15th Annual Trick or Treat Festival & Day of the Dead Celebration October 28, 2012

The 15th Annual Trick or Treat Festival slated for Sunday, October 28 at the Orange County Market Place, the weekend swap meet at the O.C. Fair & Event Center, Costa Mesa will forego some of its usual events, including the hearse procession through town and the giant whimsical pumpkin carving, both of which have been featured for 10 years, in exchange for a Day of the Dead celebration contrasted with some scary political pumpkins.

Hearses will still play a major role at the Festival, particularly with the presentation of the Mexican tradition of honoring the dead. Phantom Coaches Hearse Club members and other enthusiasts will bring their antique, classic, vintage and restored hearses, funeral cars and ambulances for an all-day show and judging including a new Altar Contest for creating La ofrendas, the special tribute displays celebrating a deceased person’s life. Their arrival to the show will be greeted by Mariachi Romanza.
The Day of the Dead aspect will also feature performances by Xipe Totec Danzantes Aztecas and Relámpago del Cielo Grupo de Folklorico, free sugar skull painting, stilt calacas, debuting Dia de las Muertos artists : Juan Cuevas and Maria C.C. of La Habra with paintings and décor and Sugar Skull Arte by Dany Hernandez of Orange.

An ofrenda in honor of the Harry Houdini, the famous magician and escape artist who died on Halloween, created by Cuevas will be displayed on the main stage.

While honoring one tradition in earnest, the other featured add –on will be presented with much satirical parody: the likenesses of presidential candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney sculpted in squash. Make-Up Artist-Sculptor-Paleontologist Doug Goodreau of Tujunga will put a new face on “scary” political elections with his creations. There will also be a Mock Election for the public to vote for their favorite pumpkin head candidate, and win one of them. Goodreau emphasizes “unusual and scary” vs. gigantic size pumpkin sculptures, which have been previously featured each year by “Farmer” Mike Valladao and included “canvasses” weighing more than 400 pounds.

Goodreau will also carve out a variety of Day of the Dead theme pumpkins throughout the day.

Free trick or treating will continue to be offered for kids in costume from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the first 500 kids also receive a FREE gift from the O.C. Market Place.

At 1 p.m. the Second Annual I Scream for Ice Cream Contest presented by Farrell`s Ice Cream Parlour Restaurants returns in which the best screams get you a $50 Farrell`s Zoo Party for first place, $30 worth of Farrell`s Ice Cream for second place and $10 worth for third place. All contestants receive a free ice cream cone! Divisions for 12 and under and 13 and older will be offered with 15 contestants per division. Sign up in advance at [email protected].

Farrell’s will also be offering a special “Sundae of the Dead” in the hearse show area, which includes gummy worms and cookie dirt.

The costume contest this year for ages 13 and older will be a Dead Celebrity Costume Contest at 2 p.m. Participants should come as their favorite "departed" celebrity/famous person. Prizes awarded for first through third place will include trophies and $10 to $30 gift certificates to Mi Casa Mexican Food Restaurant in Costa Mesa.

FreakShow Deluxe, Winner of the 2010 Hollywood Fringe Festival`s Award for Best Cabaret/Circus, will bring their carnival style sideshows to the stage including fire eating, bed of nails, ladder of machetes, glass eating and Houdini escapes. Circus sideshow magician and comedian Aye Jaye will do a few vaudeville style tricks and illusions and host the scream and costume contests.

Also offered is a kid`s costume parade with sweets and music makers for all and a march through the aisles with Ukulady who will also sing skeleton and spider songs. Steven Williamson, the Voice of Illusion will do a singing Houdini escape act; and kids can get a free monster mask in Monster Mash Musical Chairs Contest.

Free face painting along with free Swazzle Puppetry`s Interactive Halloween Puppet Shows: "Monster Mash Up" at 10:30 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. is included.

Admission is $2 or FREE for children 12 and under. More info and complete schedule at www.ocmarketplace.com or call 949-723-6660

Official Website: http://www.ocmarketplace.com