(It’s Halloween in the gayborhood)
https://dallasvoice.com/wp-admin/post-new.php
It’s Halloween weekend, the LGBT community’s biggest and perhaps most sacred holiday of the year. And in Dallas, hundreds — if not thousands — of the faithful will make their annual pilgrimage to Oak Lawn for the Halloween Block Party on Cedar Springs, beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29.
The street will be blocked off in the 3900 block of Cedar Springs to make room for the costume catwalk, dancing, live music, beer booths and more.
Besides all the action out in the street, all the clubs in and around Oak Lawn will most likely have their own Halloween parties going on Saturday night — all weekend, really, right up through the actual Halloween night on Monday. Check our Scene section on Page 41 for details on some of the other activities, in Dallas and across the river in Fort Worth, too. And if you don’t see your favorite watering hole listed there, check online.
Parking is always at a premium, so be sure to get to the gayborhood early to find a good spot. And please please please remember: The bad guys also know that this is the night we turn out to party, so be aware of your surroundings. Don’t walk alone. Put safety first.
Speaking of “bad hombres,” it’s very likely that we’ll see any number of them at the Block Party Saturday night, likely in the company of an equal number of “nasty women.” I expect we’ll also see a pretty significant number of Donald Trump costumes in varying degrees of creativity and varying shades of orange. Pantsuits and blond wigs will probably also be all the rage, although given the two presidential candidates’ positions on LGBT issues, I expect the Hillary Clinton costumes may be a bit more complimentary to the Democratic candidate than the Trump costumes will be to The Donald.
Pop culture is always a fertile ground for costume ideas. And American Horror Story is fertile ground for scary. Kathy Bates’ blood-dripping butcher is a strong likelihood, as is Lady Gaga’s witch, deer antlers and all. And any guy who has the body for it might try the shirtless guy with the pig’s head who runs around squealing.
(And in the crossover category, there’s the t-shirt I found on Amazon.com, featuring the American Horror Story logo with an image of Zombie Trump. Horror story indeed!)
Television offers other ideas, too. I mean, how can you dismiss Netflix’s Stranger Things? Barb is likely to be a popular sight on The Strip. And Eleven — aka El— would be easy to pull off, as long as you can find that Peter Pan collar and work up a killer fuck-you look.
There will be some big screen inspiration, too, I’m sure. Deadpool, Harley Quinn, any Star Wars character. And what about Pokemon Go? The T-Rex? Even some SnapChat filter costumes? But don’t forget the ever-present Scary Clown. Just be careful with that one though; scary clown costumes could get you shot.
Here’s the thing, though: Any of the costumes listed here can probably be found at any Halloween costume party across the Metroplex over the next three days. But we’re talking about THE Block Party! We’re talking about Oak Lawn, where Halloween is always a “go big or go home” event. Come on out and have fun, just be sure to bring your costume A-game to The Strip.
(Or, you know, just come to watch!)
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition October 28, 2016.