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Well, I've finally caught up on posts and boy am I tired. But there's more great stuff on the way so make sure you're checking back often for all of your Halloween Reviews.

Also, for anyone who ever grew up in SoCal, you'll be pleased to find that some dedicated people have put together a website detailing the history of Knott's Scary Farm. I know that every amusement park does something for Halloween, but it started with Knott's and in my mind, they're still the best. Maybe I'm biased because I've never actually been to a Halloween thing at another amusement park...or it's because going to Knott's Scary Farm was a big deal when you were a kid. At any rate, check out Ultimate Haunt for the history of Knott's Scary Farm.

Even though the trick-or-treaters won't be pounding on your door and demanding sugar for another full month, the stores are filled to the brim with Halloween candy. And today, it seems like there are more choices than ever before. Gone are the days when you had to choose between the bag that had the hard candy and the one that had the miniature chocolate bars. Sure, you can still get the classic mix with the Dots, Tootsie Pops and JuJu fruits, but with so many new options out there . . .

So Bear and I were shopping over the weekend and, of course, we meandered through the Halloween section. That was our first mistake. Of course, you can't pass through the candy aisle without buying a little something. At least I can't pass through the candy aisle without buying something. Maybe it's the fact that all the candies are branded for Halloween, but I buy into this hook line and sinker.

What I'm really getting at is that bear and I bought a truckload of candy. We didn't want to, but after grabbing the first bag we realized that everything was on sale. 2 for $5, 4 for $10, etc. But what are two people supposed to do with a full 1lb bag of candy corn? That's going to last us until Halloween 2010.

Ok, Ok, I know I've been negligent in keeping the Halloween posts updated and regular for all you lovely people. But, in my defense, I do have some great stuff to upload tomorrow that will definitely get you through the weekend. And then on Monday? You guessed it, even more fresh, compelling Halloween content.

In the meantime, we are still looking for photo submissions for our Halloween Parade so if you have a great photo of a costume from Halloween Past, just send it to me at mark@onepagewonder.com and we'll get it online for you.

Do you remember some of the great childhood costumes? The good old fashioned plastic mask and plastic apron combo and the apron always had a picture and the name of the person you were dressing up as. I guess they had to do that because the mask didn't always make things so obvious, there was nothing worse than having a grown up try to guess what you were while trick or treating.

I couldn't wait for the networks to catch up this year, so I went and rented the History Channel's Haunted History of Halloween documentary. This is the same one they show every year, and I guess the history hasn't changed much, so why redo it?

Like all other History Channel documentaries, this one is entertaining and has interviews from a variety of Halloween Experts as it traces the routes of Halloween from the Celts and Romans all the way to the present day. Though, the best part has to be the section on 'druids' who still attempt to get out and celebrate the holiday and call it Samhain (pronounced Sow-in). Basically it's a bunch of people who played too much D&D as kids so they dress up in robes and try to repeat the ancient rites.

At any rate, it's worth catching this year so keep an eye out for it, and be sure to check out the History Channel's Halloween Page for some fun info on the swellest of all holidays.

One of the best parts of Halloween has to be the time honored tradition of telling ghost stories. As Bear and I quickly found out, Portland has its share of good ones. Not many people are aware of the fact that Portland has a really sordid history. Starting out as a major port town and loggin center, the city was really built by a lot of rough and tumble types- even the term 'shanghai' has its origins in kidnapping drunk sailors from the waterfront. And being in the pacific northwest, we've also had our share of serial killers.

With that said, Bear and I decided to check out one of the more famous hauntings in Portland over the weekend. This one takes place in Cathedral Park- a park located underneath the St. John's bridge in the northern part of the city. As legend goes, the park itself is haunted by the ghost of a teenage girl named Thelma Taylor. Back in the 1940s, Thelma left her home one day and never returned. Instead, she was abducted, beaten and held captive underneath the bridge for several days before finally dying.

Today, those visiting the park at night can still hear Thelma's screams, and the police reportedly receive calls on a regular basis. I don't know if all this is true or not. Thelma was held and murdered under the bridge, and the bridge is definitely spooky in its own right.

The St. John's bridge was built in 1931 and is a famous landmark in Portland for its gothic architecture and is often used in movies and tv shows because it's so unique. The park under the bridge is a different story. Set beneath the bridge, the park got its name from the concrete supports that hold up the bridge. If you stand at the top of the park and look straight ahead, it looks just like the inside of a gothic cathedral with its pointed arches.

Adding to the creepiness factor is the fact that the bridge is not in the best part of town, and the park is probably not the safest place to hang out at night, with Thelma's ghost being the least of your worries. So, Bear and I decided to stop by during the day to grab a few snapshots of the park and explore the area. I don't know if it is actually haunted or not, but it is definitely creepy. Just thinking of what took place there so many years ago is still enough to send chills down your neck, and I guess that Thelma is the only one who really knows for sure.

Stay tuned as we keep you updated with the best of Halloween and maybe even some more haunted places...

- mark

I was looking over the latest catalog from a Halloween vendor I do affiliate marketing with every year and was shocked by how many scary clown costumes there were. I don't know what it is about clowns, but a surprising number of people (myself included) find clowns scary. Maybe it was because I watched the movie IT when I was too young, or maybe I'm repressing some sort of horrible childhood clown abuse, but saying that clowns make me feel ill at ease is an understatement.

I just don't know what kind of person would want to dress up as a scary clown for Halloween. Probably the same kind of person who would hurt a puppy or make fun of disabled people. If I had to dress up as a clown, I'd go as a crying clown because, hey, it's ironic.

Sorry for falling behind, I know that the Halloween Extravaganza is ambitious, and that other sites who attempt the same thing often miss a post here and there, so bear with Bear and me. I've got a couple more great articles I'll be posting tomorrow and those should carry you right through the weekend!

In the meantime, if you haven't seen the Tron Review, you should probably check that out, it's pretty neat, if I do say so myself. I know it's not Halloween related, but seriously, Tron is a classic. Does anyone out there remember when the People Mover at Disneyland had the Tron section? Does anyone out there remember the People Mover?

According to Disney, this was how people would be transported in the future- via very slow moving trains. I guess that with all the modern conveniences, Disney figured that we'd have so much free time, we wouldn't mind traveling at extremely slow speeds. But, like everything else, the People Mover went the way of the Skyway, The Rockets, and the Mission to Mars. It's really a shame if you ask me. Bear and I visited Disneyland last year, and I couldn't believe that they were really trying to make Tomrrowland look futuristic instead of something out of the 70s.

So the stores are finally ditching the back to school stuff and putting out the Halloween Candy. Bear and I were shopping over the weekend and I think I got a bit over zealous about the whole thing. After all, what are two people going to do with a full pound of candy corn? It would take a small army to finish that thing off, it's just so sweet.

I think the best thing about Halloween candy is that you can get combinations of candy that you would never otherwise get. Almond Joy and Baby Ruth? Smarties and Double Bubble, etc. And they're all miniature. It's great for when you have a craving for four different candies but don't want to over do it. And it's portable so you can bring some to work. Maybe it won't be so funny in November when I'm diagnosed as a diabetic, but for now it's a real hoot.

I don't know if you've thought about your Halloween costume yet. I know I haven't given it much thought, most likely because it's always a toss up as to whether or not there will be a Halloween party- whether or not I feel like going- whether Bear will think of a costume. She gets testy if she doesn't have a good costume idea. Plus, Halloween is on a weekday this year.

Needless to say, I was impressed that Ben Schumin has already put his costume idea together and no, he's not wearing it in that picture. I'm also a big fan of Ben's site, so if you've never visited the schumin web, you should definitely check it out.

If you're wondering why the Halloween Extravaganza has three posts today, it's simple. It's a holiday weekend and I don't want to deprive you of your Halloween goodness while I'm out bidding this long hot summer farewell.

So, I bit the bullet and gave you three days worth of posts today. So it's up to you. You can devour all three today, or show some self control and space them out. Either way, I'm glad that you're joining me and Bear for this macabre ride.

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

Mark

Well, September 1st is finally here and that means it's time for the first annual Halloween Extravaganza. For weeks now Bear and I have been researching, documenting and collecting a vast assortment of the best articles, products and ideas the haunting season has to offer.

If you've noticed that the homepage looks different, that's because we've redone the site for Halloween. During the next two months, I'm trying to deliver a new article every day that highlights something super cool for the best of all holidays. Of course, I doubt I'll really post every day, but I'm sure gonna give it a go.

Bear and I could also use some help. If you've got a groovy idea for an article, a picture of you in an old Halloween costume, or anything we could use, please email me at mark@onepagewonder.com

Once Halloween comes to an end, we'll return to our regularly scheduled programming and site design, but until then, it's all about witches, goblins and candy.

Have a great holiday weekend and be sure to check back daily for the latest in Halloween nostalgia!

-Mark