Freakfest

What better place to start a blog than Madison, Wisconsin's Freakfest? State Street in Madison has long been THE party spot in the Midwest with people coming from miles around to experience Madtown at its maddest. Halloween had gotten out of hand in past years with riots, smashed windows and other bad behavior in past years. The Fest is now tightly regulated with an entrance fee and barricades for several blocks in all directions.
I am among the crowd that Will Not Pay to go to Freakfest. We dine early at a State Street restaurant and exit the restaurant just about when they are beginning to charge freaks to enter. But HA! We are in already! Wandering the lightly crowded street. Sharing it with the freaks, way too many security personnel and the horsies. Yes, mounted police patrol the festivities! Which is a superb reason to go early. The crowd is thin enough so everyone takes a wide berth around the horse dung.
Everybody comes. Nuns, vampires, Dorthy, The Wicked Witch, brides, hula dancers, ghouls, ghosts, naughty nurses, gypsies, prom queens...
The kleig lights at one end of State Street are blinding. It makes for a surreal experience walking around at night in light brighter than day. We looked up above the trees and the moon above the unnaturally lighted trees was a lovely sight. I'm sure the vampires were loving it.
We left early, but not before Elvis on Velvet showed up. My own personal favorite bordered on art. Our character was dressed rather like a chimney sweep and had fashioned a harness with 4-5 Crows flying above his head. In his arm was a basket with a baby crow (hand puppet) He had a duck call (or crow call?) in his mouth and cawed all evening.

(Todays photos: courtesy pixn8tr)