It is good to be a thirsty witch or warlock, and that’s only the costuming start on Saturday

The witching hour is near, along with its different forms of costumed revelry, and what follows is a primer to profile many of the Halloween parties and costume contests to hit the Hudson area this weekend. (And, for even more costumed enjoyment, they’ll go an hour later than usual because of the Daylight Savings Time switchover).
— The party at Shiner’s in Lakeland is set apart from others because it has an accompanying and ongoing outdoor bonfire, as well as one free drink, among the various fun options available, for patrons dressed as witches or warlocks.
The main party is Saturday from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. and features live music from the band Trouble Maker, $15 gift cards handed out every 60 minutes, (on the half-hour) for best costume, and an overall $75 gift card given at midnight for the best group costume.
The bonfire is out in back — in the area that during the summer had lots of action at sand volleyball courts, and continues well into the fall to have a big, active patio that’s complete with lots of big table-topping umbrellas and big heaters, when the weather makes it necessary. That just might come into play, as the bonfire will go on virtually all day, and into the dark night, possibly even through the witching hour, (for prize-hungry patrons so dressed).
Participants must be 21 years or older. The bar and grill is located along St. Croix Trail, a mile or so south of Interstate 94.
— Ellie’s on Main has a costume contest of such a large scale that you have to be there a half-hour early, even though judging is held late, (between midnight and 1 a.m.), to take part.
On Saturday, such patrons typically gather around the dance floor in a circle several layers deep, so they can cheer as the finalists strut their stuff to help their cause. While they dance in the middle of that circle, the deejay serves as an emcee. A sign outside Ellie’s promotes both the contest and Jose Cuervo tequila, and notes that partiers need to “have a story.” Hey, they’ll have no problem coming up with one.
First prize for best costume is $150, second $100 and third $75.
— The Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt is one of just a few venues offering costume contests on both Friday and Saturday, as well as bands both nights. Like the Four Horsemen, numerically, that’s four ways to enjoy the Halloween weekend.
It’s just cool enough that an alleged local ghost, who knows, just might come in out of the cold and make one of his rare appearances. Eerie, but no reason to be frightened, everyone says. Just another mystery to make Halloween fun.
The band on Friday is Country Outlaws, and on Halloween itself is Strangers, taking the stage at about 9 p.m. That’s starting a bit earlier than usual to benefit the costumed crowd, and they go strong until 1 a.m. Costume judging on both nights is at midnight during a set break from the music, and there are gift card prizes for first, second and third places.
As is reported by late-night staff in at least four bars right around Hudson, The Willow also allegedly has its ghost, which fits the bill that has often been described at these places — that of an old-time hunter all dressed up and ready to hit the woods prior to his demise, but first making the rounds on occasion, using a similar path, in the tavern. (Fans may note that Cardinal quarterback Carson Palmer, when addressing the media after breaking records on Monday Night Football, wore similar flannel, as was seen at local sports bars, including the Willow). Its staff, past and present, add that there have been instances of the electric lights oddly going on and off upstairs, (and hey, noting the holiday at hand, that’s not exactly reaching Heavenward).
Other venues where there have been strange goings-on include the former Dibbo’s music hall (in their basement), and across the street in what is now the Winzer Stube (all along the bar rail late at night when staff used to close).
— The newly recreated Guv’s Place, in the North Hudson building that used to be Mudd’s ‘N Sudds, offers a whole host of new Halloween possibilities for co-owner Jess Thompson, who treats this as the Holy Grail of holidays.
Because the design of the building is new to them and L-shaped, all her favorite beasties have new homes from which to haunt humans. For example, there are several monsters apparently trapped beneath the ceiling, which has an overhang above the bar rail that is only a foot or two tall but covers the size of a couple of big rooms. These creatures can be seen poking their heads out, while chains sometimes hang from them — but not weighing them down enough to make them crash to the floor. However, to view all these you might have to crane your own neck.
And that’s what it’s really all about, coming to visit whether you be an old patron or newbie, and seeing what Jess has done differently from her former Halloween in Houlton digs. You can check it out over coffee, a beer, or some food for breakfast or otherwise, between now and Halloween on Saturday, or possibly a bit beyond that point, as the decorations probably won’t be taken down right away. A logical time for such exploration might be Halloween night, when there will be Jess’ typical party to mark the holiday, her first in the new joint, and creatures will abound, whether in the form of patrons or things hanging from the wall.
That night, in one of several such offerings in the area, the Absolut Girl models will be on hand doing their thing with vodka from 9-11 p.m. And their also will be live music, of course, from Wade and Ella, starting at about the same time.
And not all those things need to be over the top to be scary. The fact that there are more tap beers in the offing than at their former location, means there are all kinds of diminutive demons scattered amongst the spouts that make all those brews pour. Other ghouls of their small stature, as also seen at other venues, are hanging from the edges of wreath-like weavings on the walls.
Also new, there is a serpent wrapped around the steel ceiling frames, and for a decidedly local twist, an RIP tombstone that’s almost three feet high that has scrawlings on it about “The Nightmare before PepperFest.”
Some of the bigger monsters appear to be new to the Guv’s Place anthology, and they’ve been thoughtfully erected by Jess over the past couple of weeks, tidying up a video gaming station here and a table with chairs there to make room for them showing their true colors, of late October. Jess said her main challenge has been finding ways to fit them all in.
— Other than those previewed above, there also are noteworthy extravaganzas in the area at Dick’s Bar and Grill (Saturday night) and the Smilin’ Moose (both Friday and Saturday, with the biggest prizes) in downtown Hudson, the Village Inn in North Hudson (Saturday), Bo’s ‘N Mine, Maverick’s, Shooters and Juniors in River Falls (all on Saturday, with the latter being biggest in scale), Woody’s in Bayport (Saturday), and Coaches in River Falls (a rare Friday party).
— If you’ve had too much of Halloween, (after reading all this stuff?), turn your focus back to football. There will be a “live drawing party” at the Willow River Saloon at 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2, and this facet is new to the endeavor in 2015. The drawing is for a set of tickets to Viking-Packer games on either Nov. 22 at TCF Bank Stadium, or Jan. 3 at Lambeau Field. The chances to win stem from clipping and delivering registration slips, from the Oct. 18 edition of The Shopper/Free Press, to participating local businesses. Hurry while there is still time.