Today we’re starting off with Chicken & Liver Pâté doughnuts and capping off with a dose of the best Halloween entertainment in the city.
Last Sunday Brewery and the Beast took place at Phillips Backyard. Thousands of hungry and thirsty ticket holders showed up to taste incredible food creations and thirst-quenching beer and wine. The selections of food were outstanding and the Game of Thrones style goat-on-a-spike from Yalla was nothing but impressive. One particular item, however, was being talked about in every group of conversation…
Yonni’s Pâté doughnuts – Yup, a doughy, honey drizzled doughnut filled with chicken and liver pâté. At first you want to instantly refuse – but the combo is actually quite delicious! Who would’ve thought?! Make sure you buy your tickets to this event next spring as soon as they go on sale – you don’t want to miss it again!
Halloween is right around the corner and for those of you who are into dressing up are going to a show, now is the time you’re tracking down the best events. Let us save you some time.
Rocky Horror Picture Show • Oct 18-29
Atomic Vaudeville is putting on the Rocky Horror Picture Show once again, this time at the Metro Studio Theatre. Local “Jimbo” is in charge of costumes (which will no doubt stun audiences), and “Britt” of Atomique Vaudeville is directing the show – something she is a pro at. Buy your tickets now as this WILL sell out!
Atomic Vaudeville Halloween Cabaret • Oct 20-31
For one of Atomic Vaudeville’s more classic shows of randomness, check out their cabaret at the Victoria Event’s Centre. We can’t really describe this one, so here’s what they say:”Picture if you will: You’ve carved your jack-o-lantern for All Hallows’ Eve and decided on a costume, when suddenly you see something from the corner of your eye; a flash of terror, an uneasy cackle, a dance-off from beyond the grave. You try to make sense of it all, but something seems… off… your mind races, your palms are sweaty, your breath is shallow, your pupils – dilated. Was that scary clown a sloth?”
Listen below as Dan Gunn describes all of this and more on the Zone at 91.3fm’s morning show…
In 2005 a documentary was released called “Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream” (click here for a clip). It explored the anything-goes era of 1970s cult films and their continuing influence on pop culture and modern society.
While this activity is a thing of the past, local group Atomic Vaudeville is bringing back their rendition of the Rocky Horror Show: Live from Oct 19th to 29th at the Metro Studio. It’s become a must-see in our city and tickets sell out very quickly. If you can’t get tickets, they have another show called Make Halloween Great Again that is bound to be another hit.
There are many Halloween events happening all over the city including the sold out Night Shift: Haunted Halloweenat the Royal BC Museum, but if you look closely you’ll also see our city transform into Canada’s Haunted Capital with things like city benches decorated with bat wings by local fabricator, Russell Papp!
Holy bat wing bench!
Listen below as Dan Gunn discusses all of this and more, including what all the toast is about, on the Zone@91.3fm‘s morning show.
Victoria is well known as one of Canada’s most haunted cities. Theories of why so many ghosts inhabit the area include:
The long period of human occupation, spanning 6,000 years from the arrival of the first aboriginal inhabitants
Cracks, or “ley lines”, in the earth’s surface beneath Victoria emit powerful magnetic energy that somehow attracts spirits and magnifies their presence
The surrounding salt water, the underlying bedrock, the distant hills and mountains that wrap around the region and the abundant natural springs all help retain ghostly energy.
We were going to cover haunted areas of Victoria, but there isn’t much out there you haven’t already heard, so let’s talk about another dark secret of Victoria… the fact that it’s the Satanic Capital of the World…
Satanism is a broad term referring to a group of ideological and philosophical beliefs. Satanism includes symbolic association with, or admiration for, Satan, whom Satanists see as an inspiring and liberating figure. It was estimated that there were 50,000 Satanists in 1990, and there may now be as many as one hundred thousand Satanists in the world. The second largest gathering is in Geneve, Switzerland.
The satanic culture could very well be rich in popularity here due to the abundance of spirits and paranormal activity, but satanism really grew larger after the bestseller “Michelle Remembers” was released in 1980, the first ever book on satanic ritual abuse.
It’s based on Lawrence Pazder, who started treating Michelle Smith in 1973 at his private psychiatric practice in Victoria, BC.
He uses hypnosis to help Michelle recover alleged memories of Satanic ritual abuse that occurred when she was five in the 50s at the hands of her mother.
The book has been discredited by several investigations which found no corroboration of the book’s events, while others have pointed out that the events described in the book were extremely unlikely and in some cases impossible. There was an entire investigation conducted and the Bishop of Victoria at the time, Remi De Roo, was even brought into it.
Whether or not the book is based on the wild imagination of one woman, it still opened the gates for Satanic followers to flock to the so-called city of flowers.
It’s also rumoured that Victoria’s abundance of rabbits was a result of the “Order of Dragons” group attempting to breed a type of animal that would allow individuals with higher blood potency to feed off of them. They chose rabbits, set up a breeding program, and failed miserably. Doesn’t make them look so furry and cute anymore, does it?
Another interesting satanism history point is the “Brethren War”. It was a conflict of various packs of the “Uratha” group for territory in North America that soon spiraled out of control. Many of the “Forsaken’s” oldest and strongest had fallen in a terrible struggle against potent spirit enemies, and the younger packs began to fight one another to claim the prize territories that the elders’ deaths had left unclaimed (Victoria). Stay with me, here’s where it gets interesting…
The “Pure” group swept down on the Forsaken and executed a strategy that resulted in the worst winter Victoria had ever seen – over 120 cm of snow fell in 1996. It was a winter that was referred to as the storm of the century or the Blizzard of 96. It hasn’t been matched in its intensity since and leaves many locals with stories that start with “I remember it like it was yesterday…”
There are signs that Satanic beliefs have become more socially tolerated. Satanism is now allowed in the Royal Navy of the British Armed Forces, despite opposition from Christians, and in 2005, the Supreme Court of the United States debated over protecting the religious rights of prison inmates after a lawsuit challenging the issue was filed to them.
So, if you didn’t already know this dark history, now you do, and we hope it inspires you to bring Halloween back to it’s dark, creepy and disturbing nature and tuck away that barely-there costume or made-from-a-bad-pun homemade ensemble. Well, we don’t want to discourage creativity, but try and jazz it up with some of our incredible local history!
Explore our fine city and take in everything you can. Here’s a few things happening around town.
Wicked Victoria– Government street from Courtney to Yates Oct 25 only, The street will be transformed into “Boo Boulevard” with frightfully fun family activities on every block!
The Rocky Horror Show: Liveat Metro Studio Theatre $30, Oct 23, 25, 28, 29, 30 | 8PM, OR Oct 24, 31 | 7PM and 10PM
Pumpkinfest at Galey Farms (in addition to festival of fear) (Featuring Galey’s Farm Corn Maze, Market & Railway) 10am-4pm, Sat/Sun only, goes until Oct 31.
Spooky Seaside Cinemaat the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort & Spa 6pm on the inner harbour side, Oct 30, 31
Nightmare at the Museum – Oct 31 Sold out event, look on UsedVic for last minute available tickets
IFCon Victoria – Pearkes Arena Oct 31-Nov 1. Featuring the Smoking Man from the x-files!
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