Everything is all about Halloween at the bookstore. Check out my Facebook page (Word for Word Books) or previous blogs for more details on Saturday's Halloweentown events beginning at around 2pm. There has been at least quadruple the participation in the Scarecrow Contest this year & new scarecrows pop up every day.
Some of the events planned for Saturday are the Little Spooks Parade & a Halloweentown festival in the courthouse plaza in Olde Towne (not far from where I am). There'll be bands, food, vendors, a fund-raiser for the Humane Society, an election for Mayor of Halloweentown & a try at breaking a Guiness World Record for the most people in costume in the same place.
Over the last couple of weeks I've seen lots of families spending time together, searching out the clues for our I Spy game, and I've completely run out of coloring contest forms - a good sign. I've really enjoyed watching parents and kids interacting and having fun.
By now I've spent the entire month in costume 3-days a week - this weekend will be your last chance to visit me decked out for the season. Stop in and visit. Pick out a book or enjoy a pumpkin-spice latte. I'll be the one in the pointy hat, channeling my Inner-Witch. It is the Season of the Witch, after all.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Election Countdown
Are you as weary as I am of political ads, polls and phone reminders? I can't wait for this election season to be over so I can answer my phone again. I've taken to checking the caller ID each time the phone rings - before answering. If I don't recognize the name I let the machine pick up. That is its purpose, after all.
I ALWAYS vote, but I don't always vote as soon as my party would like, hence the phone calls. They're only "reminders", but reminders get annoying. It's a lot like nagging, actually, and I do the same thing I do when I'm nagged - I tune it out and ignore it. Or I try.
So if you want to reach me during an election season email may be best. And if you call my land line and I don't answer, leave a message. I'll get back to you as soon as I clear all the partial robotic messages & phone polls from my voice-mail. What a pain!
And in case you didn't get MY message - REMEMBER TO VOTE! Vote early & you don't get nagged (smile).
I ALWAYS vote, but I don't always vote as soon as my party would like, hence the phone calls. They're only "reminders", but reminders get annoying. It's a lot like nagging, actually, and I do the same thing I do when I'm nagged - I tune it out and ignore it. Or I try.
So if you want to reach me during an election season email may be best. And if you call my land line and I don't answer, leave a message. I'll get back to you as soon as I clear all the partial robotic messages & phone polls from my voice-mail. What a pain!
And in case you didn't get MY message - REMEMBER TO VOTE! Vote early & you don't get nagged (smile).
Sunday, October 17, 2010
The Halloweentown Buzz Builds
Great day today. Had lots of visitors from Portland, Longview & other outlying areas checking out all of the scarecrows and shopping at our local businesses. Families strolled the streets, snapping pictures of the younguns posing by the Halloweentown Pumpkin or interacting with costumed store-keeps. There's a lot of enthusiasm around Halloweentown this year and the buzz grows.
One young couple told me that the traffic leading to Sauvie Island and the Pumpkin Patch made theme rethink their plans - they decided to visit us instead. Good decision. There are lots of activies, photo ops & shopping discounts at local merchants here all through the month of October. And don't forget, we have an I Spy game and a Coloring Contest going on, with entry forms available at participating merchants.
Check out http://www.oldetownesthelens.com for information on St. Helens' attempt to break a Guinness World Record for the Largest Halloween Gathering. We can do it! You'll find a link there for an online registration form which you can print and fill it out in advance to speed up registration on October 30th. There'll be entertainment, vendors, additional activities and a chance to be famous (for at least as long as it takes to break the record we set).
Other activities share the day on the 30th as well. Don't forget The Little Spooks Parade at 5pm with trick-or-treating throughout Olde Towne following the parade, and the Humane Society's annual "Dogtoberfest”, a Pet Fair with Tricks and Treats at Columbia View Park in Downtown St. Helens from 3PM - 5PM.
Even our Scarecrows have their own Facebook page (St. Helens Halloweentown Scarecrows). They're still popping up all over town as merchants get into the spirit of the season, but I think one of my favorites is the single oversize eye with an eye chart that reads "HAPPY HALLOWEEN". You can find it in front of Family Vision on Columbia Blvd. 2nd runner-up for me would be at the fire station: 2 firemen with carved pumpkin heads, holding a firehose. (Of course my favorite seems to change on a daily basis.) You can vote for your favorite Scarecrow by purchasing raffle tickets at the Vault in Olde Towne, or at other participating merchants. Votes are cast by putting raffle tickets into containers at merchant locations. Proceeds will be split between supporting the Splash Park and the Food Bank - both excellent causes.
Surely you can find an event somewhere in this list that piques your interest. See you soon in Halloweentown!
One young couple told me that the traffic leading to Sauvie Island and the Pumpkin Patch made theme rethink their plans - they decided to visit us instead. Good decision. There are lots of activies, photo ops & shopping discounts at local merchants here all through the month of October. And don't forget, we have an I Spy game and a Coloring Contest going on, with entry forms available at participating merchants.
Check out http://www.oldetownesthelens.com for information on St. Helens' attempt to break a Guinness World Record for the Largest Halloween Gathering. We can do it! You'll find a link there for an online registration form which you can print and fill it out in advance to speed up registration on October 30th. There'll be entertainment, vendors, additional activities and a chance to be famous (for at least as long as it takes to break the record we set).
Other activities share the day on the 30th as well. Don't forget The Little Spooks Parade at 5pm with trick-or-treating throughout Olde Towne following the parade, and the Humane Society's annual "Dogtoberfest”, a Pet Fair with Tricks and Treats at Columbia View Park in Downtown St. Helens from 3PM - 5PM.
Even our Scarecrows have their own Facebook page (St. Helens Halloweentown Scarecrows). They're still popping up all over town as merchants get into the spirit of the season, but I think one of my favorites is the single oversize eye with an eye chart that reads "HAPPY HALLOWEEN". You can find it in front of Family Vision on Columbia Blvd. 2nd runner-up for me would be at the fire station: 2 firemen with carved pumpkin heads, holding a firehose. (Of course my favorite seems to change on a daily basis.) You can vote for your favorite Scarecrow by purchasing raffle tickets at the Vault in Olde Towne, or at other participating merchants. Votes are cast by putting raffle tickets into containers at merchant locations. Proceeds will be split between supporting the Splash Park and the Food Bank - both excellent causes.
Surely you can find an event somewhere in this list that piques your interest. See you soon in Halloweentown!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
HALLOWEENTOWN IS ON !
Halloweentown in St. Helens is bigger and better this year. Every weekend in October you can find goblins, ghosts & ghouls wandering the streets (and that's just the merchants, LOL).
Join us throughout the month of October for the Scarecrow contest, I-Spy, a coloring contest, and an attempt to beat the Guinness World Record for the most people gathered in costume in one place. There are also special October sales, special drinks and dishes at our restaurants and a space set aside for family games & activities (located across the street from Word for Word). Forms for the coloring contest and I-Spy will be located at the stores of various merchants.
Participation by merchants in the Scarecrow Contest has doubled since last year - yesterday I counted 30 scarecrows lining Columbia Blvd. from Highway 30 all the way down into Olde Towne. The scarecrow in front of the Municipal Court bears an uncanny resemblance to the Municipal Court Judge who presides there. Coincidence? I think not, LOL. Visit the Vault and purchase raffle tickets so you can cast your vote for your favorite Scarecrow (and incidentally, win one of a number of prizes provided by local merchants). Votes can be cast at each of the participating merchants by dropping your raffle ticket into a designated container.
The Little Spooks Parade is back! Held in Olde Towne, the parade will form by the Vault at 4:30PM on Saturday, October 30th, and begin at 5PM with children in costume following a short parade route to show off their goulish attire. After disbanding they'll be able to do some safe Trick-or Treating among the Olde Towne merchants. A popular event, the parade attracted around 400 children & adults last year. This year the parade will be sponsored by the St. Helens Chronicle, who originated the idea many years ago in the Houlton District.
Also on October 30th, join us in Halloween Gathering 2010. We'll be making an attempt at breaking the record of The BlueBird Night Club of Bloomington, Indiana for the World's Largest Halloween Gathering. To beat their record we need more than 508 people in costume. If successful we'll be registered in Guinness Book of World Records. Take this opportunity to be part of something BIG. Visit the Facebook Page "Halloween Towne Gathering 2010" for more information.
Lots happening in little 'ol St. Helens this month. Don't get left out of the fun.
And before I forget to mention it: Come in costume to Word for Word Books & Espresso during the month of October, tell me where you saw this offer and get 20% off on your book purchase (excluding the collectibles).
HAPPY SEASON OF THE WITCH!
Join us throughout the month of October for the Scarecrow contest, I-Spy, a coloring contest, and an attempt to beat the Guinness World Record for the most people gathered in costume in one place. There are also special October sales, special drinks and dishes at our restaurants and a space set aside for family games & activities (located across the street from Word for Word). Forms for the coloring contest and I-Spy will be located at the stores of various merchants.
Participation by merchants in the Scarecrow Contest has doubled since last year - yesterday I counted 30 scarecrows lining Columbia Blvd. from Highway 30 all the way down into Olde Towne. The scarecrow in front of the Municipal Court bears an uncanny resemblance to the Municipal Court Judge who presides there. Coincidence? I think not, LOL. Visit the Vault and purchase raffle tickets so you can cast your vote for your favorite Scarecrow (and incidentally, win one of a number of prizes provided by local merchants). Votes can be cast at each of the participating merchants by dropping your raffle ticket into a designated container.
The Little Spooks Parade is back! Held in Olde Towne, the parade will form by the Vault at 4:30PM on Saturday, October 30th, and begin at 5PM with children in costume following a short parade route to show off their goulish attire. After disbanding they'll be able to do some safe Trick-or Treating among the Olde Towne merchants. A popular event, the parade attracted around 400 children & adults last year. This year the parade will be sponsored by the St. Helens Chronicle, who originated the idea many years ago in the Houlton District.
Also on October 30th, join us in Halloween Gathering 2010. We'll be making an attempt at breaking the record of The BlueBird Night Club of Bloomington, Indiana for the World's Largest Halloween Gathering. To beat their record we need more than 508 people in costume. If successful we'll be registered in Guinness Book of World Records. Take this opportunity to be part of something BIG. Visit the Facebook Page "Halloween Towne Gathering 2010" for more information.
Lots happening in little 'ol St. Helens this month. Don't get left out of the fun.
And before I forget to mention it: Come in costume to Word for Word Books & Espresso during the month of October, tell me where you saw this offer and get 20% off on your book purchase (excluding the collectibles).
HAPPY SEASON OF THE WITCH!
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