Halloween: West Asheville Style ~Part 2

Local artist and REALTOR Chuck Giezentanner Rocking face paint and horns

Ok. Now…let’s talk about the Adults!!

Halloween, the best time to get your costume going, do a killer face painting job, rock it all…and then…what? Go. Out!!!!

And, how pray tell do we Go Out? Well, there are events at bars, local eateries, private parties, heck, there are even costume contests for your cat or dog! Many of my friends started to celebrate Oct. 25th., which makes sense: the last Full weekend of October, affording revelries for 2 weekends. Even I had a party invite for Nov, 1st! Honestly, here in West Asheville it could be mid July and enough people want to get together for a costume party….it is happening.

Photo Courtesy of: Jennifer Mesk Photography/ Humans of Asheville

That said, I’m a bit excited to see how many local joints were offering festivities for Halloween. Again, costume contests with cash prizes, dance parties, live music including funk bands, drink specials, you name it: all was customized to what party goers in West Asheville want.

I, myself celebrated Halloween by doing a little people watching on Vermont Ave, taking some pics,     and then grabbing a delicious batch #98 at  Altamont Brewery Co. Then, Nov. 1st, I headed out to a private party @ a downtown residence. Halloween, for me, is a time when I can sit back and be the voyeur. Watching all the cool costume ideas and the unique execution of said costumes, I find it both inspiring and enviable.

Photo courtesy of: Jennifer Mesk Photography/Humans of Asheville

Trends:

• Couples costumes. It was pretty amazing to see how many cool idea local couples came up with co-ordinating costumes.
• Face painting– especially any take of Day of The Dead adornment. Amazing art was being worn on many faces!!!
• All things dead:  re-animated existing off only human blood or human body parts~ yup: all you zombies and vampires were Killing it.
• Orange is the New Black: I witnessed a few of groups representing the entire character cast and a couple of twosomes as well.
• Gender shifts~ not something unusual for Asheville and honestly I was surprised…. And Only surprised because it was Halloween!!! I saw many corsets and fish net stockings on lovely men, gender neutral costumes, and women in suits, mustaches, and beards. Really, can’t we just do This all the time?

Photo Courtesy of: Jennifer Mesk Photography/ Humans of Asheville

For me…unfortunately I usually do not dress up for Halloween : personally dressing up creatively on a holiday…gahhhhh…..equates to work. Not to knock it, but I’ll keep my creativity to my jewelry, this blog, and all else. Lame, I know , but I do admire and Celebrate all those that truly Love and Embrace All Hallows’ Eve.

So, really if you give it some thought~  Halloween is truly the one holiday that we can be Anyone. Dead, alive, dressed up, painted, adorned, all body parts out and exposed; Everything is game ~especially and in my opinion ~ In Asheville. I love and celebrate everyone’s self expression and creativity, though part of me wants to see more of this personal freedom year round; but that’s just me. Until next year!!!

**Noted Photos Courtesy of Jennifer Mesk Photography & Downtown Asheville Community Facebook Page.