band at Molly Malone’s Irish Pub & Restaurant.
Friday: Too Hot for Leather at Madison Live … Devin The Dude at The Rooftop at Madison Theater … Live at The Village (TV Show) with CFG & the Family (Live Audience) at The Village Theater … Estrada Do Sol at Juniper’s … Kenny Cowden at Smoke Justis.
Saturday: Jadakiss, Presented by Legacy & Winners Entertainment Featuring: Frank Talley, Pimp, J-Gutz at Madison Theater … Bravoartist Presents: Rav and Kill Bill The Rapper -- Keep the Change Tour at Madison Live … Ricky Nye Inc. at Juniper’s … The Bluebirds Duo at Smoke Justis.
Tonight: Library Trick or Treat at Kenton County Public Library … “Familiar Faces” exhibit at Behringer-Crawford Museum … Pumpkin Carving Party at Creative House of Art & Design … Expanding Universe: New Works by Thomas Osorio at Pique … Thirsty Thursday Bingo at Frosthaus.
Friday: “Familiar Faces” exhibit at Behringer-Crawford Museum … Fall Into Quilling – Autumn Themed Workshop at Purple Paisley, Local Artisan Shop … Horror on Hoopla and Kanopy at Kenton County Public Library … Feud at Frosthaus … Karaoke at Frosthaus.
Saturday: Covington Farmers Market at 425 Madison Ave. Parking Lot … MainStrasse Village Food & Culture Tour … “Familiar Faces” exhibit at Behringer-Crawford Museum … Guinness and Ghouls Event at Molly Malone’s Irish Pub & Restaurant … Halloween Bash! at The Standard Covington.
Sunday: Belly & Brunch at The Roost Latonia.
###