Spooky? Scary?

 in Cleveland Heights some are waiting [only east side foto]

Hallowe'en is an excuse for theatre. Yes, there is also the religious background, but in the USA, that is not up front. In Meso-America, the Day of the Dead celebrations are more enveloping. There is the trick-or-treat side. It is an opportunity for children to engage in whimsy, fantasy, and play. What blend of story? Happy, or Fearful? 

When i was a child in the distant, primordial past, one scary, scary thing was the Laughing Lady motorised statue at Euclid Beach amusement park. Hallowe'en stuff was not scary.

At one time 'horror' films had literary feel to them, including famous monsters: Headless Horseman, Dr.Jekyll/Mr.Hyde, Frankenstein, Dracula, and random ghosts, witches, spiders, snakes, rats, mummies, werewolves. Then there were hokey science fiction monsters of a post nuclear world, and crazy scientists creating monsters (sometimes by accident). Then came the crap we have now: blood thirsty, demented torturers and killers.

 far west Cleveland near the lake

When there were kids dressing in kindergarten, three of the boys were in skeleton costumes. That was the neatest costume, i thought. And it was very appropriate. The lawn beneath the sign had skeletons, one was a horse.

 

 Parma

The two ladders, on the right, have skeletons scaling. Two other skeletons were holding a battering ram. The door is open, so the mailman can have access.

In Lakewood, Madison Avenue has scarecrows. Some are just humourous. Mister Potatohead has a crow on his left arm. One scarecrow needs a Zimmer frame to walk.

Also in Lakewood, there was the Spooky Pooch Parade Saturday. Y'no, when they define the animal as 'pooch', it is not that frightening. I asked her, the doggie's name, and she may have said 'Milo'. I asked other people too, and i forget whom was whom. There was at least one other Milo. His scarecrow hat looks like a bishop's hat.

Wizard of Oz costumes are not rare choices. The smaller winged monkeys are, maybe, Milo and Dottie.

 Of course, there are unadorned dogs. Cassius meets Jenny and Joplin.

This event gets children and their parents to dress up on a family theme, often with tiny dogs. Forrest Gump, Shark Week, Ghostbusters, Gilligan's Island, 101 Dalmatians were television and movie themes. This family went ancient, pagan, Greek: Hades, Persephone [with pomegranate], Cerberus, and a random demon. Another family were Vikings.

 A very happy looking Potterite.

 Chinese delegation, the pearl in the dragon's mouth is a canine.

There was a teevee show, the Sinclairs. One of the jokes was that the baby would refer to his parents as 'Mama', and 'Not the Mama'. These two parents would play to fuss about the hatchling. They were animated, posed for pictures, and very popular with fellow parade marchers.

Venom leading Spiderman