Halloween carnival
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Halloween carnivals are an annual Halloween event in many communities and are sometimes called Halloween festivals.
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
These events are usually put on by service groups, churches, and schools to celebrate Halloween. The carnivals are usually held in the latter part of October, shortly before Halloween. They often involve people dressing in costume, typically with a supernatural or horror theme. The people who are working at the event are the ones most likely to be in costume. The carnivals consist of attractions such as haunted houses and haunted walks. There are also games of chance and skill such as cake walks, bobbing for apples, target games, and similar activities. Halloween related foods such as candy apples and candy corn are often available at these events.
[edit] Past to present
Halloween carnivals begin to appear as celebrations in the early part of the 20th century. These carnivals had continued to mushroom in popularity until the 1980s, which saw the rise of the political power of the Religious Right. Some members of the Religious Right attacked the celebration of Halloween as being satanic. This caused a lot of public schools to drop Halloween carnivals, although many private schools, including church schools affiliated with the Mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic churches have continued to host these events. With Halloween itself growing in popularity, Halloween carnivals remain a popular event for many.
[edit] Sources
- Hal Siemer (2006). Spooky Halloween: Customs, Traditions and History. Quest Magazine. Retrieved Sep. 5, 2006.
