WHY THERE ARE KIDS ON YOUR PORCH ASKING FOR CANDY
THE HISTORY OF TRICK-OR-TREATING
leaking into our world, young men donned flowing white costumes and black masks — a great disguise when ghosts were about.
As Halloween looms and you load up your grocery cart with candy, you may ask yourself, “Why do I provide these spooky gremlins with a sugar high every Oct. 31, anyway?” Well, when your doorbell starts ringing around 6 p.m. this All Hallows’ Eve, you can thank the Celts for this tradition of candy and costumes. Halloween itself is a kind of mishmash of four different cultural festivals of old: two Roman fêtes, which commemorated the dead and the goddess of fruit and trees (not at the same time); the Celtic Samuin or Samhain, a new year’s party thrown at the end of our summer; and the Catholic All Saint’s Day, designed to replace Samuin and divorce it from its pagan origins. Long before there were young’uns on your porch dressed as Thanos with candy-filled pillowcases in hand, the Celts believed that Samuin marked an overlapping of the realms of the living and the dead. To trick the spirits
The Catholic Church was never a big fan of these pagan traditions, so they renamed it “All Saints’ Day” and gussied it up in religious garb. By the 11th century, people were dressing up as saints, angels, and the occasional demon instead of spirits. Eventually, costumed children started tearing through town begging for food and money and singing a song or prayer in return — a practice called “souling.” But when did they start dressing up as Minions? Starting in the 19th century, souling turned to “guising,” which gave way to trick-or-treating in mid-20th- century America, and the costumes diversified. So put on some clown makeup and a big smile, scoop up a handful of sweets, and scare the living daylights out of ‘em — ‘tis the season! FALL FAMILY FUN GREAT ACTIVITIES FOR OCTOBER
JACK O’ LANTERN SPECTACULAR Where: Iroquois Park When: Oct. 9 to Nov. 4
Carving pumpkins is a long-standing Halloween tradition, but Louisville’s version of the Jack O’ Lantern Spectacular takes it to another level. Now in its fifth year, the event guides visitors down a quarter-mile-long trail featuring 5,000 illuminated pumpkins. The spectacularly carved jack-o’-lanterns are arranged in scenes with accompanying music. You’ll marvel at the artistic creations and beautiful orange glow. The event begins at dusk seven days per week, and the proceeds benefit the Louisville Parks Foundation.
Looking for a fun family activity this month? There’s no better time than the fall to get out and experience Louisville’s great outdoors. Here are a few affordable, family-friendly ways to do just that.
THE WORLD’S LARGEST HALLOWEEN PARTY! Where: Louisville Zoo When: Thursdays–Sundays, Oct. 4–28
WILDERNESS LOUISVILLE FOREST ADVENTURE Where: Horine Reservation, Jefferson Memorial Forest When: Saturday, Oct. 20, 9 a.m.
Some kids like dressing up and trick-or-treating but don’t want anything to do with the spookier parts of Halloween. If your little ones fall under this category, consider taking them to The World’s Largest Halloween Party! at the Louisville Zoo. Designed to be “delightful, not frightful” the zoo is transformed into a fantastical wonderland featuring costumed characters, trick-or-treating, a hay maze, and much more. Trick-or-treating is only open to children 11 and under, and the event requires a special ticket. You can go to louisvillezoo.org for more information on this family-friendly, fear-free party.
Jefferson Memorial Forest is breathtaking during autumn, and the Wilderness Forest Adventure includes all sorts of activities to give you a comprehensive look at all the forest has to offer. Guided tours, a center for children, archery, fishing, pumpkin decorating, and hay rides are all free, and food is available for purchase. If you have a family of nature-lovers, it will surely be your favorite activity of the season.
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