Halloween

It’s that time again - carved pumpkins, falling leaves, and costumed kids demanding candy from strangers – it’s Halloween! Or, as it was once called, All Hallows’ Eve. But how did it all begin?

To mitigate the risk of accidents, doctors say pedestrians and drivers should stay alert and exercise extra caution. Wearing safe costumes and avoiding open flames for decorations are also must-dos.

Every holiday has its back-story and a bit of history – many also have associations with the wild things around us. Halloween is a holiday rich in lore of wild things – such as bats and spiders --and domesticated plants and animals such as pumpkins, rutabagas, and black cats. Rutabagas? Learn the connection as this week’s Wild Things celebrates those wild and not so wild connections in the lore and history of Halloween.

“Monster Mash” reached number one on the Billboard Top 100 chart for the first time on October 20, 1962. It stayed there for two weeks. The popular song was banned by BBC when it first came out because it was too "morbid." Isn't that the point?

Fort Myers Theatre's rendition of "The Rocky Horror Show" leads audiences into a catacomb of chaos and fun, perfect for well-acquainted Rocky Horror fans or "complete virgins" to the interactive experience.

Candy wrappers collected through Trick or Trash are mailed to a recycling processor. The recycling processor sorts and cleans the candy wrappers before the material is shredded and pelletized. The plastic from the candy wrappers is used to create doggy bags for local animal shelters.

Southwest Florida has a few Romeo and Juliet stories, including the tragic tale of lovers Amos and Ingrid.

We listen back to our 2018 conversation exploring some of Florida’s strangest tales of the macabre, murder, monsters and mystery with author and Florida history and folklore researcher Mark Muncy.

Halloween is a fang-tastic time to dig into a few lesser-known Florida ghost stories, myths, and hauntings. Uncover the tale of the cursed children of Coker Cemetery in Arcadia, Florida.

What makes a monster? How does folklore affect culture? Dr. Emily Zarka, Monster Expert and host of PBS Digital Studios MONSTRUM, explores the complex histories and motivations behind some of the world's most famous monsters, myths and legends.