Hollywood Gothique

Halloween is no longer a one-day holiday; it has grown into a full-blown season. This article by Beth Harpza, syndicatedt o Chicago Sun-Times and other outlets, takes a look at some of the month long celebrations. The focus is on the East Coast, not something we usually cover here, but we link to it because the general topic is of interest.

…the holiday is morphing into an entire season, at least in the tourism industry, with haunted walks, costume balls and pumpkin-carving events held throughout October. Some even start in early September, like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Disney World, which started just four days after Labor Day. In 2004, the same event at Disney World started Oct. 1.

The Illinois Bureau of Tourism has gone so far as to trademark the term “Fall-O-Ween” to describe what it calls the state’s “distinctive fifth season.” Events range from the Morton Pumpkin Festival, which wrapped up Saturday, to Six Flags Great America’s “Fright Fest,” starting Oct. 4, to the St. Charles Scarecrow Festival, Oct. 10-12.