I know I do a “What to Do” list on Sunday – and it’s turned out to be quite a hit – but it seemed a special one was warranted. It all started with an event I attended on Tuesday night, but I’ll get to that later. First, let’s look at the great Halloween-related options you have coming up. As always, if I’ve missed one (very likely), add it in a comment.
It starts tonight with two very different kinds of events on the fringes of the opposite ends of downtown. James White Fort will host the third annual Hearth Scares Ball which will feature the Chillbillies, Appetizers, Scary Decorations inside the fort, a silent auction and “assorted Halloween Hi-jinks. Tickets are $75 and may be purchased at the via the link above. It starts a 7:00 PM and runs until 11:00.
The same night in a distant part of downtown, Relix Theater hosts the Knoxville Horror Film Fest V. The Happy Holler institution gets the action started at 7:00 with short films followed by the movie “Grabbers.” Tickets are $10. Saturday the Festival moves to Downtown West, but it returns to Relix Sunday for a 7:00 screening of “Frankenstein’s Army” followed by awards and an after party. Tickets for Sunday are $5.
Somewhere in between the two you’ll find the Shadow Side Ghost Walks. A spooky walk through downtown stories of hauntings and darkness led by Lara Still. Tonight’s tour starts at 8:00 PM and Saturday night’s will begin at 7:30 PM. The tours last ninety minutes and cost $15 for adults and $10 for children. Go to Knoxville Walking Tours for more information and reservations.
You’ll also find Tuatha Dea at 8:00 in the Preservation Pub Speakeasy along with a Celtic Halloween Party and Benefit for Anita Covington. It’s sort of a Halloween event anytime Tuatha Dea brings their steam-punk infused rhythms to the stage. This would be a very good show to see.
Saturday morning Caryn Schafer will host a special Halloween edition of story time at Union Avenue Books. It starts at 11:00 and children are encouraged to wear their costumes. Also at Union Avenue Books on Sunday afternoon at 3:00, RB Morris will read his new Mockingbird poems and sign the new book. It’s pretty scary, so I think it counts.
On Saturday, Parkridge hosts a community Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat event at the corner of Washington and Winona from 4:00 – 8:00 with all kinds of crazy goodness for the youngsters. Meanwhile, on Union Avenue in the lovely Daylight Building, John Black will be busy taking Halloween Pictures of you, your children or your pet. $35 gets you a photoshopped digital file. Down south of the river, McClemore Florist is hosting a Trunk or Treat, as well featuring fun for the kids and music from Swamp Ghost.
At 4:30 on Saturday, hundreds of people will gather on Market Square dressed as Zombies for the Thrill the World Knoxville event. Everyone will dance to Thriller, joining people all across the world who will simultaneously do the same thing. Advanced registration is free, but is requested. You can find it through the link above. It is an attempt to break the world record for simultaneous dancing.
Sapphire’s annual Day of the Dead Party starts at 5:00 Saturday afternoon and runs into the next morning. Wear a costume and get a free shot. Special menus and drinks. The Fourth Annual FrightFest Halloween Bash starts at 90 Proof Nightclub and Southbound at 7:00. The $10 cover and 10% of all sales go to Pridefest. Includes a costume contest.
Take to the river for Thriller on the River starting at 9:00 PM on Saturday. Cash awards for best costumes aboard the riverboat. $20 advance and $25 at the door, benefiting KidzTeam.
The fun keeps on coming on Sunday with the Monster Bash on the 100 Block. Urbhanna plays host with costumes, raffles, contests and much more in this fundraiser for the block. The prizes in the raffle are very impressive and the $10 advanced ticket (or $15 at the door) gets you two raffle tickets and you can buy more. It also gets you cocktails and food. What a deal!
Monday night is the annual Teen Character Costume Party at Lawson McGhee Library at 6:00 PM. Come dressed as your favorite character from a book!
By the time we get to Thursday night – the actual night of Halloween you may be too exhausted to keep partying, but if you have a little bit left you can go to Blackstock for a Halloween Bash for the DNB crowd starting at 9:00. Meanwhile, Preservation Pub hosts a Halloween Masquerade featuring Theorizt, Hudson K, DJ Wigs, Hiding Scarlet and Knoxville’s newest Hip Hop band Plunderphonics. Show starts at 9:00, $5.
There is also a safe, small little party for downtown children from 6:00 to 7:30 in the Glencoe and Elliot courtyard off State Street across from the First Presbyterian Church. All children are invited and it promises to be scary, but not too scary. Just the right amount of scary. Bring your child and trick or treat in the city! Before you make your way to the party, you could come to Union Avenue and stop into the John Black studios at the Daylight Building and have your child’s Halloween Picture made (if you miss Saturday).
So, that’s a lot of Halloween partying in the city. But that’s not all. One of the most unique and interesting experiences came this past Tuesday night at the Mary Boyce Temple House. The photographs in this post are from that night and are a preview of what you might expect if you walk over to the Mary Boyce Temple house Saturday night for the 7th Annual PoMoNoBo Hallowe’en Art Show + Theatre Obsolete’s Spookshow.
The event on Saturday runs from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM at the Mary Boyce Temple House (623 W. Hill Avenue). You can look around the house and enjoy art by local artists and attend one of the shows at 8:00 or 10:00 PM. The shows run about 46 minutes and are limited to thirty people for each performance. The late show is recommended due to the likelihood that the first will be full. The art is for sale and I think the shows are free.
The performances are difficult to describe. They are funny and clever. The music selections are excellent and range from Tom Waits to AC/DC with diversions in every direction in between. The puppets and other creatures are extremely well done. At times it’s beautiful and poignant. It’s part farce, part vaudeville, part puppet show.
I was told this type small production is more common in larger cities, but I can honestly say I’ve never run across anything like it. Probably not for young children, it gets a bit suggestive at times, but the funny/scary skits might just be scary for a very small one. Please see this show. Bran Rogers is the (demented?) mind behind the whole thing and it’s just crazy good.