There are many reasons to be excited about the inaugural Halloween Bash at Lt. John C. Roche VFW Post #212.
“On one side, it’s a Halloween party for Bradford and a costume contest; on the other side, it’s a demonstration of some of the area’s best original bands,” said Anthony Manning, band member of Dog Day Sunrise and an event organizer.
On top of that, the bash will raise money for a charitable organization: Kids & Cancer.
Halloween Bash 2018 will take place from 8:30 p.m to 1 a.m. this Saturday in the VFW Events Center, 94 Barbour St. The cost will be $5 at the door.
“The VFW has a Halloween party every year but nothing like this and we are excited about it,” said Val Meacham of the Frances Sherman VFW Auxiliary. “Quite different!”
In addition to Dog Day Sunrise, bands set to perform are Scars To Prove It, The Thunderskulls and Morganthus.
Attendees are invited to dress for the holiday, and there will be a costume contest and prizes awarded.
“The kitchen will be open, too,” Meacham noted.
“Frances Sherman VFW Auxiliary will be manning the kitchen with a select menu of burgers, fries, bbq cups and pizza,” she said.
She explained the auxiliary will raise money for the VFW through food sales.
There will also be a cash bar. Attendees must have proper ID for alcoholic beverages, she noted.
While this is the first public Halloween concert the VFW has hosted, members have enjoyed celebrating the holiday in past years. Some will likely don their own spooky apparel for the evening.
“Having had Halloween parties before, members get excited to dress up so we are looking forward to that,” said Meacham — though she noted she’ll likely skip dressing in costume because she will be working in the kitchen.
When asked if the musicians would be dressing for Halloween, Manning said Dog Day Sunrise won’t be — “just our normal weirdness” — but he wasn’t sure about other bands.
Manning’s band tries to do at least one or two shows in the local area each year, and Halloween is one of his favorite holidays.
The VFW came quickly to Manning’s mind when he decided to plan a show.
“There’s not a lot of places to have shows in the area anymore” — and Dog Day Sunrise always enjoys playing in the VFW Events Center for the annual Vet Jam held there.
He approached auxiliary member Amy Peterson about it and booked the room.
“This will be the first time we’ve done a multi-band original show in quite a few years,” Manning said, adding, “It’s a great venue, a good room.”
When planning a show like this, Manning said he always looks for a good cause for which to raise money.
“Kids & Cancer is always a great charitable organization for what they do,” he said.
Kids & Cancer is a Bradford organization that raises money for local families, medical facilities, cancer-related organizations and service clubs that benefit children and their families.
Manning’s hope for the future of the event? “It may start a tradition of a Bradford Halloween party,” he said.
He would like to see the bash become an annual event that grows every year — and he looks forward to continuing to take part in it.
Meacham agreed.
“It would be awesome to make it a regular event!” she said. “We shall see how this year goes.”
