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Halloween Guide ’04

Halloween is the unofficial "Local’s New Years" in Whistler.

Not a lot of this town’s party people work the nine-to-five grind and for those in the service industry, the traditional New Year’s Eve marks the highest point of tourism’s high season.

Translation: you and most of your friends are probably working.

But Halloween is a different story. October bears the tag "the dead season" for a reason. The tops of the mountains are dusted with a hint of the snow to come but there’s not enough to do anything in it yet. It starts to get damn cold and summer pursuits fade like the hours of daylight.

Bars, clubs, restaurants and cafés take advantage of the reduced crowds to do renovations and regroup for the winter onslaught.

The result of less going on: there’s more time to dedicate to things like Halloween costumes.

Now, there’s nothing sadder than being all dressed up with nowhere to go. But with the wealth of Halloween events Whistler has to offer next weekend it will be easy to make sure that doesn’t happen. There’s more than enough wildness and whimsy to go around...

What: Hellish Halloween Bash

Where: Spruce Grove Field House

When: Friday, Oct. 29

This one’s for high school students only. The Whistler Youth Centre’s event next Friday runs 9 p.m. to midnight with ‘mocktails’ and a snackbar. Costumes are mandatory! Admission: $12. Ph: 604-935-8187.

What: Pornoween Party featuring Slow Nerve Action

Where: Boot Pub

When: Saturday, Oct. 30

The Boot is throwing two Halloween parties next weekend. Saturday night check out Whistler’s notorious sexaholic rockers throw down their infamous, high-energy, gutter-mind funk jams. Prizes for best costumes. Tickets: $10. Ph: 604-932-3338.

What: Halloween Costume Party

Where: Savage Beagle

When: Saturday, Oct. 30

Best costume takes home a prize next Saturday night with The Beagle’s bass-ment beatmaster DJ Seanski on the decks. Ph: 604-938-3337.

What: Halloween Freak Show

Where: Longhorn Saloon

When: Saturday, Oct. 30

Prizes for the best and least dressed, plus scary bar games and for the ski-freaks, an encore presentation of local new school ski crew Jib Culture’s first film Disturbing the Piste . Ph: 604-932-5999.

What: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Party

Where: Garibaldi Lift Co. (GLC)

When: Sunday, Oct. 31

Local artist couple KLC Nash and Chili Thom are celebrated around these parts for their wild and whimsical decorating-and-DJ extravaganzas. Last year’s Heaven & Hell party featured a two-tier angel/demon DJ set-up and Good vs. Evil entryways. This year, the dynamic duo is converting the GLC into a dark forest and they encourage partygoers to transform themselves into either nubile tree nymphs or evil woodland trolls. On the decks: DJs Ace-zilla, Mr. Fister and Vinyl Ritchie. Tickets: $25. Doors at 9 p.m. Ph: 604-905-9841.

Who: Halloween Party featuring Sweatshop Union

Where: Garfinkel’s

When: Sunday, Oct. 31

The West Coast rap collective has a lot of fans in Whistler and those looking for a hip-hop Halloween will want to check out their show at Garfinkel’s next Sunday night. The JnB Productions event also features local DJ Rob Banks, creepy decor and prizes for best male, female and group costumes. Tickets: $15/first 200, $20 after that, available in advance at the Electric Daisy Internet Cafe. The club is giving away a V.I.P. package for the party that includes two platinum passes valid for any show at Garfinkel’s for the entire 2004/05 season. Ask at the club for contest details. Ph: 604-932-2323.

What: The Punk Night Halloween featuring Denim Demons, The Antithesis and Savanah

Where: Boot Pub

When: Sunday, Oct. 31

The Punk Night gets into the Halloween spirit with Denim Demons – a tribute to fetish leather-clad Norwegian hardcore metal maniacs Turbo Negro. Also on the bill, local heavy metal band The Antithesis, playing their last show ever before traveling plans scatter the band members throughout the world, and Punk Night regulars Savanah from Vancouver – a personal favourite of Punk Night organizer/party girl Lindsay Shedden. Ph: 604-932-3338.

What: Soul Kitchen Hallows Groove

Where: Tommy Africa’s

When: Sunday, Oct. 31

Renowned OM Records DJ John Howard (New York, San Francisco) and local favourite Scotty Arkwell are on the decks for a special Halloween edition of the long-running Soul Kitchen Sunday club night. Funk, breaks and house party beats and Halloween go-go gals. $1,000 worth of bar tab prizes for best costumes. All for $5 cover. www.tommyafricas.com.

What: 6 th Annual Halloween Freak Show

Where: Moe Joe’s

When: Sunday, Oct. 31

The popular bar is giving away a $500 prize for best costume at their annual Halloween bash on Sunday, Oct. 31. They’re also encouraging people to party in costume on Friday, Oct. 29 and Saturday, Oct. 30. Ph: 604-935-1152.

What: Nightmare on Bill’s Street

Where: Buffalo Bill’s

When: Sunday, Oct. 31

Best costume takes home $500 at Bill’s annual Halloween bash. Ph: 604-932-6613.

What: Halloween Sunday Night

Where: Crab Shack

When: Sunday, Oct. 31

The ’Shack’s ‘scary’ Sunday night house band Leth Dodis takes the stage for Halloween. Best costume gets their bar tab taken care of for the night. Ph: 604-932-4451.

And don’t forget about the 3 rd Annual Heavy Hitting Films B-Grade Horrorfest — Whistler’s infamous DIY blood and guts film extravaganza coming at you in all its gory glory in the MY (Millennium) Place theatre on Oct. 30.

Tickets for this one sell out fast so call the box office at 604-935-8410 to get yours.

By the time you read this, they may very well be already gone. If that’s the case, go see your friendly neighbourhood scalper.

Just be there at all costs...