Hallowe'en Happenings

Riding through the Irish countryside last week, I was surprised to find many signs advertising Halloween events. I was taken aback, thinking it was yet another American influence that made its way to the Old Sod in the great cross-cultural pollination that has gone on since the mid-19th century.

Alas, I was wrong—the cross-pollination did date back to the 1840s but went in the other direction. Halloween was, in fact, brought to the United States by Irish fleeing the Potato Famine. By replanting the tradition on this side of the Atlantic, they introduced a holiday stretching into the distant past when ancient Celts celebrated Samhain (pronounced sow-in) on October 31st.

Celts believed that on that night the boundary between the worlds of the living and dead became blurred and that the ghosts returned to Earth. They built huge bonfires, sacrificed crops and animals and wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins.

Christianity, ever pragmatic, incorporated Samhain into the church calendar. It created All Saint’s Day—also called All Hallows Day—on November 1st and dubbed Samhain “All Hallowed Eve” (Halloween). So, the Irish loaned us their holiday and today it has become the second largest commercial holiday of the year.

Americans spend some $6 billion annually. It is now so universal that, instead of people dressing in animal skins and horns, we now spend $500 million a year to dress our pets in human garb. And that substantial figure pales when compared to the $3 billion spent on Halloween candy last year.

Clearly the Druids were on to something two millennia ago. The holiday has expanded beyond the one night when, in the 20th century, costumed youngsters visited neighboring households. It is now a season onto itself and this year is no exception. A myriad of celebrations is planned between now and October 31st throughout the region. Here is a compendium of activities—by no means inclusive—scheduled during this spookiest time of the year.

Tonight (October 26th) The Mount, former home of author Edith Wharton in Lenox, will celebrate Halloween with a live reading of Wharton’s short ghost story, Bewitched, published in 1926 in the collection, Here and Beyond. Mary Anne Grammer will give the live reading on the Terrace at 5:30PM. There will be complimentary hot apple cider and donuts. Go to The Mount for tickets; for information, call 413-551-5100.

Less spooky but not less fun, are the Halloween Costume Trains run by Hoosac Valley Railroad. All trains depart from 4 Hoosac Street in Adams Massachusetts this weekend.

This is a family friendly event that invites riders to dress in costume and enjoy some onboard trick or treating. All tickets are provided as “will call” at the train station and riders should check-in 10 to 20 minutes before departure.

Down in Stockbridge the town is planning a Halloween Parade & Pumpkin Walk Friday, October 28th, at 7:30PM. Marchers will meet at the corner of Main and Pine streets at 6PM and march up Main Street to the front lawn of the Stockbridge Library for cider, donuts and a pumpkin walk-about. A Halloween story time will take place at 6:30PM and a drop-in Halloween crafts will be held inside the library from 6 to 7:30PM.

Children and businesses interested in showcasing a Jack o’ Lantern of their own should drop them off at the library before 5:30PM. The library staff will light them and provide candles.

In case of rain the parade is cancelled but the events will continue in the library.

The free parade is open to all ages and abilities. For more information, contact the; Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce at 413-298-5200.

The Berkshire Atheneum at 1 Wendell Avenue in Pittsfield will hold a family pumpkin carving event Saturday from 10:30AM to 1PM. The library will provide pumpkins, carving tools and decorating supplies. There will also be craft-making, seed-saving activities, snacks and more. Costumes are encouraged and the free event is open to all ages and abilities.

The Lenox Library at 18 Main Street will get in on the act Thursday from 10:30 to 11AM with a Halloween Story Time and Trick or Treat. Pre-school age children should wear costumes and join in a Halloween-themed story time. Then, the children can travel to four different stops in the library to trick or treat. If it is a nice day, story time will be held outside. No registration necessary.

Saturday, from 6:30 to 7:30PM, the library will host Giggling Ghost Stories and Songs. Mary Jo Maichack returns for a mix of stories, jokes and songs on the guitar. The library promises lots of audience participation and laugh-out-loud fun. Participants should bring chairs, blankets and sleeping bags as, if it is warm, the event will be outside. This show is for children ages 5 and older.

Hancock Shaker Village at 1843 West Housatonic Street in Pittsfield will invite hobgoblins to tour its streets Saturday, October 29th, 11AM to 3PM. Witches, ghosts and goblins can roam the Village, trick or treating in costume. While there, they will learn how the Shakers celebrated Halloween.

All ages are welcome. The event is included with admission and free for members. Call 413-443-0188 for information.

In Litchfield County the Junior Women’s Club of Litchfield Hills will present its Halloween Ball Saturday, October 29th at 7PM at the Bantam Firehouse, 92 Doyle Road. Attendees must be 21.

There will be a deejay, dancing, a 50/50 raffle, snacks, and costume prizes. Tickets are $25. All proceeds go to local charities and families in need. The event is BYOB and costumes are recommended, but not required.

Harwinton has planned a three-day Halloween Scavenger Hunt at the Harwinton Library at 80 Bentley Drive, for its young people. Kids and teens can come anytime during the day in costume. There will be prizes for all winners.

Over in Goshen Action Wildlife Park at 435 Torrington Road, is offering the Forsaken Lands Outdoor Haunted Attraction Friday through Sunday, 7 to 10PM. Billed as Connecticut’s latest and most cutting-edge haunted attraction, it has opened its very creaky barn doors for its first season of fears. The inhabitants of a “long-forgotten farm village” unleash their wrath on, and consume, all who dare step foot onto their forbidden grounds. Recommended for ages 13 and older. There is a $6 cash-only parking fee. General admission is $25; VIP, $35.

In South County, Woodbury’s Glebe House at 49 Hollow Road still has a few spaces for its Sunday, October 30th, All Hollow’s Eve: Witch of Woodbury & Haunted Museum, beginning at 5:30 PM. Linda Barr-Gale will bring the Witch of Woodbury, Moll Cramer, to life in a special presentation in the Glebe yard. This year Moll will be joined by her fellow witches who were put to trial in Colonial Connecticut.

Presentations take place on a rolling basis with short breaks in between. In the event of inclement weather this event will take place at the pavilion in Hollow Park. Admission is $11 per person, $6 for 5-12-year-olds, children under 5 are free.