Kindred spirits

Welcome to our October 2017 edition of Family Guide, which I’m stoked to say is all about Halloween.

As a kid growing up in Nevada, Halloween always held a special place among holidays in my heart, second only to Christmas—maybe. I knew Halloween was also a day for celebrating Nevada’s statehood, and I felt a level of pride knowing my state had an association with this coolest of holidays. Of course, back then, I didn’t realize how few states even hold an annual shindig like Nevada’s statehood celebration. Not many do—but I’m certainly glad ours does.

The pomp and circumstance of parades pooled with the excitement of candy and costumes was, for me, a heady mix that constituted the finest day of the year. I’d like to think it’s the same for kids today. But let’s talk about what we’ve got in store for you in this guide.

If you’re looking for some frightening flicks to watch in the coming days, take a look at page 8, where you’ll find a story from our resident movie guy, Bob Grimm. He’s put together a list of recommendations for movies you can watch at home this Halloween.

When it comes to costuming, it’s safe to say that few places do it as well as Reno. From little kids to full grown adults, we’re a community that loves to dress up. In that spirit, we’ve got a few costume-related stories. Josie Glassberg’s piece, on page 10, examines princess culture and the hold it can have on little girls, especially around Halloween. And over on page 6, Matt Bieker has the scoop on grownup getups for the holiday.

For my part in this guide, I got to know a lovely family. They’re the Kerrs, and for the last 12 years, it has been their joy in life to scare the hell out of people with their annual Slaughter House haunted attraction. You can read their story on page 4.

Happy Halloween!

Jeri Chadwell

RN&R Special Projects Editor