Susan Fox, who runs Park Slope Parents says it’s time to start dreaming up those costumes because it’s almost Halloween. The
Park Slope Civic Council, the Park Slope Chamber of Commerce, Park
Slope Parents, the Old Stone House, and The Puppeteers’ Cooperative are
teaming up to make the 2008 Halloween festivities bigger, better, and
more exciting than ever.

On
Sunday, October 19, the Annual Harvest Festival takes place at the Old
Stone House in J.J. Byrne Park from 11am to 4pm. Highlights of this
family-oriented event include pony rides, a petting zoo, pumpkin
painting, face painting, and monster making. Music will be provided by
Mr. Ray, last year’s popular musical act, and Princess Katie and Racer
Steve, who ask all attendees to dress for the Halloween season.

Local
businesses are also getting involved by providing free Halloween
trick-or-treat bags for Park Slopers. The reusable bags, which contain
coupons and information from the sponsoring businesses, will be
available around Park Slope during the weeks prior to Halloween. For a
list of participating businesses, go to parkslopeciviccouncil.org/halloween-parade.

This
year, The Puppeteer’s Cooperative, which makes the large-scale puppets
for the Greenwich Village Halloween parade, is working with Park Slope
Parents to construct new, unique puppets to march in the Park Slope
parade. A 15-foot dragon, a 10-foot sun and moon, fairies, and a
sorcerer will all be joining in the fun. Theresa Linnihan, the
Cooperative’s NYC Director, says, "We’re excited to bring the fantasy that these puppets create to this parade." 

The
1st Annual Makin’ History Costume Party Bash gives adults an outlet for
their Halloween creativity. On Saturday, October 25 from 8pm to 11pm
the Brooklyn Lyceum will be transformed into a spooky ballroom. The
bash is a fundraiser for summer programs at the Old Stone House. "We
wanted to give folks a place to have fun, support our cause, and enjoy
the season without breaking their banks," says Kim Maier, executive
director of the Old Stone House. Tickets are $40 each; they can be
purchased through the Old Stone House website, theoldstonehouse.org.

On Halloween, the celebration begins at 5pm with the 1st Annual Park Slope Civic Council Halloween Costume Contest in front of the Secondary School for Law, Journalism, and Research (formerly John Jay High School); check-in for participants starts at 4pm.
Local businesses are sponsoring an assortment of costume categories,
which range from "greenest" to "least original" to "best tasting."
Winners will be given banners to display in the parade. Joan Emerson,
co-chair of the Halloween Parade, notes, "We’re trying to recapture
some of the quaintness of days gone by, encouraging people to make
their own costumes." Photographer Roberto Falck will be on hand from 4pm to take free pictures of participants. For rules, schedule, entry form, and a list of sponsors and costume categories, go to parkslopeciviccouncil.org/halloween-parade.

To round out the evening, the main event—the Annual Park Slope Civic Council Halloween Parade—kicks off at 6:30pm. The parade begins at the corner of 7th Avenue and 12th Street and continues up 7th Avenue to Union Street. Participants are asked to join at the back of the parade after the paparazzi, puppets, and politicians.