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Baton Rouge Halloween: Halloween Parade & Fifolet Festival

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10/31 Consortium is a Baton Rouge-based non-profit organization established in July 2010. The organization is a club for Halloween enthusiasts which hosts several Halloween-themed events throughout the year. These events all lead up to the organization’s largest events, the Fifolet Halloween Festival, Baton Rouge Halloween Parade and Pumpkin Pi 3.14 Mile Race and Tough Pumpkin Challenge! The organization remains dedicated to children and the preservation of this Autumn tradition by raising money for Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, collecting food for the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, collecting costumes for children in the Baton Rouge Big Buddy Program and by working with area neighborhoods to promote safe Trick or Treat practices. Baton Rouge Moms is honored to partner with 10/31 Consortium as their media sponsor and we have an amazing giveaway to share with you, see below! 

Baton Rouge Halloween Halloween Festival – Filofet

This 4 day Halloween festival in Downtown Baton Rouge is a collaborative event with 10/31 Consortium and other local businesses and non-profit organizations. From family fun to adult fun, the Fifolet Festival has Halloween fun for everyone! See the full schedule below or list your event on the schedule today!

Join us for Halloween Town on the Levee Green, fun for the whole family, vendor booths, food and beverages, live entertainment, contests, character encounters and much more! 

DATE: Saturday, October 27, 2018
TIME: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
LOCATION: On the Levee Green between the USS Kidd and LASM

Baton Rouge Halloween Pumpkin Pi, Tough Pumpkin Challenge, Lil’ Pumpkins 1 Mile Fun Run

This is no ordinary 5k. This 3.14 mile long race on the Mississippi River Levee (by the USS Kidd) is exactly 200 feet longer than a 5k. And, it is Baton Rouge’s only Halloween costume race! Take the Tough Pumpkin Challenge and run “the pi” while holding a pumpkin! All participants will receive a finisher’s medal. A special medal will be awarded to those completing the Tough Pumpkin Challenge. Additional prizes will be awarded by age group. REGISTER HERE

Baton Rouge Halloween Parade

Baton Rouge Halloween Parade

Don’t forget to DRESS IN COSTUME and bring nonperishable FOOD DONATIONS for the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. The food bank truck will lead the parade and actively take donations straight from the crowd!

2018 Theme – Things That Go Bump in the Night

2018 Grand Marshal – Jodi Koontz of Murphy, Sam and Jodi

 

Walk in the Parade!!

No Krewe? No problem!  Individual Walkers must dress according to categories as they will be grouped together with other Individual Walkers to form the semblance of a Walking Unit. This is a great way to make new friends and start your own krewe next year! Members can register as an Individual Walker for $15. Non-members are subject to a 20% fee increase.

INDIVIDUAL WALKER REGISTRATION FORM

 GIVEAWAY: 2 Spots on 10/31 Consortium’s Baton Rouge Halloween Float – plus 6 walking spots!

Baton rouge halloween parade

All are encouraged to help out because it’s a fun way to get to know your fellow riders. We will share the date and time on decorating with the winner! The only costume requirement is that you do need to wear a costume. It can be anything you are comfortable in as there is no specific theme for this particular float.
The minimum age to ride is 6.

Enter the Giveaway on Facebook!! 

 

10/31 Consortium’s 6th Annual Ghostly Gala Fundraiser

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Kick off the Fifolet Halloween Festival at the 6th Annual Ghostly Gala! This event is the corresponding masquerade ball to the Baton Rouge Halloween Parade, 10/31 Consortium’s main fundraiser. Guests will enjoy an open bar, a full buffet with amazing desserts, door prizes, raffle drawings, costume contest, table decorating contest, dancing, games, live entertainment, live music and more! The Ghostly Gala is a major fundraiser for 10/31 Consortium. Proceeds from the gala help further their initiatives of creating a safe and happy Halloween for the children in our community. 

There are many reasons to love all that 10/31 Consortium hosts during Halloween season but there is a reason and a cause behind all the fun… above all else, 10/31 Consortium is about providing hope and resources for children. It is their goal to inspire and encourage the children of Baton Rouge through the fun and creativity of Halloween. They have chosen three very worthy charities as beneficiaries of our hard work and living symbols of their motto: Community, Courage, Creativity.

Entertainment this year includes live music from Carbon Copy Band and a special performance by Bayou Cirque entitled “Dark Circus!” You don’t want to miss Baton Rouge’s most artistic, creative and wicked charity fundraiser of the year!

6th Annual Ghostly Gala

WHEN: Friday, October 19 
WHERE: Crown Plaza Executive Center – Main Ballroom 4728 Constitution Avenue
Raffles and Games: Raffle and game tickets must be purchased in order to participate. These can be purchased in advance or at the door. Raffle item preview coming soon! Bring non-perishable food or a child-sized costume donation to receive door prize tickets. The dress is costume or creative formal. This is a 21+ event. See pictures from past Ghostly Galas HERE!

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE: https://1031consortium.com/index.php/ghostly-gala-2/

 

 

Raising Compassionate Leaders – Kids’ Court Youth Leadership Program

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Many of you know 10/31 Consortium as the organization that plans the Baton Rouge Halloween Parade and many other fun events on the Fifolet Halloween Festival schedule. However, few realize these Halloween enthusiasts are also a creative community-minded 501c3 nonprofit. The mission of the organization is to give every child in our area a safe and happy Halloween. This sounds simple enough but the reality is a complex network of giving built on a foundation of love for the City of Baton Rouge, its children, and of course, Halloween. (Read more on their Goals and Objectives HERE.)

Kids’ Court Youth Leadership and Volunteer Program

Earlier this year, 10/31 Consortium announced a new program for children: The Kids’ Court Youth Leadership and Volunteer Program. This program, for children age 6 to senior in high school, teaches valuable lessons in organization, compassion and public speaking. Participating children are also the selection pool to receive the honors of Baton Rouge Halloween Parade Royalty.

The program has 2 components: Service Work and Royal Titles.

Children in the Service Work phase of the program manage 10/31 Consortium’s Costume and Candy Drive by decorating and delivering donation bins to drop off locations, collecting donations, and then sorting and matching donations to children in need. They also manage and staff the Costume Giveaway Day which puts costumes directly into the hands of children who need them. The Service Work phase runs from mid-August to mid-October. Applications for Service Work may be submitted at any time. Only children who have fully completed Service Work in the year prior will be eligible for Royal Titles, like Prince or Princess of the Halloween Parade. Note that it is stated on the website, “Considering the newness of the program, there may be some overlap in Service Work and Royal Titles during the first few years until the application pool increases.”

Raising Compassionate Leaders

2018 Kids’ Court: Prince Wesley Stein, Princess Madeline McCoy, and Pages Caroline Chick, Clara Collins, Iris Collins, Lola Didier, Alex Gabel, Jack Gabel, Ella King and Ciarra Whyte

Raising Compassionate Leaders

There are many program benefits listed on the website:

Lessons in Organization – Managing the Costume and Candy Drive teaches children time management and responsibility. They must decorate and deliver donation bins within a certain time-frame, follow up with the donation location, and sort through the hundreds of donated costumes to match them to beneficiaries. Natural leaders will flourish in this process and those needing to hone these skills gain valuable experience.

Lessons in Compassion – Staffing the Costume Giveaway Day is an experience they will never forget. Families from all over the Baton Rouge area (and even as far away as New Orleans) line up to “shop” the free costume selection. Your children will assist, serve and help children in need find the costume they have always wanted. The feeling of giving those smiles and the simple joy of a Halloween costume to a child who might not otherwise have it is a beautiful experience.

Lessons in Public Speaking – Children awarded with Royal Titles will have opportunities to represent the Kids’ Court Program at various community events. They will speak in front of a crowd and possibly in front of a camera. While these opportunities are generally reserved for the Prince and Princess, Pages may attend and assist as well. This is a lesson that will serve them well in adulthood.

Notoriety – Children awarded with Royal Titles will have may have their names and photographs appear in local publications. They will also have their names and photographs listed on the 10/31 Consortium website and on the 10/31 Consortium and Fifolet Halloween Festival social media profiles. The Prince and Princess will also have their picture on the Party Time Kids’ Court Float in the Baton Rouge Halloween Parade.

 

Coronation – Children awarded Royal Titles will receive a crown or pin and a sash at their official Royal Coronation as part of the Black and Orange Bash in late April.

 

You can read more about the program fees, which are unusually affordable for a parade royalty program, and rules HERE.

Costume Giveaway Day

According to Coupon Cabin, the average cost of a Halloween costume is $45. While certainly worth the expense, especially to Halloween fanatics like those in Friends of 10/31 Consortium, it is an impossible expense for many families, particularly those with multiple children. At 10/31 Consortium’s last Costume Giveaway Day, families came from as far away as New Orleans and stood in line for hours to “shop” the free costume selection.

This year’s Costume Giveaway Day is scheduled for Sunday, October 14 from 12 p.m. to 4:00pm at the North Sherwood Forest Community Park in Baton Rouge. Anyone interested in volunteering for the day or having their children participate in the Kids’ Court Youth Leadership and Volunteer Program should email info@1031Consortium.com.

Follow 10/31 Consortium on Facebook HERE.

Follow 10/31 Consortium on Instagram HERE.

Follow the Fifolet Halloween Festival on Facebook HERE.

Follow the Fifolet Halloween Festival on Instagram HERE.

 

Baton Rouge Halloween Town – Pumpkin Pi 3.14 Mile Race GIVEAWAY

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Last October, Baton Rouge Moms had the pleasure of hosting a craft table at 10/31 Consortium’s Family Friendly Baton Rouge Halloween Town. One of my favorite views was watching the kids all decked out in Halloween costumes running the Lil’ Pumpkins Race. A great time was had by all participants and this year’s race events are just around the corner!! Be sure to join us for the Pumpkin Pi 3.14 Mile Race and Tough Pumpkin Challenge and stay a spell to enjoy Halloween Town with the kids! Baton Rouge Moms will be hosting a fun Halloween craft and handing out candy again this year, be sure to stop by and say hi! 
 
Baton Rouge Halloween Town

Baton Rouge Halloween Town Pumpkin Pi 3.14 Mile Race and Tough Pumpkin Challenge 

This is no ordinary 5k. This 3.14 mile long race on the Mississippi River Levee (by the USS Kidd) is exactly 200 feet longer than a 5k. And, it is Baton Rouge’s only Halloween costume race! Take the Tough Pumpkin Challenge and run “the pi” while holding a pumpkin! All participants will receive a finisher’s medal. A special medal will be awarded to those completing the Tough Pumpkin Challenge. Additional prizes will be awarded by age group.
**Pumpkin Pi 3.14 Mile Race and Tough Pumpkin Challenge immediately following the Lil’ Pumpkins Race.
 

WHEN: Saturday, October 28 at 8 AM – 11 AM

WHERE: Levee Green on River Road in Downtown Baton Rouge

PACKET PICK UPThursday, October 26 from Noon to 7 p.m.
Violet Lotus Studio
4213 Government Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70806

RACE DAY SCHEDULE

7:00 a.m. – Late Packet Pick Up / Late Registration / Gear Check Opens located at the 10/31 Consortium tent
7:30 a.m. – Prerun Stretch led by Cecily Criscoe Patin of Radiant Life Yoga and Wellness located on the MS River Pier (the paperclip)
7:55 a.m. – National Anthem (main stage)
8: 00 a.m. – Lil’ Pumpkins 1 Mile Fun Run** / Halloween Town Opens 

REGISTER HERE!!

 
Baton Rouge Halloween Town
 
We have partnered with 10/31 Consortium to host a giveaway for TWO Pumpkin Pi 3.14 Mile Race and Tough Pumpkin Challenge Family Five Packs! Enter to win our Facebook page here! 
 
Baton Rouge Halloween Town

Best and Worst Halloween Candy Options for Children’s Teeth

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“Ask the Experts” is a series on Baton Rouge Moms where local experts share their thoughts, opinions and answer questions relating to health, wellness and parenting. If you have a question for one of our experts, please leave it in the comments below  to be featured in an upcoming article.

Ask the Experts Baton Rouge

Halloween:  A Kid’s Dream and a Dentist’s Nightmare

All kids (and some parents) want to load up on all the Halloween candy they can get. Why even have the “Trick” in “Trick or Treat”?! Right?

As a pediatric dentist, I obviously don’t want your kids to eat too many sweets. Although I love seeing their smiling faces, I don’t want to find new cavities or an unglued crown that came out when they were eating a Laffy Taffy! Moderation is key here.  I would say don’t deprive your kids of candy. After all, that’s what Halloween is all about! But my advice is to go through all the candy together with your kids and choose 2-3 pieces they can have that day. Then stash the rest away out of sight.

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Best and Worst Halloween Candy Options for Children’s Teeth

The best types of candy for your child’s teeth are dark chocolates or sugar-free hard candies. Dark chocolates have antioxidants and are crunchy and dissolve quickly in the mouth. This means your child’s teeth will be exposed to sugar for less time.

Types of candy to avoid are hard candies that remain in the mouth for longer periods of time (i.e. lollipops) because these expose your child’s teeth to sugar over longer periods of time and have an increased chance of causing tooth decay. Similar to hard candy, caramels and gummies will stay in the mouth longer and also tend to stick to our teeth’s biting surface, creating a perfect environment for cavities to form. Sour candies have increased acidity and can cause tooth enamel to break down more quickly.

Healthy Halloween Treats

Another great idea is to give kids fun, but healthy (SHH!) Halloween treats.  I love Pinterest for ideas and found a great site with Halloween snacks for kids. Check it out here: http://www.cleanandscentsible.com/2013/09/heathy-halloween-food-ideas.html

Halloween doesn’t have to be a dentist’s nightmare. As long as candy is eaten in moderation and you supplement that candy with some fun, healthier alternatives, your kids can enjoy Halloween and still have a healthy smile!

For more information on children’s oral health or if you have any questions, please visit www.ascensionsmiles.com or call us at (225) 402-4118.

5 Tips for Safe Trick or Treating

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(HealthDay News) — Arriving home safe and sound is one of the best Halloween treats of all.

To that end, be sure that costumes and goody bags have reflective strips that improve visibility to drivers, said Dr. Sampson Davis, an emergency medicine doctor at Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center in Secaucus, N.J.

Trick-or-treaters should also carry a flashlight, and costumes should be flame-resistant, Davis said.

Safe Trick-or-treating

He offers these others tips:

– If you plan to use makeup, test it on a small area of skin first to ensure it doesn’t cause an allergic reaction. Wash makeup off immediately after returning home.

– Costume accessories should be soft and pliable in order to reduce injury risk. Don’t wear decorative contact lenses, which can cause eye infections.

– Comfortable and supportive footwear can help prevent blisters and sprains.

– Don’t let children eat homemade treats made by strangers and limit the amount of treats they eat at one time.

– When trick-or-treating, children should stay alert and walk in groups or with a trusted adult.”The reality is there are predators who use Halloween in particular as a day to disguise themselves when plotting an attack,” Davis said. “Safeguard your children by making sure they stick together in a large group and have an adult along to prevent an incident from unfolding.”

He reminded trick-or-treaters never to approach or get in a car with a stranger and never enter the home of a stranger. “Halloween is a fun time. Let’s make sure we do all that is possible to keep it that way,” Davis said in a hospital news release.

If children aren’t accompanied by an adult, they should carry a charged cell phone so they can call for help immediately, or provide parents with updates about their location, he said. And kids should know not to text while walking or crossing an intersection.

Monitor how much your kids eat and “filter through the bag of goodies received during trick-or-treating,” Davis added.

Discard homemade treats and unwrapped goods, he said. “The risk isn’t worth it, as one doesn’t know the exact ingredients used in preparation. Prevent possible allergy exposure, bacteria and lastly poison by only allowing wrapped, sealed treats,” Davis said.

275529_GCopyright © 2014 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Thrift Store Halloween Decor

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Thrift Store Halloween Decor
Believe it or not getting your home “Halloween ready” is as easy as a trip to your nearest thrift store. The beauty of Halloween decor is that the more mix/match your items are, the more realistic your scheme will feel. After all, it’s supposed to be somewhat disheveled.

The arrangement above can work for a side table or a mantle.

~Hurricane Vases filled with candy eyeballs, candy corn and moss. . If you can’t find Hurricane vases at your thrift store, attach a glass candle stick to any glass vase using glass glue.

~Mix/Match black candlesticks. Simply spray paint candlesticks you pick up here and there because there’s no reason for them to match. You can pick up candles at any dollar store.

~White pumpkin. Nowadays you can find white pumpkins almost any place that other pumpkins are sold but if you can’t find, spray paint works everytime.

~Fake teeth or joker grillz for greeting guests in theme.

~Spiderwebs. These can be found at any dollar store and really finish off that spooky feel.

~Black birds (rats, bats or cats too). Use black card stock and these FREE Halloween templates to make these come to life. – HGTV has a total of 41 Printable (and Free!) Halloween Templates to choose from!

Halloween Table Centerpiece

Halloween Table Centerpiece Idea

Start with a quick table runner by spreading out cheesecloth a little longer than the length of your table. You can purchase cheesecloth by the yard at most fabric stores and it’s pretty inexpensive. Now place a pumpkin atop a cake stand (another thrift store find) and surround with more black candle sticks and dollar store candles.

Do you have any fun Halloween decorating tips?

Family Friendly Halloween Activities Inspired by Monsters University

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Be amazed as one of Disneyland’s pumpkin carvers brings Mike Wazowski to life out of a simple seasonal gourd in celebration of this week’s release of Monsters University!

Whip up a monstrously delicious Halloween feast with recipes below, care of Mike, Sulley, and the pledges over at OK, PNK and ROR!

POP QUIZ! It’s time for a Monsters University Quiz! How many eyes does Squishy have? What is the name of Mike Wazowski’s Elementary school? These are just some of the questions you’ll have to answer correctly to ace this test!

Monsters University is now available on Blu-ray Combo Pack!

Have fun doing these family friendly Halloween activities, inspired by Monsters University.

MU_BTN_500x400_spooky

Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium in New Orleans Presents Crawloween

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Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium invites guests to celebrate Halloween “infestivities” at Crawloween on Wednesday, October 30 and Thursday, October 31. Children are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes, learn about the myths behind some “scary” critters, make a bug craft and enjoy Halloween treats.

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Staff entomologists will be on hand to talk about myths and legends behind some of the most misunderstood arthropods including roaches, spiders, and maggots. Visitors can also enter the “Guess How Many Maggots are in the Jar” contest. The three closest guesses will receive gift certificates to Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium’s Flea Market.

The Halloween bug fun awaits guests from 10:00am – 5:00pm. Guests are encouraged to trick or treat at presentation stations for spider rings, Crawloween tattoos and other fun treats. Children (ages 12 and under) dressed in a bug-themed costume will receive a $3 discount off of admission. All Halloween activities are included in general admission cost.

Audobon

Visit the Animal Planet LIVE Cockroach Cam streaming live from Audobon Butterfly Garden Insectarium to watch spooky flicks on Roach-O-Vision.

Live video by Animal Planet L!ve
Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium – Advanced tickets are recommended and can be purchased by visiting AudubonInstitute.org or at any Audubon Nature Institute attraction.  Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium is located at 423 Canal Street in downtown New Orleans in the U.S. Custom House and is open from 10am to 5pm Tuesday through Sunday.

 

Creative Crafts and Mouth-Watering Dishes to Help you Celebrate Halloween

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It’s almost time for trick-or-treating and Disney’s Spoonful.com is brewing up some horror-fyingly creative crafts and mouth-watering dishes to help you celebrate Halloween! Spoonful’s affordable and easy-to make ideas will enchant you and feed your appetites.

Plus, don’t miss out on Spoonful’s all-new recipe customization feature, “My Take.” Spoonful’s latest feature will allow you to share your own version, or “take,” of almost any recipe on the site. To introduce My Take, some of our Spoonful bloggers partnered with Pillsbury® to create their own wickedly wonderful takes around some classic Pillsbury Halloween treats.

Creepy-Crawly Cupcakes

creepy-crawly-cupcakes-halloween-recipe-photo-420-FF1008SNACKA02

These Creepy-Crawly Cupcakes might look grotesque, but I promise you won’t be able to say no to one, two, or even three. 

Edible Eyeballs

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 If you’re throwing a Halloween bash this year you should definitely set out a platter of these creepy peepers. Your Halloween party guests are bound to do a double-take.

Scary Pumpkin Carvings

Celebrate Halloween

Spooky and scary Halloween pumpkins add fright to the night. Maybe you want something just a little bit more spooky than a traditional jack-o-latern on your porch this year? Check out all of the spooktastic pumpkin carving cutouts at Spoonful.com.

20 Pumpkin-Decorating Ideas

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Transform your pumpkin into a spooktacular Halloween decoration with one of the many DIY pumpkin-decorating ideas at Spoonful.com.

Mickey’s Paper Bag Scarecrow

Mickey scarecrow

This fun tabletop Mickey scarecrow may be a bit ear-ry, but don’t count on it to keep the birds away. In fact, you’re likely to find young Mickey fans quickly flocking around it.

Find these creative crafts and mouth-watering dishes to help you celebrate Halloween by visiting Spoonful.com, a one-stop shop filled with thousands of inspired ideas that can bring a little magic into everyday family life. Spoonful delivers easy-to-digest daily doses of inspiration and information, designed to spark the enthusiasm of parents. The site helps parents just like you power through everything from getting a handle on holiday festivities to figuring out a fun way to get kids to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. The site’s responsive design also makes it easy to access from home or while on-the-go via smartphones and tablets.

Which crafts or desserts do you plan on making with your family?