Halloween Web - Halloween is Forever Part 1

 We're shaking up the schedule this week to fit in three....three interviews! AH! AH! AH!

This week we're talking Halloween with the folks behind the Halloween is Forever podcast. They mostly talk horror flicks/shows with a side of snacks and adult beverages. They could call the show Brews & Boos!

Anyway, on to our first subject, Brian.

Please tell the folks about yourself.

My name is Brian Reed and I’m 1/3 of the Halloween Is Forever Podcast—you can find us on any major podcast platform. I’m also 1 of 19 Master Cicerones globally—which is the beer equivalent of a Master Sommelier. Meg, Steve and I all work and are active in the craft beer community, so beer is a common topic on our show as well.

What was your childhood Halloween like?

I grew up in rural western PA, so trick-or-treat (when I was younger) was riding from house to house in the back of a pickup truck. My brother, cousins and I would always finish the night at my grandparents’ house, where my aunt would have the place decked out with decorations and spooky sounds tapes blasting out the window! When we got a bit older, our parents would let us go with friends to an adjacent town with walkable neighborhoods; these were some of my most special trick-or-treat memories. The freedom of running around like maniacs, ringing doorbells and stuffing our faces with candy was intoxicating!

Do you have any special Halloween memories?

My late Aunt Jill used to organize these INSANELY intricate and involved Halloween scavenger hunts for the whole family. They would usually last all day and involve driving all over the place, detailed sets for games and riddled and a multitude of volunteer characters! It was wild! 

What about favorite costumes?

Probably Mighty Morphin Power Rangers when I was maybe 9 or 10? Last year was super fun too because my wife, my two daughters and I did a group costume—my wife and oldest daughter were mummies and my youngest and I were vampires (see first pic). 

What do you do to celebrate these days?

I love to decorate. I’ve got a pretty cool yard display and it’s growing every year! Once my kids are a bit older, I’m planning to expand into a more involved home haunt! My wife and I like to host a big party with friends and family—not as easy to do with COVID—but hosting socially-distant, outdoor movie nights has been a fun alternative. Personally, I love to visit all types of haunts and horror attractions too. 

Do you have any seasonal traditions?

My family and I all love to do art of all kinds, so we typically plan some art projects with the kids (e.g. spooky portraits). Of course, we carve jack-o-lanterns, so a trip to the local pumpkin patch is something we look forward to. I also have a large, ceramic Halloween village that I build every year—always something I look forward to.

Do you watch anything in particular to get into the spooky season?

Obviously, horror and spooky flicks are a year-round thing for me, but there are definitely some favorites that I like to save for the spooky season! Halloween (1978), It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and an episode of The Adventures of Pete & Pete entitled Halloweenie are certainly ones I never miss.

Why do you think Halloween sticks with us as we get older?

Whether it’s the artistic touch that goes in to creating a costume or a yard display, or the performative nature of being a scare actor, Halloween is a great opportunity for self-expression, and a desire to express oneself is something you never grown out of. Then, of course, there is the nostalgia factor. Halloween, for many of us, is an easy connection to memories of a more care-free time on our lives. Lastly, for horror nerds (like myself), it’s impossible to not get excited about a season that celebrates the topics you obsess over all year!

Inside the Spookster's Studio

The worst thing to get while trick or treating was religious literature/pamphlets 

My favorite thing to get was Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and homemade popcorn balls!

My favorite monster cereal is Count Chocula but my favorite mascot is Boo Berry!

You can find Halloween is Forever on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Their podcast is available on iTunes, Podbean, and other places you find great podcasts. A big thanks to Brian and the Halloween is Forever crew for joining us this year. 

Stay tuned this week for parts 2 & 3!

Click below to visit the Countdown site with a list of all the participating blogs!