Making Knoxville Spooky, Together.

Halloween is a very unique American holiday. With origins in the Celtic end-of-year celebration of Samhain (pronounced Sowin), and later influenced by the Catholic Church, Irish immigrants brought the day to our country (and our city) over 150 years ago. Today, it is the only major U.S. holiday that recognizes the dark and spooky things in life, as well as the only one that gives a center stage to the reality of of mortality, which we believe is a good and healthy thing. It is also the main holiday in which people are encouraged to be creative and become someone else for a night and to let loose and embrace the strange, weird, and scary.

We think this is good too.

 

Aside from our love for what the holiday and overall Spooky Season represent, Halloween has become big business, with Americans only spending more money at Christmastime. We believe that making Knoxville - especially the downtown area - a uniquely well known area for Halloween will not only be a boon for the economy (think about how many people travel every October to places like New Orleans, Salem, or Savannah) but that the non-religious, creative, and relatable spirit of the holiday (everyone finds something spooky!) is a great way to build community and make Knoxvillians even more proud of where they live. Like the original celebrants of Samhain, we strive to make October in Knoxville a time for gathering and celebrating before the weather turns cold and the nights get dark. 

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Will you join us in making our home The Spooky City?