Piikani holds Halloween Masquerade Powwow and Haunted House

A devilishly good time was had by all at the Piikani Masquerade

Toni Lucas - The Peigan Community Hall in Brocket was the scene of much merriment over the Halloween weekend, with Masquerade volleyball and a number of other events in the community culminating in a Masquerade Powwow and Haunted House on Sunday evening, October 30.

Kym Creighton of the Piikani Youth Centre said that although the Youth Centre had made a haunted house for the last seven years, it was the first time that the organization had worked with other groups for this event. This year the event was put on by Piikani Youth Centre, Piikani Mental Health Services, and Piikani Child and Family Services, with the help of volunteers. Kyle Blood acted as MC for the evening. Star Cardinal of Piikani Mental Health Services was one of the main organizers.

The Piikani Halloween Masquerade Powwow and Haunted House was a
big hit with the vampire set

Rebecca and Shay with new baby Xavier

There was a costume competition for the best and scariest costumes in a variety of age categories. There were also several dance competitions.

Two local drumming groups performed, the North Stone Drummers and the Crow Lodge Drummers. They were joined later in the evening by surprise guests Old Agency.

Everyone was welcome to a free meal, the kids got goodie bags, and there was cotton candy for children and adults alike.

Super-scary fun-time in the haunted house

The scary haunted house was a mostly dark space, only illuminated by brief, bright flashes of light. Dark, cobwebbed corridors were filled with ghoulish sights and sounds made more frightening by the thick fog obscuring the view. Kids were invited to put their hands into dark boxes, filled with the unknown. Was it eyeballs? Brains? Worms? Only the bravest found out, that's for sure. 

One young girl asked if I went through the haunted house. When I said yes, she leaned into me and asked, wide-eyed, "Did something grab your legs?" I nodded at her. "And touch your hair?" she said, shuddering. "Yes", I assented. She said that "it was a very, very scary."