Parade of Lost Souls Cancelled

I've known for a little while that this year the Parade of Lost Souls is not going to take place, but I'm still dreadfully disappointed. :(

I've been travelling to the mainland the weekend before Halloween for the last four years now to walk the spooky neighbourhood around Grandview Park in Vancouver. The houses there are fantastically decorated with lanterns and leering eyes and dry ice. I counted thirty jack-o-lanterns on a single porch once. Now that's the way to decorate for Halloween!

It's become a tradition: lighting incense at the ancestor and pet shrines, watching the fire dancers and the procession of jack-o-lanterns raised on poles, and dancing along the streets with thousands of other costumed folk to a salsa beat. It's scary good fun.

Apparently it's a victim of its own success.

It used to be that a few hundred people showed up at the Park for the costume parade and a fireworks show hosted by The Public Dreams Society. Then word got around and thousands more came every year. Now, apparently twenty-thousand ghouls, stilt-walkers, and Elvis impersonators could converge in the space of a few decorated streets and narrow alleyways. The organizers think it may have gotten a little too big.

They're hopeful that the new logistics for safety regulations and space needed will get sorted out by next year.

Public Dreams: Parade of Lost Souls page

Meanwhile, I'm sulking. I had borrowed a lovely funeral hat swathed in black tulle for the occasion...sigh.

I'm glad two friends have called since I heard the news with interesting alternate Halloween plans. I NEVER let this particular holiday go by without marking it in some way.

If I can't find somewhere witchy to go, I would just have to resort to trick-or-treating.

I DID that one year, not too long ago. We ran out of candy at my house, so I quickly threw on a dragon costume that absolutely enveloped me and tried to discreetly join a roving band of children.

One of the kids (about twelve years old) peered suspiciously at me: "Philip?", he guessed. I just nodded and made dragon noises.

It was SO much fun!

My favourite moment was when a little old lady opened the door with a smile and said to me: "Did you make that costume at school, dear?" Her husband stood behind her filming with a video camera. I said "Yes" in as young a voice as I could muster and then scurried home giggling my fool head off.

I got my refill of candy for our house, but Jeff just shook his head and laughed at me: "You're evil", he said.

My age? Twenty-seven. You're never too old to have a happy childhood in my book. :)