Halloween at Moogfest

Going away for Halloween weekend usually means missing out on hometown Halloween parties and fun. But, as I quickly discovered, going to Moogfest over Halloween weekend means taking the festivities to a new level (and extending them by a few days).

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Costumes were everywhere over the weekend—from elaborate group costumes (pirates, sea creatures, Wizard of Oz characters) to the extreme (people on gigantic stilts at the high ceilinged-Asheville Civic Center). I saw a number of well-done Black Swan costumes consisting of black tutus, black leotards, and the trademark face paint. Clearly, not everyone picked out their costumes according to the usual festival practicalities—comfortable shoes, layers of clothing, etc.

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Friday, the first day of Moogfest, was wet and cold. The rain periodically came down in torrential sheets, actually soaking through my so-called rain coat at one point. But while I was shivering in my wet coat, boots, and a scarf, people were running from venue to venue in full costume. If I didn’t know it before, I realized pretty quickly: Moogers are hardcore about dressing up.

As you might expect, Saturday was the biggest day/night for costumes. By dusk, almost everyone in downtown Asheville was wearing a costume. I even recognized a few costumes from Friday night, which had miraculously survived the nasty weather. (There’s something about packing for a three-day festival with only one outfit in your bag—that outfit being a Halloween costume—that’s kind of crazy and impressive all at the same time.)

Instead of feeling like I was missing out on Halloween parties back in New York, I felt like I was at one giant party—except that the music was good, and live. Even walking the streets of Asheville from venue to venue was fun. I almost felt like I was back in middle school, when we would roam the streets after dark in huge packs on Halloween.

Sunday was a bit tamer. There were fewer costumes, but also a smaller crowd in general, as many people had flights back on Sunday afternoon or evening. I did overhear two girls in the bathroom—absolutely covered in fake blood—wondering if they could get on the plane without stopping at the hotel to shower. I’m sure the TSA had a ball with them. Despite there being fewer zombies in the downtown area by Sunday evening, the Halloween vibe was still going strong. The closing bands on Sunday night seemed to harness some invisible Halloween force—putting on super energetic performances and sometimes running past their allotted times.

When I finally got to New York and got the question, “What did you do for Halloween?” I almost didn’t know how to answer. Let’s see, I traveled to Asheville, saw a ton of amazing bands, went to more than 10 venues, participated in giant dance parties, and so much more. I guess the simplest answer is: I went to Moogfest. For those who have been, you know what that means. For those who haven’t been, I hope you get to go in the near future. Just don’t forget to bring a costume!

Keep checking back because we're not finished with costumes yet! We'll be posting our galleries within the upcoming week. If you were at Moogfest and didn't get snapped by one of our photographers, you shouldn't be surprised if we caught your friend when you were off grabbing a drink. Also, if you haven't checked out the official Moogfest costume contest, you can view all the entries in the Moogfest Facebook album.

We'll also be featuring fans, their costumes, and crazy situations in a new series of videos, entitled "A Very Moogfest Halloween." Make sure you watch the first one that features a crazy alien & roller disco flashmob that broke-out in the middle of Childish Gambino's set.

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