The lighter side of local government
Boo!
The first place I ever lived in England was Sheffield. I arrived there almost exactly ten years ago (I don't remember the exact date but it was October). Back then there was very little in the way of Halloween celebrations, which was kinda sad for me because it's probably my favourite holiday. I didn't know about the local customs of Bonfire Night and "penny for the guy" - and I thought that all the children, lying on bundles of rags on the pavement, begging for pennies were actually beggars. There seemed to be a kid on every street corner - or more - competing for begging space, and I was pretty shocked about the level of child poverty in Sheffield. When I expressed my concerns, my then fiance (now husband) - a Brit - near about laughed his head off at my expense.
How times have changed. Sheffield City Council is embracing the Halloween fun with a pumpkin patch and a Fright Night in front of Town Hall and in the nearby Winter Gardens. The money raised from the pumpkin patch will go to the Lord Mayor's charities - some pretty worthy causes. This is the fourth year of Halloween fun and is apparently Britain's biggest Halloween fun.
Last year this monster event celebrating things that go bump in the night attracted more than 28,000 revellers, many kitted out in spooky fancy dress. This year’s event promises to be bigger then ever before with even more chills and thrills, plus a number of spooky surprises to watch out for! The fiendish fun will take place at locations across the City Centre with loads of ghostly goings on including: a fiendish funfair, macabre street theatre, fancy dress catwalk, fire-spinning, and market stalls
And I don't care what anyone says about Americanisation - Halloween is a fun holiday and anyone who turns their nose up at good fun is a glummery old fuss-budget who will be turned into a pumpkin at midnight.
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