This Weekend: Costume Creativity

I don't really have a Halloween Costume per se, so when I saw a link to the National Retail Federation's list of the 10 most popular costumes this fall, I clicked. Here's the list: 10: Angel, 9: Ghost, 8: Obama or McCain, 7: Batman, 6: Nurse, 5: Fairy, 4: Cat, 3: Vampire, 2: Pirate, 1: Witch.

Really people? That's the best we could come up with? These are trying economic times and costumes are expensive. Let's be a bit more creative. Seriously, get a bunch of friends together, get t-shirts printed with a huge "J" on the front, and—voila!—you're J. Crew. Okay, that's awful, but please, please, please don't dress up as Joe the Plumber or Sarah Palin. You'll be one of 1,000,000. Anyway, no matter what your costume is (if you have good ideas you're not using, feel free to share), here are some places to wear it this weekend:

Friday night, pretty much every bar in Harrisburg is having something for Halloween, but I think the bash at Appalachian Brewing Company looks especially fun. I’m also going to go out on a limb and say that if you are a guy on the prowl for some costumes that leave very little to the imagination the Harrisburg Hardware Bar might draw some pretty outrageous outfits. People will do a lot for $500. If that’s not exactly your scene but you still want to party, Mood Dancer Winery is having a party that will likely be a bit more staid. If you want to go out somewhere earlier before really getting after it, the ArtHouse Lounge is having an event highlighting the Art of the Tattoo. If I’m not mistaken, you can actually get inked a little bit later in the evening if interested.

If you are looking for more family-friendly weekend entertainment, Friday Hersheypark in the Dark and Fall Harvest Days at Ashcombe Nursery continue. On Saturday, Ski Roundtop is having its Fall Extravaganza which includes a lot of great activities for the whole family. If the kids have an artistic streak, they might also enjoy going to Wildwood Park for their Art in the Sanctuary Program. They would probably be less excited about going to see the opening of the Harrisburg Shakespeare Festival’s Julius Caesar but then again, you could have some well-read kids. Oh, Pete Francis from Dispatch is playing at the Chameleon Club, too.

Sunday is The Taste of Central PA, which really snuck up on me quite quickly. I’d like to go but I’m not sure if it’s in the cards. If you’ve ever wanted to be in a music video, Sunday is your chance; local metal band An Early Ending will be shooting one at Dragonfly.

As for me, who knows? I be a quarter century old on Saturday, so I might just curl up in the corner and cry. Have fun, kids.