Some people might be trick or treating tonight, while others are putting on their costumes and heading to the fairgrounds. On more than fifteen-hundred square feet in the beef cattle barn sit five haunted houses making up Fright Nights at the Fair.
Graziano Zazzara, Paradise Companies owner and operator of Fright Nights, says his haunted house is unique because of the unique and elaborate sets and costumes.
“The equipment we have is not inexpensive; these aren’t the…$10 masks you’d buy at a masquarade shop, these masks [cost]…$50 to $500,” said Zazzara. He added that some of the costumes the actors are wearing could cost as much as $8,000.
Costumes are only part of the experience, though. According to Zazzara, his actors must also play the part; but, with as many as two thousand customers on a busy night, he says they use careful scare tactics to ensure safety and to keep the lines moving.
As this Halloween night passes, Zazzara says they will pack up the sets into twenty-four trucks until next year.
But one spooky character, called “Wild Thing”, hopes the creepy images will stay with you, prompting you to return next year.
The Beaver Lake Nature Center in Brownsville became ‘enchanted’ October 27th - 30th. The eighth edition of the popular event proved to be highly successful thanks to unique displays and numerous dedicated volunteers.
According to event coordinator, Meg Valovage, this year’s entertainment included a magician, a reptile rescue show, an owl rehabilitation demonstration, and a storyteller.
The other highlight of the event included a jack-o-lantern carving contest with more than 500 pumpkins on display.
Although temperatures dropped, Volavage said volunteers raised attendee’s spirits with their hard work, which everyone appreciated. She also noted that even though people are very busy many families enjoyed the time they spent together.
This story aired on NCC News on Nov, 5, 2010. Click here to view it.
Senior citizens joined former Syracuse League of Women Voters president, Janet Mallan, for an informed discussion on voting at the Manlius Library, Nov. 1st. Mallan spoke to the group about the history of women's voting rights in the Unites States as well as how important it is to exercise the right to vote.
"They [Senior citizens] know what it is to pay bills and have a mortgage...so they have a better understanding of the issues and how legislation affects them," said Mallan.
Mallan also said that since nearly 80 percent of registered voters over the age of 50 will actually go out to the polls and vote, discussions like the one held at the Manlius Library are more important than ever.
Lecture coordinator, Lewis Kupperman, asked Mallan to speak to his fellow senior citizens because he said voting is one of our most important rights. "Since I was 18 years old, I haven't missed an opportunity to vote," said Kupperman. "I think I voted for Adlai Stevenson, but he had as much chance of beating General Eisenhower as we do of having 80 degree weather in February."
The lecture is one in a series of conversations organized by Kupperman, designed to bring the group together for discussions on topics ranging from politics, history and other public interest issues.
Originally reported for NCC news October 31, 2010.
Halloween night at Pensabene’s Casa Grande in Syracuse, began with an hour long tango lesson. After that, new and seasoned ballroom dancers danced the night away, with a break for a costume contest.
Bruce Heffron, 81, is the DJ and host of eightsocial ballroom dancesa year. Heffron said these events are a lot of fun and you meet a lot of nice people.
“At 81 years old I should be retired and off to Florida, but I’m sticking around up here in the cold weather," said Heffron.
Andrew and Ilona Prouty, who dressed up as the princess and the pea, met here ten years ago and have been dancing together ever since.
“I think it’s very scary for people to get started, especially guys. But quite often once the guys start dancing they find they like it even more than their wives," said Andrew Prouty.
Ballroom dancers gather twice a month at the Pensabene’s Casa Grande on 135 State Fair Blvd in Syracuse, NY to dance the night away. Ballroom dancing is almost any type of social dancing for recreation.
The night starts out with dance lessons for beginners and experienced. An instructor comes and dedicates and hour to teach different dancing techniques. The instructor will show a style and then gives you the opportunity to practice.
After the hour of instructions is over the night kicks off with a veteran dancer/organizer/ and DJ Bruce Hefferon welcoming everyone that came to participate. Various songs will be played for everyone’s different style to get out and dance. The range of music that can be heard is anything from country to salsa to the waltz.
The cost to enter the event is $9 dollars. This includes the dance lessons, light refreshments and drinks. The event begins at 6pm through 10pm. There’s an open bar as well for the thirty.
Originally reported for NCC News on October 30, 2010.
The family oriented Halloween event Spookaplooza is the first of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra’s 2010 season concert series. Spookaplooza took place at the Mulroy Civic Center and included a performance from the costume-clad Syracuse Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jeffery Meyer. They played compositions such as Modest Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain” and select pieces from the Harry Potter movies. Later in their set the orchestra was accompanied on stage by the Ballet and Dance Centerwho performed a dance to the covered rendition of “Danse Macabre” originally by Camille Saint-Saens.
However one activity that created the spookiest sounds of the season took place before the performance portion of Spookapalooza began. It was called the Instrument Petting Zoo. This is an activity that was run by the orchestra’s Education Manager Robert Allen. The Instrument Petting Zoo allowed children the opportunity to experiment with instruments used by the orchestra. Allen says the instrument petting zoo, “Simply gives kids the opportunity to come try out different instruments from the orchestra and who knows maybe down the line they’ll pick one up and want to learn how to play it.”
At each station a representative from the orchestra showed children how to play a note or two on a certain instrument. Allen showed children the proper way to hold a violin, the angle in which to position the bow, and the amount of pressure to apply when striking the strings with the bow. Public Relations Coordinator Jennifer Luzzo helped children learn the proper way to blow into the mouthpiece of a trumpet in order to achieve the desired sound. After each child had his or her turn Luzzo would remove the mouthpiece and rinse it in a disinfectant solution to ensure nobody got sick. Other representatives explained the proper ways to play a flute, the melody structure to hit on a glockenspiel, and the methods of using the slide trombone.
The orchestras Director of Communications Vicky D’Agostino greeted guests dressed as a witch. She says, “We’ve had children who have come to our instrument petting zoo and then asked their parents to please get them involved in playing an instrument.” The children had a blast and came to the petting zoo dressed in various different costumes including werewolves and vampires. There were many outfits involving the Star Wars theme such as Darth Vader, Jango Fett and even a violinist from the orchestra was in complete Storm Trooper attire. There was even a youngster dressed as Mario, from the classic Nintendo video game Mario Brother’s, who air conducted the beginning performance from the orchestra.
The visual was definitely apparent at Spookaplooza but audio was the main focus of this Halloween extravaganza. Music education is a fun, interactive and inspirational form of self-expression. It can help children better understand the importance of working as team. Music can also strengthen their ability to think creatively. Many children who visit the Instrument Petting Zoo end up liking music so much that they ask their parents to take music lesson. Spookaplaooza not only gave children a safe place to celebrate Halloween, but it also gave them a new direction of interest that may spawn a life time of enjoyment.
At the Manlius Library , the senior citizens received a class on why they should vote and what to expect when they get to the news booths October 4, 2010. It was a good turn out and a lot of information about the candidates who were running for office. Janet Mallan, the former president of the Syracuse League of Women Voters was the speaker at the event. Mrs. Mallan gave a little history about the Syracuse area including the Underground Railroad. Even in the north after slavery, 1848-1920 woman's protested all over the United States as Janet Mallan talked about women rights. Now talking about the present, she had a discussion about taxes going up and down when a person is in office.
Later people asked about the negative ads that are ran on TV. Mrs. Mallan was able to answer the question along with the new voting machines that will be at the booths. She did say if things had been different she would have run for office when she was younger. Mrs. Mallan said,the people here would leave knowing they would make a difference on election day. If anyone had any questions about voting or what is going on with a candidate, you could look onthe women league of voters of Syracuse web site.
