Slice of Life: Spooky Season Wrap-Up 2023
The Halloween season is over which means I’m already transitioning over into Christmas mode. I did manage to get out more this Halloween season and check out some local events this year! Though it’s been a particularly warm Autumn season, I’m glad it didn’t rain when I did go to these events and that we’ve been having good crisp Autumn weather. Here are some of my highlights of Halloween/Autumn Season 2023 and how I celebrated throughout the season.
Hocus Pocus Shadowcast Show
At the beginning of October, I went to my second-ever Shadowcasting show. Shadow Casts are actors that act out the entire movie or in some cases directly in front of the screen. For this show, the actors acted out all the scenes of Hocus Pocus favorites and the show was so good. It was such a fun time!
Meeting Stephan Pastis
Stephan Thomas Pastis is an American cartoonist and former lawyer who is the creator of the comic strip Pearls Before Swine. He also writes children’s chapter books (Timmy Failure series). He was at a local library to promote his newest release, Looking Up. He shared some fun stories from his career and had an interesting Q&A. He signed my book with my favorite Pearls Before Swine character.
Haunted Garage Sale
I’m so glad I got to attend this garage sale for the second year in a row! The room was filmed to the brim with Halloween decor, vintage pieces, apparel, and all things spooky. I wanted to buy so many items, but I ended up picking up some Casper earrings, a spooky season-themed sweatshirt, a horror novel, and Munsters vinyl. A must-visit local sale for Halloween lovers.
Glenlore Trails: The Haunted Forest
I’ve always heard that Glenlore Trails is a must-visit for the Halloween season and I’m glad I finally got to go this year. This year the theme was CarnEvil which featured a dark circus feel. I loved how interactive the trail was including all the fun carnival games you could play. They put a lot of effort into the decorations and illumination effects to make it an immersive experience for everyone.
Meeting Huda Fahmy
I went to another author talk for one of my other favorite cartoonists, Huda Fahmy. Huda is the illustrator of the internationally successful webcomic, Yes, I’m Hot in This. She was so sweet and engaging during the discussion of her books and the creation process for her comics. I got her to sign my book and chat with her one-on-one. She was so funny and kind. I’m glad I finally got to meet her person!
Eric Nam Concert
This is the second time I’ve been able to see Eric Nam live, and I had such a fun time at the concert. He’s currently on his House on a Hill tour to promote his current album (which I recommend listening to). Eric has such great energy on stage, and I also like that he is open and vulnerable to having open discussions with his audience. He talked about his mental health struggles which inspired the songs on his latest album.
Ofrendas: Celebrating El Dia De Muertos
The 11th installment of Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos features 13 ofrendas, or offerings, by local artists and community members. The annual exhibition, is designed to familiarize visitors with ofrendas and the Mexican traditions of the Day of the Dead. This is the first year I’ve been able to attend, and I loved seeing all the love and care put into the ofrendas. No two ofrendas were the same and each one held such a powerful story.
What were some of your highlights from Halloween/Autumn? Did you get to do anything fun? Let me know in the comments! And as always you can follow me on my Instagram page to see my bookish adventures, life stuff, and current reads.
