Thread: Need ideas for a 'day' Halloween Event this year

Tweet

Hello all,

I came to these forums last year and created a successful "Magic Mirror" event for Halloween '09. Thus I wanted to do a 'one up' on that for this year.

I have not paid attention to how Halloween falls this year, but being that it is already approaching mid summer, it is time to start thinking about what I am going to do for this year.

As most of you know, a problem already presents itself in the way Halloween falls this year. October 31st this year is a Sunday. After noticing last year's TOT patterns (from a Saturday Halloween), I pretty much would be accurate in predicting that most TOT's would be out in the day time to early evening because the next day, Monday, will be a school/work day.

Keeping that in mind, I am not so sure if I should plan an event that requires it to be dark. (That in itself is really an oxymoron because you normally WANT it to be dark for a Halloween event). At any rate, what I am getting at was the nature of last year's attraction I created. I wasn't able to use the magic mirror earlier in the day because I built it into a vestibule on a side entrance to my house and the effect was created on the outermost door. As such, the effect was destroyed by the daytime light, and as such, I missed out on the 100's of TOT's that came out earlier in the day. But because it was a Saturday, I did have some evening activity. But not so much so as if Halloween had fallen a day earlier (Friday night).

I did initially plan to expand on the Magic Mirror for this year and was going to use it as an 'intro' to a small backyard haunt. In the backyard I have a large patio that has an awning over it, but the sides are open. While this wouldn't present too much of a problem for an evening haunt as all I would need to do is hang cheese cloth for barriers. But much would have to be done to obscure the light from the patio for an earlier event. I know using black plastic bags would cover the area cheaply, but if I get a windy day like last year, that could spell trouble.

I do have a typical single car garage, but it is well 'packed' and space is very small to work with even with the car out of the garage. I could move the magic mirror there, but I would have to rework a facade for it too as I mostly relied on the vestibule frame for last year's event. This wouldn't leave much room for too much else though.

I should mention that I also have a video projector as well, I would like to use it in some way.

I was thinking along the lines of a Pepper's Ghost effect and was thinking about one for a long time.

That is basically what I have to work with so I am open to some ideas or themes as to what I could do for this year.

Thank You,

Geo

My experience with school-night Halloweens is that the kiddies still only arrive after it gets dark. I'm up and ready at 6pm but only a few (the real young ones) show up that soon. The sun goes down at around 7pm and then I get busy and stay that way until 9ish.

With that in mind, I did something new last year and worked out well. I advertised that the haunt would be 'spooky' (no scares) 6pm to 7pm. After 7 pm was 'NO MERCY!'.

Originally Posted by Terra

My experience with school-night Halloweens is that the kiddies still only arrive after it gets dark. I'm up and ready at 6pm but only a few (the real young ones) show up that soon. The sun goes down at around 7pm and then I get busy and stay that way until 9ish.

I would agree 100% if it was during the week as children would be in school during the day and by default would HAVE to go out in the evening. But with kids home for the daytime on a Sunday, I figured I would have a repeat offense like last year.

With that in mind, I did something new last year and worked out well. I advertised that the haunt would be 'spooky' (no scares) 6pm to 7pm. After 7 pm was 'NO MERCY!'.

My "Magic Mirror" event last year was a non-scary event, but due to the fact that the effect was based on a computer monitor behind a scrim it wasn't effective in the daytime. This year I wanted to use the magic mirror in addition to some scary attractions as well but learning how Halloween falls this year, I am thinking of going the non-scary route once again.

While I would like to reuse the Magic Mirror, I know I would have to relocate it to somewhat shield it from daylight. However, I still would like to add something in addition to the mirror.

In terms of a SCARY evening event, I had quite a few ideas, but for a daytime non-scary event, I am a bit at a loss for this year.

The only other alternative is to perhaps plan a scary evening event, and run that for the entire weekend of Halloween, but that would require additional (and expensive) advertising. Naturally I wanted to avoid that until I had enough props made for a full all out haunt (recall that this is only my second year planning Halloween events).

One thing I did have in mind was planning a "Pepper's Ghost" effect and that is something I could build on any scale (depending on the chosen theme).

I am hoping that by doing some more searches here in this site, that I may come up with a good idea. But right now I am open to any suggestions.

Thanx,

Geo

doesn't the peppers ghost effect take certain lighting as well? i've never done one, but that's what i concluded somehow

Originally Posted by hallorenescene

doesn't the peppers ghost effect take certain lighting as well? i've never done one, but that's what i concluded somehow

Very true indeed. I certainly would have an easier time with an evening event in this department too. But it may be possible to do something on a smaller scale either with the garage or patio with taking measures to block out some light, thus naturally I would have to do something on a smaller scale.

I did get some ideas last night while looking around on the "Big Scream TV" website. Something like a Madame Leota crystal ball effect to complement the Magic Mirror might be a cool idea. Certainly that would be a Pepper's Ghost effect on a smaller scale.

We will see though.

Geo

It's nice to have trick or treaters on Sundays? We have to have tricks or treats on Saturday when the big day falls on Sunday...respect for those OTHERs you see.

Hello All!

Well, I have given my project for 2010 much thought and I was kicking around a number of things that stemmed from a Madame Leotta Crystal Ball effect, to something from Big Scream TV to the famous Singing Busts. However, all of these ideas still need to have some level of darkness in order to work properly.

One idea though I think I am going to put to the test is "Singing Pumpkins". I figured that since I am going to have to build some kind of 'shroud' for my Magic Mirror anyway, it might make it dark enough for me to set up a row of singing pumpkins. Should it work, then I could very well set up shop in my backyard this year. The large awning overhead in my back yard, might provide enough shade for the effects to work well enough even in the daytime.

Granted this isn't want I really wanted to do for this year, but it will still be something to add to the Magic Mirror I introduced last year.

The good news is that through my research the past few weeks, I sure did come up with some cool ideas for next year's Halloween, which should be falling on a weekday.

All in all, for Halloween, DARKNESS RULES, but I think the Singing Pumpkins would be a nice low cost addition for this year. I already have the lighting controller because of my Christmas projects, so it is nice that I can use it also for Halloween.

The only thing I have to do is get a few lighted Jack-O-Lanterns, and give it a test to see what they look like in the daytime. I think I should be successful since Jack-O-Lanterns, are lit from a normally dark INSIDE. But I do want to test it to be sure.

So that is the scoop for now. It should be nice for a non-scary, mostly daytime Halloween event.


While I did like to continue to use the vestibule for the Magic Mirror, that location proved to be not good for the daytime


I will report back regularly with my progress.

Geo

Originally Posted by jukingeo

Hello All!

Well, I have given my project for 2010 much thought and I was kicking around a number of things that stemmed from a Madame Leotta Crystal Ball effect, to something from Big Scream TV to the famous Singing Busts. However, all of these ideas still need to have some level of darkness in order to work properly.

One idea though I think I am going to put to the test is "Singing Pumpkins". I figured that since I am going to have to build some kind of 'shroud' for my Magic Mirror anyway, it might make it dark enough for me to set up a row of singing pumpkins. Should it work, then I could very well set up shop in my backyard this year. The large awning overhead in my back yard, might provide enough shade for the effects to work well enough even in the daytime.

Granted this isn't want I really wanted to do for this year, but it will still be something to add to the Magic Mirror I introduced last year.

The good news is that through my research the past few weeks, I sure did come up with some cool ideas for next year's Halloween, which should be falling on a weekday.

All in all, for Halloween, DARKNESS RULES, but I think the Singing Pumpkins would be a nice low cost addition for this year. I already have the lighting controller because of my Christmas projects, so it is nice that I can use it also for Halloween.

The only thing I have to do is get a few lighted Jack-O-Lanterns, and give it a test to see what they look like in the daytime. I think I should be successful since Jack-O-Lanterns, are lit from a normally dark INSIDE. But I do want to test it to be sure.

So that is the scoop for now. It should be nice for a non-scary, mostly daytime Halloween event.


While I did like to continue to use the vestibule for the Magic Mirror, that location proved to be not good for the daytime


I will report back regularly with my progress.

Geo

Can't wait to see what pans out for ya! The best of luck to you with your ideas and builds!

singing pumpkins are adorable. you can't go wrong there. if i knew how to do something like that, i would.

i do like the singing pumpkin idea. I am doing pumpkins theme with a graveyard in my front yard. I will be picking up one of those cheapy 1.00 pumpkin thing that the kids go trick or treat with but I dont think I will have the funds this year to buy evil or spooky looking pumpkins to put with my tombstone... :[