Hot Halloween Happenings

Athol
Pastime Club, Highway 54, 683-2345 - karaoke 8:30-close, costume contest with cash prizes.


Bonners Ferry
AJ's Lanes, 6696 Main St., 946-9076 - First Annual Bowl-A-Rama, 10am to 4pm. Everyone is invited to field a team of four bowlers to participate or simply come by yourself. Sign up and get your pledge cards at Second Chance Thrift Store.

Nazarene Church, 158 Meadow Creek Rd., Harvest Party from 6-8pm. In addition to the candy, games, and a bounce house, there will be a chili cook-off. 267-4061

Coeur d'Alene

315 Martinis & Tapas, 315 Wallace Ave., 929-1379. Live jazz with Barry Aiken , 7:30 p.m.

Baja Bargarita, 115 N. Second St., 667-7676. Halloween Costume Contest - Grand Prize $500. "Live" zombies. $2 shots of Jose Cuervo, $1 Corona Minis. DJ Brentano, 9 p.m.

Brix Underground, 317 E. Sherman Ave., 665-7407. DJ Tony, 9 p.m.

Chillers, 1920 E. Sherman Ave., 667-1896. Halloween party & costume contest. Live rock music with Well Hung, 8:45 p.m.

Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1700 Pennsylvania Ave. - "Wakin' Up Dead" Fundraiser for Hospice of Idaho. Moving examination of life and death through story, song and drama by Northwest artists including four-time cancer survivor Pamela Faye Houston and former Spokane news anchor Pamela Stark. Children are invited to come in costume and participate in stories, games, treats, crafts and song. Free children for age three and younger. 6:30 p.m.

Crickets Steakhouse, 424 Sherman Ave. Coeur d’Alene, 765-1990. Live blues music with Laffin’ Bones – 8 p.m.

Downtown Cd'A's Mudgy and Millie Halloween Family Walk - Family exercise program follows the 2.4 mile Mudgy & Millie trail through downtown Coeur d'Alene. When: 9 a.m. Location: meet at the Mudgy statue at the base of Tubbs Hill near the Third St. parking lot in downtown Coeur d'Alene. Cost: Free. More information: 769-2315

"Dracula" at Lake City Playhouse, 1320 E. Garden Ave, 667-1323. October 29-November 8, 7:30 PM Thursday - Saturday, 2:00 PM Sunday Matinees.

Elks Club, 1170 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, 772-4049. Costume party. Live R&B music with Nightshift, 7 p.m.

Halloween Lake Cruise - Friday, October 30th. Cruise in the crisp autumn evening air in the resort's Halloween Lake Cruise. Tickets include two drinks, live DJ entertainment and dancing, costume contest with prizes from The Resort Golf Course and The Spa. Tickets - $19.75 per person (must be 21 yrs. of age or older) Boarding at 6:30 PM, Cruise from 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Kootenai County Fairgrounds, 4056 N. Government Way - "The Curse of Pirates Island: A Haunted Adventure" Featuring frights, costume contest, pumpkin carving, food, beverage, music, entertainment and free parking. Cost: $8/general, $6/age 12 and younger; tickets available at the gate only, not at fairgrounds office.Wednesdays-Thursdays and Sundays, 6-10 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 6-11 p.m., Oct. 22-31.

Mik-n-Mac’s Lounge, 406 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, 667-4858. Halloween Costume Contest, Grand Prize $400. DJ Kenya (House/Hip-Hop) – 9 p.m.

Nighthawk Lounge, Coeur d’Alene Casino, Highway 95 South, Worley, (800) 523-2464. The Perones (Classic Rock) – 8 p.m.,

Salvation Army Kroc Center, 1765 W. Golf Course Road: "Treasure Island" Watch Christian Youth Theater-North Idaho's production based on the adventure novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. Shows Oct. 30 and Nov. 6 at 7 p.m.; Oct. 31 and Nov. 7 at 3 and 7 p.m.; and Nov. 1 and 8 at 3 p.m. Cost: Advance: $9/adults, $8/children; $10 at the door More information: 277-5727

Sherman Avenue - Goblins and Ghouls can Trick or Treat the Downtown Merchants on Sherman Avenue 4-6pm. Coeur d'Alene Downtown Association 667-5986.

Shore Lounge, Coeur d'Alene Resort, 2nd & Front,765-4000. Nate Ostrander & Chronic Blue (Rock/Blues) – 9 p.m.,

Silverwood Theme Park, 27843 N. Highway 95 - "Scarywood" Haunted Nights. The theme park will transform every Saturday from Oct. 3-Nov. 1 beginning at 6:30 p.m. consisting of two chilling attractions. Thunder Canyon raft ride will become Terror Canyon Walking Trail complete with a maze, fog and graveyards where sasquatch, zombies, werewolves and vampires. And Steam Engine No. 7 train will become the MidFRIGHT Express a three-mile long train ride of terror with explosions, flying ghosts and ghouls, crazy miners and more! Cost: $28, includes rides. More information: 683-3400.

The Grail, 4720 W. Seltice Way, 665-5882. Costume party and live hard rock music with Lack Of Change, Heratik and Grounded – 8 p.m.

Torch Lounge, 216 E. Coeur d’Alene Ave., Coeur D Alene, (208) 667-3132. DJ Matty-O/DJ Tripp Rogers (Hip-Hop/Top-40)

Unity Church of North Idaho, 4465 N. 15th St. - Halloween Happy House. For kids ages 1-10, includes, games, booths, haunted house, costume contest, crafts, and short performances. 5:30-8 p.m. . Cost: Free

Harrison

Carlin Bay Resort, 33917 S. Highway 97, 689-3295. Halloween bash. Live country music with Ryan Larsen Band - 8 p.m.

Haunted House at the Marler Brass building across from City Park. Oct. 30 and 31 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the $3 per person.

Hayden

The Beer Hunter, 9551 U.S. 95, 772-0453. Halloween Costume Party and drink specials. 9 p.m.

Kellogg

Silver Mountain Resort, 610 Bunker Ave. - Spook, splash and stay for Halloween at Silver Mountain this year! Come let the kids enjoy the trick or treat parade around the village, face painting, paper pumpkin decorating and lazy river pumpkin races...adults will love the live music and costume contest at Noah's Canteen.

Mullan

Mullan Library, 117 Hunter Ave., 744-1717 - Halloween Carnival.

Pinehurst

Pinehurst/Kingston Lions Club, 106 Church St., 682-4027 - Halloween Carnival.

Plummer

Bobbi's, 785 C St., 686-1677. DJ Scotty J presents karaoke.

Post Falls

Amaizing Corn Maze, Beck Road just off Highway 53. Over 12 acres of family fun with mazes. Food court and free parking. Fridays, 4-11 p.m., Saturdays, 10 a.m.-11 p.m., Sundays, noon-5 p.m. No pets, no purses or backpacks in maze, strollers and wheel chairs enter at own risk. Haunted Maze on Oct. 9-10, 6-11 p.m. Mega Haunted Maze: Oct. 23-24 and 30-31, 6-11 p.m.; and Oct. 27-29, 6-10 p.m. Cost: $8/adults, $5/seniors and children ages 5-12, free/age four and younger. Prices after 5 p.m. beginning Oct. 9 for Mega Haunted Maze: $10/adults, $7/seniors and children ages 5-12, free/age four and younger.

Big Al's Country Club, 6361 W. Seltice Way, 777-8312. Live rock and country with Four on the Floor – 8 p.m.

Bobs 21 Club, 212 E. Seltice Way, 773-4818, Halloween Monster Bash, 7 p.m.

Curley's, 26433 W. Highway 53, 773-5816. "Freakend Weekend" - Friday - couple and grpup costume contest. Saturday - individual costume contest. Cash prizes, drink specials. Live rock with Bad Monkey - 9 p.m.

Lions Club Haunted House, Conrer of 4th and Post, October 22-31 6 p.m. - 12 a.m.

Post Falls Senior Center, 1215 E. Third Ave., 773-9582. Senior Halloween Dance 7-9:30 p.m. Entertainment by The Redheads Plus. Cost: $3.50

Real Life Ministries, 1866 Cecil Road, Post Falls. Harvest Festival - Community outreach event on Halloween from 5-8 p.m. for kids through grade 5. 5 p.m.

Slab Inn, 800 W. Seltice Way, 773-5440. octume contest, prizes and games. Live country music with the Kelly Hughes Band – 9 p.m.

Priest Lake

Grandview Resort, 3492 Reeder Bay Rd., 773-9582. 8 p.m.

Rathdrum

One Eye’s, 7985 W. Main St., 687-1926. Live rock music with Simon Sez – 8:45 p.m.,

"Tunnel of Terror" Fridays-Saturdays, and 7-9 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays. Oct 23-31. Free kettle corn and hot cider upon completion. Location: 7980 W. Diagonal Road, Rathdrum. Cost: $3/ages 12 and older, $2/ages 6-12, free for ages younger than 6.

Sandpoint

Downtown Crossing, 206 N. First Ave., 265-5080. Live alternative rock with Tennis and Justin Lantrip – 8 p.m.

Evans Brothers Coffee Roasting Studio, 524 Church St., 29 Children’s Costume Party and Yappy Hour. hosts a Halloween Bash from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Events include Yappy Hour (finally an event where Spike is welcome!) - this is a great time for a great cause, benefitting the Panhandle Animal Shelter. Bring your dog in costume and have a professional picture taken. Also from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., there is a Children's Costume Party and Parade. Bring a pumpkin for the carving contest, plus have a professional photo help capture the moment. 208-304-8285

Haunted Attic at Schweitzer. Are you afraid of the dark? You should be, especially when you find yourself in the Haunted Attic at Schweitzer. This year's theme is Pitch Black, and it's sure to leave you screaming! In an instance, the multi-colored hues of the world disappear and are replaced with a terrifying void of black darker than the darkest of nights. The Attic opens each night in the Selkirk Lodge lobby at 6 p.m. and runs until 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person. Schweitzer.com. 208-255-3081

St. Maries

Halloween Carnival at Lakeside HS gym Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. Sponsored by LMS for all in the community.

Twin Lakes

Lightning Bar, Halloween Party, Costure Contest, "Full Moon" Karaoke, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Lake City Playhouse presents “Dracula”

“Dracula”

Lake City Playhouse
1320 E. Garden Ave., CdA, (208) 667-1323

October 29 - November 8,
Thurs - Sat 7:30 p.m., Sun 2:00 p.m.

Goths everywhere may still argue whether Bela Lugosi is indeed dead, or possibly undead, but certainly the man who originally brought Count Dracula to theater audiences way back when will be there in spirit when the Lake City Playhouse stages “Dracula” starting October 29. Director Rebecca McNeill opens the new season at the much beloved Coeur d’Alene institution with a “dark, somewhat depressive, and certainly unsettling” adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic novel, just in time for Halloween. However, this probably isn’t the sort of production you’d want to bring your adorable little bloodsuckers to see before trick or treating.

“I recommend the show for ages 14 and older, depending on the parents involved. It is scary, so don't bring kids who tend to get really bothered by scary movies. People are murdered on stage” warns McNeill. The script, penned in 1996 by American playwright Steven Deitz was chosen primarily because it stays faithful to the Stoker novel and avoids the campiness prevalent in many modern interpretations of the story.

Similarly, in a refreshing contrast to the cute, cuddly vampires currently absorbing pop culture with the “Twilight” series and such TV fluff as “The Vampire Diaries”, “Dracula’s” title character is a significantly grittier specimen. When McNeill was casting for the title role, she didn’t have a specific look or age in mind but needed someone who could exude the necessary “confidence, intelligence, charisma and sensuality” to convincingly portray the blood-thirsty thousand year-old Count.

She selected Dave Rideout for the role, who may not exactly have the adolescent appeal of Robert Pattinson, but for the director, that just adds to his engagingness. “Our Dracula is not a pretty-boy,” she explains “but more of a handsome gentleman. Women don't fall under his spell because of his looks, anyway - it's all about his ability to offer them what they desire and then exploit their guilt. Not that our Dracula isn't good looking - he's just way past frat boy days.”

I was able to attend a run through of the play recently, and the chaotic vibe in the air was typical of any community theater production in its incubation phase. But not even the less-than-shoestring budget and some surprise personal crises among the cast and crew could stop everyone involved from putting themselves fully into the task at hand. David Carey is particularly nerve-rattling as the asylum-bound lunatic Reinfield and Danielle Reyes’s transformation as Lucy from a sweet Snow White into a screeching demonic banshee had me clenching my toes in fright.

McNeill (pictured left) is no stranger to the hallowed halls of the Lake City Playhouse. “I grew up here, back when it was the Coeur d'Alene Community Theatre,” she explains. “My parents acted and directed and volunteered, so I spent many hours watching rehearsals, ushering during shows, and then being in shows as I got older. It was a fabulous childhood, and certainly never lacked for an imaginative environment.”

She was able to carry her passion for stagecraft to Seattle’s New City Theater for a year-long residency and has written and directed numerous local productions, including four plays at the Playhouse. She’s also working on carrying down the family tradition to the next generation. “As I've grown closer to 40 and had my own children, I've really come to love the community theater. There aren't many activities left that you can do for free just because you love them.”

As with any entity that relies on the community to survive in these rickety economic times, funds at the Playhouse can be scarce at best. Happily, cast and crew members were able to pitch in some cash to buy the special stage make up the play requires. Also, several local businesses were kind enough to contribute various goods and services, most entertainingly the five sets of personalized fangs provided by the magnanimous folks at Schini Family Dentistry.

Playhouse staff are also always extremely welcoming to any supportive bodies who can volunteer some time doing anything from building sets to cleaning toilets. Not only does the theater benefit but the experience can land you some new “BFF’s” as well. Says McNeill, “you’ll never meet a ‘family’ like the friends you will make at the Playhouse. And, of course, you can always give money - but it's so much more fun to come be a part of the action!” The director pauses and deadpans, “and then give us money....”

I had to ask her a silly question; if Count Dracula were to swoop into town all dressed to dine, drink and disco, where would she take him. “I think his cocktail of choice would be the ‘Scarlet Queen’ at the Wild Sage Bistro, and for dinner he might like some sushi from Syringa. Or perhaps a very rare steak. Or maybe that's just what I want right now. Hard to say.”

The Hallo-Weenis Fetish Ball & Freakshow @ The Grail

Post Falls Lions Club Annual Haunted House

The narrow crawlspace was pitch black and the air was dank with the fetid moisture of time. I was nine years old and found myself on hands and knees slowly padding my way forward through the dusty darkness toward the unknown. The long tunnel finally led to a tiny, dirt-floored chamber in which absolutely no light existed. My friend Ricky and I, along with my mother, had waited in line for an hour in the rain to enter the abandoned, dilapidated old corpse of the Boat Drive-In Theater building in Coeur d’Alene, which had been converted into a Haunted House.

Just minutes into the experience and fear and dread were already setting in as we felt around the cement walls of the room wondering how to move on to the next segment of the journey. Time stood still as strangers crowded in from behind to join us in the silent chamber of darkness with no apparent exit. My claustrophobic mother began freaking out “Hello! Let us out of here! Heeeeelp!” and Ricky and I began to wonder the same thing, tears of panic welling up in our eyes. In her agitation, she very loudly began threatening Haunted House organizers with a lawsuit or even worse. Finally, a goblin with a flashlight pounced out of a corner with an evil snicker and nearly startled us all to death before opening a creaky hidden door into the next room, where some zombies and a token mummy were just wrapping up their coffee break and getting ready to finish us off for good.

Many years later I discovered that I had moved into an actual Haunted House, or more accurately a Haunted Apartment Building and my childhood experience in the old Boat had me fearing the worst. In reality, the actual haunting was much easier on the psyche, just some innocent disembodied footsteps in the hallway, boring old rattling doorknobs, clocks moving backwards and the usual flying objects. We merely burned some sage sticks and chased the entity away: “Follow the white light!” It was nothing compared to the cottonmouth-inducing terror of that musty old basement. With any luck, children of all ages will return home from this year’s Lions Club Haunted House in Post Falls with similarly fear-warped minds.

In fact, Post Falls Lions Club president Mike Jarrett wants to ensure that everyone comes away from the event with ice in their veins and dread in their heart. Jarrett says paradoxically that “one can expect to see lots of darkness” during their trip through the house at the corner of 4^th and Post, which has served as the annual spot for the event for 25 of the last 30 years the Lions have been putting it on. Jarrett and dozens of other volunteers come together for a month or so each year to convert the already spooky Idaho Veneer building into a place that Lillian and Herman Munster might timeshare with Mr. and Mrs. Dracula when they come to relax in North Idaho and work on that perfect moon tan.

Jarrett says it’s important to change things up each year, carrying over just a few of the most popular props and backdrops from year to year. “This has to be done or we lose the support of our customers,” he explains.”I look at it like it’s our ‘Field of Dreams’. If we change it, they will come and see what’s new and different each year.” Still, the basic elements of the project remain the same, including a lot of familiar faces, both in the form of the tireless Lions Club members who volunteer and also the many reoccurring characters that the kids who staff the house portray.

I’m pretty sure Satan will be there, along with his homegirls Vampira, Elvira, and Morticia. Expect to see lots of undead zombies, some werewolves and even a few evil psycho clowns. Set designer and make-up artist Kathy Edwards spends at least five hours each night perfecting the ghoulish appearance of each of the teenage staff members, many on loan from the Post Falls High School Band and Chorus. I’d love to hear these musical ghosts and goblins actually perform “The Monster Mash” or something, but they’ll be too busy entertaining customers by screaming their heads off and moaning and groaning in agony from beyond the grave.

The group’s efforts each Halloween are primarily motivated by the fact that all the money raised during the event goes to charitable causes. The main objective of the Lions club is to benefit sight and hearing conservation and money will also go to provide scholarships to students from Post Falls High. I had to ask Jarrett what made it “the best Haunted House in the area”, as they claim in their ads. “The fact that we've been at it for so many years and do change it around year after year.” He replied. “We put a lot of effort into it and that’s probably what the people who come year after year like and expect to see. We have to keep making it better for the customers.”

When asked to describe some of the key elements in putting together the Haunted House each year, Jarrett says “the kids acting as our ghouls are key due to the fact that we expect a lot from them and they put up with our tough expectations night after night. The customers are also vital to us because if they don't show up we can't support our various causes and most key of all are the Lions members who tirelessly show up to work on this project week after week, night after night.” He also gives a big shout out to the kids’ parents who put up with the frequent late nights, the teacher volunteers who help schedule the kids for their haunting shifts, Judy Thompson, who’s served as the ghouls’ cook for the last 15 years, and Matt Richardson a.k.a. "Ghoul Master", who makes sure the little terrors are ugly enough and ready to spook. Clearly, it takes a lot of kind-hearted folks to conjure up such a terrifically evil night.

The Post Falls Lions Club Haunted House runs from October 19th - 31st, 2008.

Cost is $5.00 per person. Hours are Sunday-Thursdays, 6:00-10:00 p.m. and Friday-Saturdays, 6:00p.m.-midnight. For more information and directions to the house call 660-8936.

Photo Slide Show: Halloween Madness at Mik-n-Mac's

Get Out! is just now beginning to recover from another wild Halloween bash-a-rooni at ye olde Mik-n-Mac's Lounge. The kids were really twisting to the hit parade and sipping colorful hi-balls. The undead corpse with disembodied head get-up won Best Costume prize and my friend Spacebilly won fifty bucks for Funniest in his lesbian high-school gym teacher costume. I must say, he makes a hideous gal. The entire bar staff dressed as pirates, and there were several slutty Dorothys wearing their ruby red platform heels. Everyone kept buying Smashing Pumpkins shots (Kahlua, Bailey's, Goldschlager) for Get Out! and Get Out! became wonderfully jolly and the night was suddenly wee but Get Out! managed to drag its ass to work in the morning anyway. Good times.

Bread Crumbs: Random Bits

There's nothing more simple and delicious to me than a perfectly done cheese pizza. Ellen DeGeneres says she'd eat it for lunch every day if she could. And actually, so would I. Throw even one topping on there and it's an entirely different thing. The topping always becomes the main attraction. With cheese pizza, cheese is the star of the show, and when it falls under the heat of the oven, it gets all bubbly and crisp - brilliance.

The girl at Papa Murphy's looked at me a little sideways when I didn't order an Ultra Deluxe Family Size Gourmet Chicken Garlic Fantasy or whatever it is they like to specialize in. "Cheese. Large." This place is generous with the cheese normally, but when you order a naked pie, they really heap it on. Six measly bucks and twenty minutes later, I've got enough cheesy, crispy crusty goodness to last at least three meals, each with a nice little side salad. Not only is it delicious and not overly indulgent, but the price is right for a poor starving blogger like me.

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Boo! Please email me at orangetv@yahoo.com if you hear of any Halloween-oriented activities happening later this month. I want to include as many things as I can on the calendar as I can and may write a main article about it if I can find enough stuff to write about.

Actual Halloween falls on a Wednesday this year, which always makes partying that night a bit of a drag for those who have to work the next morn (and I include myself in that group). Many places are having their big she-bangs the weekend before (see Rock Joint flyer below). I know Mik-n-Mac's is doing their thing on the 31st and will be giving away $1000 as they do every year - $500 for Overall Best and $100 each for other categories. I won "funniest" a few years ago with my "Gina K. Logical" trailer trash lady costume. It was a Divine-in-Pink-Flamingos dress, spring loaded boobs, pink fluffy slippers, a huge wig and blue eyeshadow. I was quite miserable in the outfit but it was all worth it when I won. You're going to have to cough up a lot of cash if you want to see the pics...

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Wow. I heard the musty old Shore Lounge finally banned smoking. I have an idea they finally got tired of touristos bitching about the lingering aroma during Sunday brunches in the Lounge or something. Not that I'm necessarily pro-smoking, but it is Idaho where we are technically still allowed to do so in bars and cocktail lounges. In fact, I imagine that a certain number of California or Washington residents visiting the Cd'A Resort were delighted to find out they could smoke right there inside. I know my smoker friends from those states love it when theyvisit and have the luxury of going to bars and puffing away without having to stand out in the chill.

Anyway, good for the Shore Lounge for being ahead of the curve because eventually they'll ban the same anti-smoking laws here and smokers will just have to learn how to deal. Meanwhile, I wonder how Resort Security drones are enjoying monitoring all the loud happy drunk people wandering back and forth across the seasickness-inducing lobby carpet between the lounge and the front door creating tipsy havoc on their way to go smoke every half hour.