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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2009
CONTACT
Kate Blumm: 718-623-7241, kateblumm@bbg.org
New York's Most Madcap
Halloween Event Returns!
Ghouls and Gourds
Sunday, October 25, 2009 | Noon–6 p.m. | Free with Garden admission
PHOTOS: Visitors enjoy a costume parade (left) and an egg shaker-making workshop (right) at Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Ghouls and Gourds Halloween celebration party (Marni Horwitz/BBG)!
Brooklyn, New York—October 5, 2009—Brooklyn Botanic Garden presents Ghouls and Gourds: New York's most madcap Halloween event for families! Visitors will revel in BBG's annual rumpus at which boisterous bands, weird workshops, larger-than-life puppets, a kids' book barn and other oddities abound—all against the backdrop of the Garden's gorgeous fall flora.
Visitors will enjoy musical performances by renowned family-friendly groups Billy Jonas & the Band, Elizabeth Mitchell & You Are My Flower, and more. Visitors can marvel at carnivorous plant feedings with one of BBG's gardeners, watch a flea circus, and get "inked" with a temporary toad tattoo! The Children's Book Barn will feature 19 renowned authors and illustrators—many based in Brooklyn—who will enchant families with readings and book signings! Throughout the day, a bevy of hands-on workshops will invite families to try mask-making, visit a pretend petting zoo, explore creepy-crawly compost critters, conjure up "ghosts of the garden," and more.
The afternoon will culminate in one of New York's most celebrated family Halloween traditions: a costume parade with visiting ghouls and goblins of all ages marching to the beat of Brazilian percussion group Maracatu NY, carousing with colossal puppets, shimmying with stilt dancers, making raucous rhythms, and showing off their costumes for all to see!
Ghouls and Gourds events and activities are free with Garden admission and take place rain or shine on Cherry Esplanade (all events are sheltered in case of rain). The day's schedule includes the following:
MYSTERIOUS MUSIC
- RANI ARBO & DAISY MAYHEM: American roots music that makes you want to wail, wiggle, shake, and shout.
- MECCA BODEGA: Groove to the sounds of washed-up washing machines and other junkyard jewels.
- SONIDO COSTEÑO: Shake a leg to Brooklyn's best salsa and merengue beats.
- ELIZABETH MITCHELL & YOU ARE MY FLOWER: Sway to sweet and mellow family-made folk rock.
- BILLY JONAS & THE BAND: Join a joyous jamboree of singalongs, bangalongs, and whisperalongs.
WEIRD WORKSHOPS
- THE EGG SHAKER SHACK: Make your own maraca to play in the parade.
- PRETEND PETTING ZOO: Come meet BBG's imaginary menagerie.
- CREEPY-CRAWLY COMPOST CRITTERS: Befriend wriggly worms—superstars of the soil.
- GHOSTS OF THE GARDEN: Make your own mind-blowing leaf rubbing.
- BUG OUT MASK MAKING: Transform into the arthropod of your dreams.
- YE OLDE COCOA BEAN MACHINE: Try your hand at mortar-and-pestle cocoa bean grinding.
- DRUM & DANCE WITH MARACATU NY: Revel in the rhythms of northeastern Brazil with Scott Kettner.
OTHER ODDITIES
- CAROUSE WITH A PACK OF GIANT PUPPETS: Strut your stuff with our giant puppet posse.
- PHYDEAUX'S FLYING FLEA CIRCUS OF FATE: Marvel as these tiny acrobats hit the big top.
- BUG BEADS & PLANT PENDANTS: Insects and plants suspended in resin by eco-jeweler Margarita Poulson.
- HUNGRY HOUSEPLANTS: Watch as BBG gardener Jennifer Williams treats her carnivorous plant pals.
- TERRIFIC TOAD TATTOOS: Get a temporary tat of these cute critters.
- LARGER-THAN-LIFE STILT DANCERS & MAGICAL CREATURES: Enjoy Mortal Beasts & Deities stilt-walkers as they promenade around the Esplanade.
CHILDREN'S BOOK BARN
Bigger than ever before! Meet 19 of today's most exciting children's book authors and illustrators as they share their work with fans! The lineup features new additions and returning favorites, including:
- Jean Van Leeuwen – Author of Amanda Pig and the Wiggly Tooth • Oliver the Mighty Pig • Benny & Beautiful Baby Delilah
- Deborah Gregory — Author of the Cheetah Girls series
- Peter Brown — Author & Illustrator of The Curious Garden
- Misako Rocks! — Author and illustrator of Biker Girl • Rock and Roll Love • Detective Jermain Vol. 1
- Javaka Steptoe — Illustrator of Rain Play • Jones Family Express • In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall
For more information, visit http://www.bbg.org/vis2/2009/ghoulsandgourds/. Major sponsorship for Ghouls and Gourds 2009 is provided by Con Edison.