Forget ghosts and goblins — with more than $500 in prize money at stake, you’ll need to get more creative than that to have a chance at being crowned a winner during Saturday night’s Ghoulwill Ball at Port City Music Hall.
“Think very unique,” said Trendy Stanchfield, development director at Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, which is hosting the ball. “There are lots of opportunity for witches, but it’s the people who go over the top and think outside the box, like the ‘ThunderCats’ of the world, who really pull it off.”
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Last year’s grand-prize winners were Stacey and Shiran Pasternak, who impressed the judges with a daring display of full-body spandex in their successful quest to channel Cheetara and Lion-O from the animated 1980s TV series “ThunderCats.”
Now in its third year, the benefit costume party will hand out prizes for Most Creative Use of Goodwill Finds ($150), Best Group Theme ($150), People’s Choice ($150) and Grand Prize ($250). Judging the Halloween finery will be Jim Keithley of WMTW-8, Shannon Bryan of MaineToday.com and Erin Elizabeth of The Portland Phoenix.
There will also be a drawing for a $150 Goodwill gift certificate. To enter the drawing, party guests need to bring in a receipt showing that they purchased part of their costume at one of the stores.
In addition to creative and creepy couture, the party features dancing to cover tunes by The Waiters, palm reading with The Sorceress, a free photo booth, catered hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar.
The local Goodwill affiliate borrowed the idea for the party from its sister organization in Austin, Texas, which has been hosting a Ghoulwill Ball for a number of years.
“It’s definitely trick-or-treating for adults,” Stanchfield said. “It’s Halloween creativity gone amok. Folks can come for a reasonable price, get dressed up, have a lot of fun and support a charity.”
Tickets cost $25, and organizers expect more than 200 guests this year, which will translate into about $10,000 raised for Goodwill’s work force development programs.
The statewide services help people of all stripes find work. The service might help someone who has been laid off update a resume, assist an unemployed veteran obtain needed industry certifications, or offer on-the-job mentoring for a person with intellectual or physical disabilities.
In addition to supporting a worthy cause, the Ghoulwill Ball also highlights the most popular shopping season at Goodwill.
“We are softly known as the Halloween headquarters,” Stanchfield said. “It doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to get pieces for your costume. And if you’re stuck, go into one of our stores to get inspiration. It’s our biggest season for the stores.”
MORE HALLOWEEN EVENTS
• WALK AMONG THE SHADOWS
WHAT: Professional actors present details about Portland’s famous characters buried in historic Eastern Cemetery.
WHEN: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday to Saturday and Oct. 25-27. Tours leave every 15 minutes.
WHERE: Eastern Cemetery, Congress Street (base of Munjoy Hill), Portland
HOW MUCH: $10; $5 for children under age 12
INFO: spiritsalive.org/wats
• “DAMNATIONLAND”
WHAT: Third annual installment of Maine-made short horror films.
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday
WHERE: State Theatre, 609 Congress St., Portland
HOW MUCH: $10
INFO: statetheatreportland.com
• WICKED WALKING TOURS
WHAT: Stroll through the Old Port and hear ghostly tales of the city’s haunted past.
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Oct. 25-27, Oct. 29 and Oct. 31; 10:30 a.m. Oct. 31
WHERE: Meet at Bell Buoy Park next to Flatbread Co. on Commercial Street, Portland
HOW MUCH: $16; $13 for seniors; $11 for children under age 12. (Tickets must be purchased in advance.)
INFO: 730-0490; wickedwalkingtours.com
• COUNTRY SCAREWAYS HAUNTED HAYRIDE
WHAT: Look out for the ghosts of golf games past on this benefit ride for the Mt. Ararat Class of 2015.
WHEN: 7 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. (Rain dates are Oct. 26-27.)
WHERE: Country Fareways, 1549 Augusta Road, Bowdoin
HOW MUCH: $10
INFO: 504-1305; countryscarewayshauntedhayride.com
• HALLOWEENFEST AT MAINE WILDLIFE PARK
WHAT: Check out special Halloween displays and take part in games and contests. Costumes encouraged.
WHEN: 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday
WHERE: Maine Wildlife Park, Route 26, Gray
HOW MUCH: $7
INFO: 657-4977
• THE HAUNTING: CREEPS AND FREAKS AT THE SEMINARY
WHAT: Travel through a 42-room building and surrounding campus, where frightful creatures lurk in dark places.
WHEN: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Oct. 26-27
WHERE: Parsonsfield Seminary, Route 160 (504 North Road), North Parsonsfield
HOW MUCH: $10; $5 for children under age 12
INFO: 793-8825; parsonsfieldseminary.org
• TALES OF TERROR
WHAT: Storyteller Lynne Cullen and actress Brittany Cook share spine-chilling tales from 19th-century writers.
WHEN: 6 and 8 p.m. Friday; 8 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Victoria Mansion, 109 Danforth St., Portland
HOW MUCH: $20; $15 for members; $10 for children under age 17
INFO: 772-4841, Ext. 821; victoriamansion.org
• FRIGHT AT THE FORT
WHAT: Fort Knox succumbs to the zombie apocalypse, and brave souls can enter the fort if they dare.
WHEN: 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Oct. 26-27
WHERE: Fort Knox, Bucksport
HOW MUCH: $10; $5 for children under age 12. Express tickets: $12; $7 for children under age 12
INFO: fortknox.maineguide.com/fright
• HALLOWEEN HARVEST
WHAT: Travel by wagon down a haunted trail and enjoy ghoulish treats at the spook shack. There’s also a special kids’ event from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday for $3.
WHEN: 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Oct. 26-27
WHERE: Raitt Farm Homestead Museum, 2077 State Road, Eliot
HOW MUCH: $6
INFO: raittfarmmuseum.org
• BUCKSPORT GHOSTPORT
WHAT: Family festival includes a costume parade, coffin racing, spooky stories, pumpkin carving, pumpkin catapaulting and a screening of “The Shining.”
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Downtown Bucksport
HOW MUCH: Free
INFO: ghostportme.com
• HALLOWEEN DOGGIE FASHION SHOW
WHAT: Watch a fashion show of shelter dogs dressed in their Halloween finest.
WHEN: 2 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Atria, 1 Penny Lane (off Route 1), Kennebunk
HOW MUCH: Free; donations to Animal Welfare Society welcome
INFO: 985-3244
• PUMPKIN CARVING PARTY
WHAT: Help Camp Sunshine carve 1,000 jack-o-lanterns for a Maine Mall pumpkin tower, plus face painting, live music and free portraits.
WHEN: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Maine Mall near Sports Authority, 364 Maine Mall Road, South Portland
HOW MUCH: Free
INFO: 655-3800
Staff Writer Avery Yale Kamila can be contacted at 791-6297 or at:
akamila@pressherald.com
Twitter: AveryYaleKamila
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