In the 1980s, Los Angeles was on high alert with terrifying rumors of razor blades in apples or poison in Halloween trick-or-treat candy. All cases turned out to be hoaxes. But urban legends persisted as there's often a grain of truth to every horror story. In 1974, in Pasadena, Texas (not Pasadena, the suburb of Los Angeles) eight-year-old Timothy O'Bryan died of cyanide-laced poisoned Pixy Stixs given as Halloween candy by his father for a life insurance payoff. His dad was executed 10 years later.
Urban legends helped build Hollywood, so this true story, and the 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders, and the 1979 Northern California dentist who bundled laxatives into his candy hand-outs continued as fear folklore. Add COVID contagion, and the logical result was that trick or treating has lost its traditional, magical night-out for kids.
Halloween for adults has thrived. Vampire parties by invite only are again on this year's agenda featuring costumes, music, and rituals such as blood drinking, "energy exchange" (both spiritual and emotional), and vampire mythos reenactments. The after events are to die for.
If you want L.A. big crowd haunts, Universal Studios and Knott's Scary Farm Nights are family-friendly. The Queen Mary Dark Harbor with onboard mazes and monsters is anchored in the Long Beach Harbor, or the Hollywood Suite 13 at The Godfrey Hotel serves up an adult-sized "grown and sexy" party. Serial movies are available at Screamfests, Fright Fests, and Fright Club rooftops. For the midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with our local love, Tim Curry still telling tales from the crypt (guest star on S5, E1), don't come without your rice, squirt gun, newspaper, glow sticks, unbuttered toast... and costumes. To you all, "May the spirits of the night bring you wisdom instead of fright as you celebrate the turning of the year" -Old Celtic blessing, SQ
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