Feature

Ghost Town A few creative ideas that may just save your neighborhood Halloween

Mike Manser

By Nicole Vulcan

Halloween is an ideal holiday for creative escapists. Becoming someone else by way of an amalgam of makeup, costume wizardry and ideally, some well-devised back story and character development? Clutch.

But then, enter COVID and Halloween; images of a gang of tiny hands inside the same candy bowl seeming, if not totally off-limits, then certainly strange to witness in this year of widespread social distancing.

With warmer temps on tap for Halloween weekend, and outside activities in which one can maintain “6 feet of distance from others” still allowed, I set about to find ways to spread the spooky joy of Halloween in my neighborhood.

Here’s how I (and some others) got creative, piqued the interest of the neighbors and tried to save Halloween. And if you’re reading this early enough in the week this paper hit stands, you could do the same. A PVC pipe with a broom head affixed to the end makes for a simple, socially distant candy-delivery device.Candy delivery service In northeast Bend, Mike Manser is putting forth a solid COVID-era effort to share the Hal- What we know about COVID’s loween love. Manser assembled a candy delivery spread on surfaces vessel made from a piece of PVC pipe, measuring the required 6 feet or more, affixed to his doorway. It was one million years ago (read: it was late The setup is complete with a courtesy fence that May) when the Centers for Disease Control and Preencourages kids to get close, but not too close. vention revised its guidance around the virus’ trans-

The Pandemic witch’s broom mission on surfaces, stating that COVID-19 spreads

I had some 1.5-inch-diameter PVC pipe from “less commonly” through contact with surfaces. my summer garden hoop house In a July paper in the medon hand (pro tip: get a bigger Nicole Vulcan ical journal The Lancet, titled, diameter if you’re buying it for “Exaggerated risk of transcandy), so to that, I affixed an mission of COVID-19 by old costume witch’s broom to fomites,” virologist Emanone end, and dressed the 6-foot uel Goldman wrote, “In length of the broom up with my opinion, the chance of cloth. One could easily do a transmission through inansimilar thing and turn the pipe imate surfaces is very small, into a wizard's staff, a mer- and only in instances where man’s triton or even one giant an infected person coughs sword. I selected PVC pipe that or sneezes on the surface, was not very wide, and through and someone else touches which only narrower candies that surface soon after the would fit. As a result, my trick cough or sneeze (within 1–2 or treaters are getting only Jol- h).” Fomites, for those conly Ranchers and Tootsie Rolls. Barbie dolls from another era are hung upside fused, “are objects or mateAll I gotta says is, be glad you’re down in the Scare Tunnel’s Jungle Room. That rials which are likely to carry trick or treating at all, kids. old-school Barbie waist-to-hip ratio?! Terrifying. infection.”

So, those on the fence about handing out candy through a 6-foot PVC “broom” or through other socially distanced methods can be fairly certain it’s not going to cause a super-spreader Halloween event. The Tunnel of Doom

Having recently purchased my first home in Bend, bought during the height of angst around the pandemic, I felt it was my civic duty to 1. Vote in this election and 2., Create a spectacle of Halloween fun that could be enjoyed by neighbor kids in this time of isolation. Inviting kids into the house or garage to walk through an indoor haunted house was the wrong move—so my teen and I opted to build a giant monstrosity of black plastic and purple lighting in the front yard. If only my own teen and her friends enjoy it, it’s been 100% worth it.

We started with a basic structure, gleaning a wooden arbor headed for the dump from a local Facebook gardening group to serve as the “doorway.” A big tent with openings on both ends or one of those garage-style enclosures could easily suffice, too.

From the arbor we affixed, with the help of a LOT of zip ties, several pieces of PVC pipe from the arbor to the eaves of the house. Over top we laid a giant piece of black plastic sheeting (to be used later to kill the abundant crab grass in the back yard) and affixed it with clamps to the PVC, achieving a tunnel-like look—while also mystifying the neighbors about what type of “home improvement” I may be doing in the midst of freezing temps.

We used sheets to separate the tunnel into three “rooms,” each with its own spooky theme. Bloodied Barbies and jungle grass, gleaned from my teen daughter’s collection and from willow branches in the yard, became the Jungle of Doom room. Moving farther into the tunnel is a room with a life-size Grim Reaper, where leaves fall down on the visitor. And finally, in the third room, a maze of glow sticks seems fairly innocuous, until a hand (a fake one, on another piece of PVC pipe) reaches in to poke at the visitor. All of this is set to a soundtrack of scary sounds gleaned from YouTube. All told, the costs have amounted to buying the giant piece of plastic, which will have a second life later on.

We placed high value on gathering items from around the house, and we already have a collection of costumes and masks and scary stuff that punches higher than a two-person household should, so

Nicole Vulcan

spending a lot of money wasn’t necessary. Then again, the Halloween stores are rife with plenty of spooks and goblins and other stuff that could make your scare tunnel waaaayyy better than ours.

But when Halloween night comes and the neighborhood tweens and teens are running in haste from the invisible PVCpipe hand that tries to clutch them in the darkness, I’m guessing they won’t care much about the costs, or lack thereof. Headstones crafted from cardboard invite the neighborhood kids to go

They’ll just be glad someone through on Halloween night—if they dare. made a little effort to save Halloween.

Since revealing all the fun before the big event would not be conducive to a full-scare experience, you can see the final, Halloween-night version of the Scare Tunnel in the online version of this story after Oct. 31, at bendsource.com.

We Asked Locals, What Are Your Plans for Halloween?

In a COVID-era year, it’s a scarily mellow time for many

Compiled By Jess McComb

Hunter Thompson

“I’m most likely going to select a few friends who have been socially distancing so I can still have some fun but not endanger myself and others in the process.”

Annalise Ramsthel

“Our baby is only a few months old and we’ve been trying to keep his social circle small, so we will not be trick or treating. But we plan on dressing him up and taking a photo for memories. He’s going to be Bob Ross!”

Derik Clinton

“I live in an apartment so I will not be participating in handing out candy, but I will be attending a costume party with some friends.”

Jessica, Mother of two

“We do not have any plans at the moment. We’re not sure what everyone’s doing. We may go trick or treating—we just haven’t made a plan to do so yet.”

Not-so scary socially-safe events

THURSDAY 10/29

SPOOKTACULAR DRIVE-IN NIGHT OUT BENEFITING EVERY CHILD CENTRAL OREGON

A family friendly and spooky affair. “Casper” will be screened as a drive-in movie; only one ticket per car needed! Make a whole night of it and stay for a kid costume contest, raffle prize and a silent auction. All proceeds go toward helping youth in foster care and foster care providers in Central Oregon. Thu., Oct. 29, 5:30pm. Cascades Relays, 1177 SE Ninth St., Bend. $50.

SATURDAY 10/31

DRIVE-THROUGH ALTERNATIVE TO TRICK-OR-TREATING A SAFER WAY TO HALLOWEEN

Habitat for Humanity is offering a drive-through trickor-treat experience for those looking for a socially distanced and safe Halloween. Each child will receive a special Halloween goody bag and costumes are encouraged. While supplies last! Sat., Oct. 31, 10amNoon. Habitat for Humanity ReStore, 224 NE Thurston Ave., Bend. Free.

SATURDAY 10/31

HALLOWEEN SCAVENGER HUNT SAFE, FUN & FREE!

An interactive Halloween experience. Bring your costumed family to a spooky scavenger hunt at First Presbyterian Bend. Kids get the chance to hunt for all the items on the list and the chance to win a free treat bag. Parents can also win by entering a raffle for a local gift card up to $25! Sat., Oct. 31, Noon-4pm. First Presbyterian Church, 230 NE Ninth St., Bend. Free.

SATURDAY 10/31

ANNUAL BEND WITCHES PADDLE DONATIONS FOR MOUNTAIN STAR RELIEF NURSERY

The annual witching event is still on this year! Grab your witch’s hat and paddle or float your way down the river. Direct and in-kind donations are encouraged for Mountain Star Relief Nursery. Join when you can or stay on land and watch the witches paddle by! Sat., Oct. 31, 2pm. Riverbend Park, 799 SW Columbia St., Bend. Free.

THURSDAY- SUNDAY 10/29-11/1

SPOOKY SPECTACULAR CIRCUS SHOW IN-PERSON AND LIVESTREAMED

Join a limited audience or stay home and stream a spooky and magnificent circus show that’s sure to delight. An all- new show featuring acrobats, comedy, magic, music and more. All-ages Halloween fun! Thu. and Fri., 7pm; Sat., Noon, 3 and 6pm; Sun., 1 and 4pm, Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center, 3800 SW Airport Way, Redmond. $19-$99.

WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY 10/28-10/30

HALLOWEEN IN THE OLD MILL FAMILY AND PET FRIENDLY FUN

Celebrate Halloween at the Old Mill with three-dimensional photo stations that will bring your costumes to life. Themes range from Harry Potter to Frozen and even a station designed for pets. Share and tag photos for a chance to win prizes! Wed.-Fri., Oct. 28- Oct. 30, 11am-6pm. Old Mill District, 450 SW Powerhouse Dr., Bend. Free.