THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2014 | Editor: Jennifer Self • Phone: 395-7434 • Email: jself@bakersfield.com
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AT A GLANCE Whiskey Flat Fall Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Seventh annual Bakersfield Comic-Con . . . . . . . . 23 Arts Alive! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Visual arts at CSUB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
New life for museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Arts-and-eats calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Moo Creamery’s fanciful flavors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31-33
“You could be sitting in the lobby and someone could be swallowing a sword next to you.” — Matt Howell, food and beverage director at the Padre Hotel
The party’s on at the Padre Hotel ups its game with spooky, quirky Halloween BY STEFANI DIAS The Bakersfield Californian sdias@bakersfield.com
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f the circus is the greatest show on earth, then the Circus of Souls aims to be at least the greatest show in Bakersfield on Halloween. In an effort to brand itself the ultimate party destination, the Padre Hotel will offer “a completely interactive experience” on the spookiest night of the year, said Circus of Matt Howell, the Souls hotel’s new food When: 9 p.m. Oct. and beverage director. 31 to 1 a.m. Nov. 1 “We’re trying to Where: The Padre throw an event that Hotel, 1702 18th will be unlike any St. typical Halloween Admission: $30; event,” he said. “It’s $40 at the door. going to be an Tickets available extravaganza for at Farmacy Cafe sure.” From the Information: 427-4900 moment patrons walk in and receive a program of events, they will be part of the show. Sideshow and burlesque performers will mingle with the crowd along with magician William Draven and master of ceremonies Donatella Melies, who will lead the crowd to what’s next. “You could be sitting in the lobby and someone could be swallowing a sword next to you.” Following a “nightmarish vaudevillian” theme, the hotel will feature tarot card readings in Farmacy Cafe, a performance by Mento Buru and fire dancers at outdoor bar Prairie Fire, deejays spinning in Prospect Lounge and Brimstone, and full burlesque shows every half-hour.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DONATELLA MELIES
Burlesque performer Donatella Melies will serve as mistress of ceremonies for Circus of Souls at the Padre Hotel.
“We wanted to throw a Halloween party that was unique but also bring elements to a hotel event that you would see on a larger scale in a bigger city.” Guests can capture the moment in photo booths, try their hand at carnival games and nosh on cotton candy and other carnival finger foods. Howell said staff has tried to incorporate every exciting carnival idea, but “we only have so much space.” The event goes beyond the typical “drink specials and a costume contest,” Howell said, but since both are Halloween hallmarks, the Padre will offer its own take. “I would label (the drinks) carnival favorites. We’re working with a few reputable liquor companies to offer something.” VIP bottle service is available in Prospect
PHOTO COURTESY OF WILLIAM DRAVEN
William Draven will mix his magic with a little sideshow on Halloween night for Circus of Souls at the Padre Hotel.
Lounge in packages ranging from $350 to $750 (each includes four admission tickets). Howell said he’s looking forward to “seeing all the effort people put into their costumes,” which will culminate in the dressup contest. Winners in categories such as
best male, female, couple and group will receive hotel-centric prizes for food and rooms. And don’t worry that all the event surprises have been spoiled. Howell said he’s guarding a few secrets. Please see PADRE / PAGE 30
Even the thrills are mom-approved at event for kids BY KATY HANSON For The Californian
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rowing up in Bakersfield, I looked forward to Safe Halloween at the Kern County Museum with a passion usually reserved for cultivating sticker books and collecting My Little Ponies. But, being on the timid side, dressing up for me usually meant a costume that was decidedly benign: a princess, an angel, or a
clown — the cheerful kind, not the creepy Wasco kind. The spooky part of Halloween was, after all, something to be conquered. I wouldn’t contribute to its power by going as Freddy Krueger. Given my eyes-closed-tight approach to the holiday, it’s hard to explain, even to myself, why I became fixated with the Safe Halloween haunted house. I remember, with astonishing clarity, step-
ping into that house, gripping tightly to my grandmother’s pant leg, opening one eye every few seconds to catch sight of some ghastly ghoul or monster. Tears always ensued. But year after year, I went back. And year after year, I stood a little taller after exiting the house, having conquered the Halloween gauntlet once again. But that’s the great thing about Safe Halloween: It’s spooky
enough and mild enough to satisfy most 3- through 12-year-olds, the target audience for the annual event, which adds new reasons for families to return each year. More trick-or-treat stations will be open than ever before (50 total), and the Carnival of Fun will offer bounce houses, inflatable slides and a mechanical bull. Tickets to the inflatable attraction are 50 cents each, while the Please see SAFE / PAGE 30
Safe Halloween at the Kern County Museum When: 5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 30 and 31 Where: 3801 Chester Ave. Admission: $8 for museum members, $10 for nonmembers Information: 437-3330 or www.kcmuseum.org
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The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, October 23, 2014
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“We still want there to be some things that people say, ‘Hey, I didn’t expect this.’” With so much going on, the Padre aims to pack the place with revelers. “We’d love to basically not be able to fit anybody else in,” Howell said. Ticket sales picked up this week, though deals will be still be offered on a limited basis via the hotel’s website and Facebook page until a few days before the event. (Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door.) Room packages, starting at $200, are still available and include two admission tickets and two $10 food and drink vouchers. And the Padre’s planning doesn’t end on Halloween night: The staff is already hard at work on the celebration to ring in 2015. “Wait until New Year’s Eve,” Howell said. “New Year’s Eve is going to be crazy.” The Padre will plunge down the rabbit hole for a “Through the Looking Glass” party, complete with Wonderland-themed rooms and activities. Howell, a Bakersfield native who recently moved back from Austin, Texas, said he’s interested in building events that will appeal to hotel guests and Bakersfield residents alike, such as the ongoing Movie Nights on Wednesdays. Discussion is under way as well for bigger soirees than the hotel has staged in
PHOTO COURTESY OF VIXEN DEVILLE
Vixen Deville brings a sexy freak show to the Circus of Souls on Halloween night at the Padre Hotel.
the past for St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo. “These are the types of events that we can really put our brand behind.” Howell said he wants to reach the point when “everybody knows that for Halloween or New Year’s Eve or any of these events, people should be at the Padre because they’re going to throw the best party.”
November 7 - 9 The Fox Theater
PHOTO COURTESY OF BEAR HANDS
Bear Hands — from left to right, Ted Feldman, Dylan Rau, TJ Orscher and Val Loper — appears on Friday at B Ryder’s.
LOWDOWN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21
Tavern, 1523 19th St. Free; 21 and over Creatures of the night, unite! A mini Goth-a-palooza will be happening this Sunday at Riley’s (assuming the bar is still standing after Friday’s show). Hostess Princess Darkness has been a visible presence on the local scene as a DJ for KSVG radio. She’s helped put together a show that will give you another reason to bust out your creepers and revisit your Sex Gang Children albums. Horror Vacui (translation: “fear of the empty”) hail all the way from Italy and sound like “First, Last and Always”-era Sisters of Mercy, with the leather and torn lace to match. Pete Anderson; 7:30 p.m. Thursday; Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, 2800 Buck Owens Blvd.; Free (reservations are recommended) 328-7560, www.buckowens.com You might not know Pete Anderson by
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mechanical bull will set you back $3. The carnival also will offer games (50 cents each) usually found on the midway, including a ring toss, plinko and a bean bag toss. The haunted house — which has grown up a bit in recent years and is not recommended for very young children — can also be found at the Carnival of Fun. Kids of all ages can look forward to a scavenger hunt that will send guests in search of freaky pumpkins. Winners will receive prizes. Elizabeth Herrera, the museum’s visitor services manager, promised there will be a
name but, my gosh, you had to have heard his work. He found prominence as Dwight Yoakam’s long-time guitarist and producer (from 1984 to 2002), but it’s his work behind the recording console that counts as his most impressive achievement. The artists he’s produced range from Buck Owens to Roy Orbison to the Meat Puppets to Erasure. Yes. Erasure. His free show Thursday at the Crystal Palace (another entry in the impressive KUZZ concert series) is a boon for this town and has a bit of something for everyone: polished instrumental fireworks for the musicians, solid songs for the casual listener and a great beat for the dancers. His solo material is more Stevie Ray Vaughan than Hank Williams, but his guitar tone is as sweet as it is cutting, no matter what style he’s tackling (his drummer is a beast and his keyboardist doubles as the bassist). It seems that he’s intent on focusing on his solo career as a performer and less as a guitar-playing producer, which gives him the right attitude once he hits the stage: hunger.
little something extra this time around, too: fire breathers. “Each year I try to come up with new and fresh ideas that have never been done with the event to attract a new audience,” Herrera said in an email. “The fire breathers have a really awesome show. There will also be clowns and stilt walkers throughout the event.” Attendees are encouraged to remember that Safe Halloween is intended to be just that: safe. Organizers ask that trick-or-treaters leave their costume weapons (including swords, wands, canes and light sabers) at home. Trick-or-treat bags and buckets should also be left behind. Bags will be provided at the event.