Just to clear up any confusion, Halloween is officially tomorrow. Despite the fact that everyone celebrated this weekend, it hasn't really happened yet. If you're not tuckered out from dressing up and going out, you can still cash in on the entertainment provided for hard-core Halloweeners. Throw that filthy costume back on, ditch the on-campus scene (which may be limited on a schoolnight), and head into town for some tricks and treats, Boston-style.
Halloween originated as a Celtic festival marking the beginning of winter and celebrating their new year, which starts on Nov. 1. Throughout the centuries, Romans, Christians, and other groups have influenced the holiday, shaping it into what we see today. However, there's still no historical explanation that accounts for the group of mad bicyclists who careened down Curtis street wearing costumes and stopping traffic at 1 a.m. on Sunday morning. Around a fun-loving town like Boston, you're bound to run into a random cultural phenomenon or two this time of year, especially with so many college-aged scoundrels on the prowl.
To guarantee a mischievous interaction, head to the Burren in Davis Square tomorrow night for its Halloween party. You'd better be dressed to kill, since first prize in the costume competition is a pair of round-trip tickets to Ireland. Chances are the winning costume will be a tad more original than a Playboy Bunny or a pimp. Other prizes include gift certificates to local businesses and spooky surprises. You'll have to show up to find out what else is on the roster, but combine the Burren's reputation with a little bit of supernatural inspiration and you can't go wrong.
If you've got wheels and you're interested in something a little scarier than a bar in Davis, take a trip to Spooky World, "America's Horror Theme Park." The park is only in operation during October, and this season is its tenth anniversary. They're going all out with attractions like Phantom Mineshaft, Reaper's Hayride, and 3D Disco Haunted House - as if disco weren't scary enough. This season, Spooky World has hosted chilling celebrities like Alice Cooper, various WWF superstars, and actors from your favorite scary movies. Check out its website at www.spookyworld.com to find out just what they've got planned for Halloween. Since the whole place centers around this spooky holiday, you can pretty much bet the farm that they'll be going all out tomorrow night.
For a more wholesome Halloween, take a look at the mecca of madness, Salem. Long associated with witches and the supernatural, this tourist town offers an alternative to traditional Halloween activities that's safe and entertaining for all ages. The Peabody Essex Museum's Eerie Events 2000 is a gothic intellectual's dream come true. At the museum's five historic homes, actors bring to life ghost stories by such masters as Hawthorne, Lovecraft, and Poe, as well as some new ones. Stop by the blazing bonfire to warm your hands, but beware the wandering ghouls. Once pleasantly frightened, return to reality with some apple cider, fudge, and donuts from the Eerie Caf?©. Also note that the H.P. Lovecraft film festival will be playing through the 31st.
To see a truly haunted house, visit Livingston Street Terror at the Hatcher House in Tewksbury. Legend has it that in 1981 a ghoulish couple moved into the house to live like hermits. Except for an occasional scream and other curious noises at night, they all but disappeared. When mail began to accumulate, neighbors called the authorities and what they found upon entering the ominous home has been preserved today as an authentic haunted house.
And of course, Landsdowne Street will be celebrating Halloween in its own uniquely freaky way. Beware: you may have a hard time distinguishing costumes from regular attire. If you're interested in reliving Fall Fest, The Spooks will open for Tufts' favorite hip-hop artist, Common, at Avalon. Doors open at 8 p.m., and the cover is $17.50. Enter at your own risk.
