Thread: Hi! I'm a newbie and need some ideas!

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I have selected my theme for my Halloween party. Most of my party is held outside in my yard, my screen house and garage, which gives me plenty of room to work with.
his year, I would like to do a Side-show- freak show-carnival theme. Creepy, but not gory.
Anyone have ideas for creating the theme?

Welcome, Miss Kenton. First thing that comes to my mind are the large banners advertising the freaks therein. You could put a flexible primer on old sheets, project images (if you have the means) and paint them yourself. Many of those posters were rather crudely done, but were very effective. Do a search for "freak show banners"...
A selection of "oddities" in glass jars could be made up. If you don't have large jars, those large plastic "mixed snack" jars could work. One of my neat little props is an over-the-head frankenstein mask, stuffed with newspaper, and stuffed into the jar. On an old dilapidated end table with a flickering candle and cobwebs, it is very effective.

Funny, I have just spent the past 1/2 hour looking at those banners online thinking. "I need some of those! I could make them, they don't look difficult! I do have those jars. In the past, I have filled them with sickly green water (food coloring) and put weird things in them, like those warty looking gray pumpkins (gourds) or hands that "grow" in water. I guess great minds think alike! lol I like the Frankenstein head idea!

I like the idea of an old carnival. You know like, "Come see the Bearded Lady", or stuff like that. Even like a baby alien in a jar, or a hand. You should google for old freakshows and see what kind of attractions there were.

I like ChrisW's idea about the banners. You could do a Halloween take off of the typical freak shows acts...i.e. change the lady with no legs to the black cat with no legs ....or the siamese twin to the siamese skeleton. The Fiji Mermaid works as is. Just some thoughts. I have always found the old 1930's carnival creepy cool, so I think you are on to something.

Originally Posted by Forever Haunting

I like ChrisW's idea about the banners. You could do a Halloween take off of the typical freak shows acts...i.e. change the lady with no legs to the black cat with no legs ....or the siamese twin to the siamese skeleton. The Fiji Mermaid works as is. Just some thoughts. I have always found the old 1930's carnival creepy cool, so I think you are on to something.

LOVE the Siamese skeleton idea! Good one!

Originally Posted by Nightmare-Dude

I like the idea of an old carnival. You know like, "Come see the Bearded Lady", or stuff like that. Even like a baby alien in a jar, or a hand. You should google for old freakshows and see what kind of attractions there were.

That is exactly what I'm thinking; old time carnival!!! Creepy! I remember going to one as a teen. We (guiltily) went in to see the "fattest man in the world." Suddenly he bellowed out, "GET OUT OF HERE!'" Unbeknownst to us at the moment, he was talking to some kids trying to sneak a peak through the bottom of the tent. I nearly wet myself!

I have three tents or canopies I am going to set up in my back yard that the guests can visit for some "surprises."

Originally Posted by miss kenton

That is exactly what I'm thinking; old time carnival!!! Creepy! I remember going to one as a teen. We (guiltily) went in to see the "fattest man in the world." Suddenly he bellowed out, "GET OUT OF HERE!'" Unbeknownst to us at the moment, he was talking to some kids trying to sneak a peak through the bottom of the tent. I nearly wet myself!

I have three tents or canopies I am going to set up in my back yard that the guests can visit for some "surprises."

Haha! That's cool. Well, sounds like you're gonna have a cool sideshow theme, if you get a chance, post progress pics!

Originally Posted by Nightmare-Dude

Haha! That's cool. Well, sounds like you're gonna have a cool sideshow theme, if you get a chance, post progress pics!

I will. Keep me in mind if you stumble across any other ideas!

If you ever get a chance to see the show Oddities they always have a lot of old freakshow items in their shop. A rusty bed of nails, the fiji mermaid, two headed cows, three legged chickens, conjoined pigs, all kinds of deformities mummy hands, mummy cats.
Mutter museum in Philly might be a good inspiration for you too, they have all kinds of weird bodily things. Growths, smallest adult skeleton and an extremely tall human skeleton, conjoined twins. But I guess that's getting away from the subject a little bit!