Halloween Archives - Baton Rouge Moms

Baton Rouge Halloween: Parade, Festival, Race, Costume Drive

October 16, 2016 by Baton Rouge Moms

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, Pumpkin Pi 3.14 Mile Race and Tough Pumpkin Challenge and the parade’s corresponding masquerade ball, the Ghostly Gala. 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 Parade

Baton Rouge Halloween Halloween Festival – Filofet

Halloween Town on the Levee Green, fun for the whole family, presented by Cricket Wireless. Halloween Town is the “finish festival” to the Pumpkin Pi 3.14 Mile Race. Kids can “trick or treat” in Halloween Town, participate in fun activities with BREC on the Geaux, paint pumpkins with Red Stick Pop Up Play, take pictures with the Petite Princess Company and enjoy a take home craft with Baton Rouge Moms! Halloween Town is from 8:30am – Noon on the Levee Green (by the USS Kidd) on parade day. Live music starts at noon and then the parade rolls by at 2 pm, a full day of family fun!

Baton Rouge Halloween Parade

The first unit in the Baton Rouge Halloween Parade is the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank truck. Volunteers will take non-perishable food donations straight from the crowd. Please give generously to those in need.

The parade begins at 2 p.m. on the corner of Government and St. Phillip and goes around the curve to head north on River Road. It then rolls east on Convention, north on 7th, west on Main, south on 5th, west on Laurel, and ends at River Road.

This event is for our entire community, therefore we have 2 party zones where the route crosses 3rd Street, a no alcohol zone on Convention between 5th and 7th, and a no scare zone on 7th between Convention and Laurel. We are glamming it up this Halloween with our “Candy Wishes and Halloween Dreams” theme (a play on the tagline from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous) submitted by Roxanne Leachman! Bring the kids because we’re going to make it rain candy in Downtown Baton Rouge!

Congratulations to this year’s Grand Marshal, Jay Grymes from WAFB! He certainly deserves this honor after all of his hard work keeping us safe and informed during the historic flooding in August. Thank you, Jay!

Walk in the Parade!!

Small groups, individuals, families, etc. can walk in the parade for only $15/person, you do not have to be a part of a Krewe to walk in the parade! Register HERE as an Individual Walker and use discount code BRMOMS to get $5 off of the Individual Walker fee. —–> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2016-br-halloween-parade-tickets-27528188553

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

Pumpkin Pi 3.14 Mile Race and Tough Pumpkin Challenge on the Levee Green, presented by Fleet Feet Sports Baton Rouge and Table Fresh.

Get $10 OFF your Race Registration with the discount code BRMOMS. This is good for all 3 race categories: Pumpkin Pi, Tough Pumpkin Challenge, Lil’ Pumpkins 1 Mile Fun Run…. $10 off!!

Baton Rouge Halloween Costume Drive

10/31 Consortium is proud to partner with the Big Buddy Program, WEEN DREAM and Violet Lotus Studio to bring joy to the kids of our community this Halloween by providing FREE child sized Halloween Costumes! Thanks to community support from schools like St. Aloysius and St. Jude, and our new friends at WEEN DREAM in New Orleans, we are excited to announce that we have over 300 costumes to give out to area children for FREE this Halloween! While the idea was generally to help those directly affected by the flood, we are opening up this program to all families in need.

To receive a costume, simply go to Violet Lotus Studio on Saturday, 10/22 between 9am – 2pm. Volunteers will be ready to help you find the perfect costumes for your children!
Because supplies are limited, costumes will be given out on a first come, first served basis. We do anticipate a line so your patience is appreciated.

GIVEAWAY: 4 Spots on 10/31 Consortium’s Baton Rouge Halloween RIP (Really Important People) Float!

Halloween Costume, Halloween Race, Halloween Festival

This is the 10/31 Consortium RIP (Really Important People) Float. Float decorating will take place at On the Border the week prior to the parade. All are encouraged to help out because it’s a fun way to get to know your fellow riders. The float will be decorated with tombstones. 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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Best and Worst Halloween Candy Options for Children’s Teeth

October 21, 2015 by Baton Rouge Moms

“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.

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.

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.

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

October 30, 2014 by Baton Rouge Moms

(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.

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.

Thrift Store Halloween Decor

September 30, 2014 by Maggie

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 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

October 30, 2013 by Tiffany

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.

Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium in New Orleans Presents Crawloween

October 24, 2013 by Tiffany

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.

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.

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

October 11, 2013 by Tiffany

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Walk in the Parade!!

GIVEAWAY: 4 Spots on 10/31 Consortium’s Baton Rouge Halloween RIP (Really Important People) Float!

Best and Worst Halloween Candy Options for Children’s Teeth

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

Creepy-Crawly Cupcakes

Edible Eyeballs

Scary Pumpkin Carvings

20 Pumpkin-Decorating Ideas

Mickey’s Paper Bag Scarecrow

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