Halloween has always been just about Vincent's favorite holiday. He loves the dark themes, the dressing up, and the excuse to go out with friends (and - once upon a time - with family). Two years ago we had a late Halloween party, whose highlight was all of us walking through the fall night to Graeter's and back. This year the run-up to Halloween was more exciting - and tempestuous - than the actual night. Louisville is a great place for Halloween with its old building, its dozen or so "haunted houses" (from the Baxter Avenue Morgue near the Highlands to the area around the old Waverly Sanitarium (see "Ghost Hunters"), where tens of thousands perished from T.B., to its general "keep Louisville weird" small-business culture that promotes Halloween. Halloween in Louisville is much like Derby--the party starts way before the actual day and has lots of parties leading up to the event. Vincent wrote an article that was supposed to be in the school paper about the origins of Halloween. Last year he and Jon, then our Danish exchange student, had visited the Baxter Avenue Morgue (while Frisco and I walked around outside). This year Vincent and I clashed over whether and when he would go and when he would leave to visit the even more raucous "Haunted Hotel," a morgue competitor on the South End. The first time we tried to visit a whole block was blocked off. Some of this was I believe an excuse to try to see Christina, the Dane whom he was then courting. That same week we had gone to a college visit nearby, when Western KY brought some of their staff to the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs to schmooze with prospective students and their families (just blocks away). That weekend, I believe, Louisville's unique Halloween parade took place on Baxter Avenue and Bardstown Road, the showpiece keep Louisville weird area which Vincent had started hanging out at. Three years ago - when this parade, New Albany's Harvest Homecoming Festival parade (plus a Huber's visit), and the St. James Court Art Show were all the same day - we had just seen the tail end of the parade. Two years ago it moved to Friday night and Simon (exchange student #1), Vincent, Frisco, Stephanie, and I (Simon, Vincent, and I on the way to a church retreat) saw it. This year we dropped Vincent off at one of the houses where the Danish exchange students congregated and Stephanie and I walked the newly revised parade route, with Frisco, before the parade actually got to our end. Frisco (sans his bat costume) was a big hit with the kids awaiting the parade.
The parade itself is actually a typically wacky, weird Louisville invention. It takes place in early October as an unveiling of the season and part marketing ploy by the haunted house closest to the downtown - the aforesaid morgue - and a downtown-ish costume store, Caulfield's, where we often buy costumes (also for our Derby parties). Caulfield's isn't even on the parade route, but it ends up at the morgue, which we walked by with Frisco on our pre-parade walk.
Going back up the hill on the other side of the road, more kids petted Frisco.
The parade began with an actual color guard - on a beautiful late afternoon - with lovely buildings in the background.
Below is a sign for Caulfield's, the costume store sponsor.
Towards the back of this picture are members of the Ghostbusters team - these are the only folks from the parade three years ago that we saw - after the parade was over and they were walking back up the hill. Three years later, we still know who to call!
Towards the back of this picture are members of the Ghostbusters team - these are the only folks from the parade three years ago that we saw - after the parade was over and they were walking back up the hill. Three years later, we still know who to call!
Some of the things in the parade were actually scary.
What would a Halloween parade be without dancers a la Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video?
While the three of us were standing at the corner of Baxter, Bardstown, and Highland Avenue, we noticed a Middle Eastern restaurant (Falafel House?) on the corner with tables and chairs outside. While the parade wound up, we ordered Middle Eastern food and then ate it outside where Frisco could sit with us. Pictured below is some of our food. Stephanie ordered a dish with yummy hummus and chicken.
Soon a young couple sat next to us. It turned out that the woman, who looked vaguely familiar, is one of the managers at the branch of our bank closest to our home. Olga (pictured below) and her friend ended up talking with us during most of our dinners. Oddly enough she recognized Frisco before she recognized us.
It was a beautiful afternoon/evening in a neat town/neighborhood, with some interesting people (costumed and not), and with good conversation and good food. I can't remember whether we picked Vincent up (who saw some of the parade near the start of the parade route, near the house we dropped him off at) on the way home, or whether I went back to retrieve Vincent. To see a short clip of the "Thriller" dance, click on the "play" button below.
While the three of us were standing at the corner of Baxter, Bardstown, and Highland Avenue, we noticed a Middle Eastern restaurant (Falafel House?) on the corner with tables and chairs outside. While the parade wound up, we ordered Middle Eastern food and then ate it outside where Frisco could sit with us. Pictured below is some of our food. Stephanie ordered a dish with yummy hummus and chicken.
Soon a young couple sat next to us. It turned out that the woman, who looked vaguely familiar, is one of the managers at the branch of our bank closest to our home. Olga (pictured below) and her friend ended up talking with us during most of our dinners. Oddly enough she recognized Frisco before she recognized us.
It was a beautiful afternoon/evening in a neat town/neighborhood, with some interesting people (costumed and not), and with good conversation and good food. I can't remember whether we picked Vincent up (who saw some of the parade near the start of the parade route, near the house we dropped him off at) on the way home, or whether I went back to retrieve Vincent. To see a short clip of the "Thriller" dance, click on the "play" button below.
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