Last Year

Approximately 3,200 people visited Maryland Street last Halloween. Across the street (next to the Wizard of Oz house), we dressed the little yellow house to look like a circus tent using a multi-colored parachute and strings of lights. Occasionally, I’d hear bursts of laughter coming from the Trick-or-treaters as they passed the psycho circus. Turns out the “mystic swami” from the circus was asking passers-by if they’d like their palm read. Any takers were treated to a performance of creepy chanting and rhythmic swaying as the swami took their hand and examined their palm. Eventually he would produce a large bingo marker and stamp their up-turned hand leaving a large red blotch. “Anyone else want their palm red?” he’d shout, pushing the person aside to roars of laughter.