Post by Graveyardbride on Oct 1, 2015 9:49:32 GMT -5
Host a ‘Witch Party’ for a Good Cause
ERIE, Penn. – For eight years, witches took over the Edinboro Lakeside during a fall night. Now, they’ve moved to Fairview. But don’t get your caldron in a roil just yet – these witches are mere women dressed up for the annual Witch Party.
“My sister lived in Toledo and was in a new neighbors club there. They did a Halloween party where they wore witches’ hats, and one or two dressed up, and I thought, ‘what a great idea.’ I knew I wanted to do one, but on a different scale where you had to dress up. And people did,” says Edinboro’s Kate Zahorchak. She hosted the now-annual event of the Welcome Club of Erie at her Lakeside residence for the first eight years. The Welcome Club of Erie is a group dedicated to welcoming women who are new to town. The group, which ranges in ages, raises money for local organizations throughout the area. The club currently has about 140 members.
Although the witch party started with 35 attendees, the event now hosts about 85. Outside the obvious social entertainment, the event features an annual costume contest and some type of light and humorous fortune telling – whether it is a tarot reading, crystal balls or palm readings. Past parties even included caricature drawings. In 2014, the Edinboro witches took home first place with their plaid attire – they even had a bagpipe player. The Wicked Witch of the West and Glenda the Good Witch have made their appearances – and Cruella De Vil has also showed up in witch form.
Guests bring their own fun side dishes and drinks to add to the party – including deviled eyeballs, broomstick cookies, Witches Brew and Stuffed Mummy Pizza. “When I moved into town, I joined the Welcome Club and they said that this party had been a phenomenon for years and that I needed to go. Well, I went, and the biggest shock was how many women show up to this. It’s hilarious, but extremely fun,” says Fairview's Kelli Postema, who took over hosting the party three years ago. “As soon as the party’s over, we start planning for next year. It’s really taken on a life of its own.”
Zahorchak and Postema share their best Halloween party planning tips:
Plan in advance. You need a good two weeks to order and get everything you need, but you need even more time to let your guests know. Give as much notice as you can on the date in advance, Zahorchak says. “A lot of people don't entertain because they don't like to take the time to do it and research it. For me, that’s half the fun of doing something like that,” Zahorchak says.
Keep it simple. Keep it as simple as possible and enjoy yourself. “Don’t get out of hand like I did – I just kept adding to it each year,” says Zahorchak, who had an entire storage unit dedicated to party decorations. “It took me days just to decorate inside the tent. I enjoyed doing it, don’t get me wrong, but it's not completely necessary.” If you want to add some type of decorations, Zahorchak suggests to add centerpieces. “They go a long way,” she says.
Create prizes for best costumes. Make it fun for guests and reward them for their costumes. Create awards with prize baskets for first, second and third. It could be as simple as a pasta basket with wine. Whether it’s someone who is big in the community or just someone independent from the group, adding guest judges also helps make it fun, Zahorchak says.
Do it for a good cause. “People like to get involved in charitable events, so adding a cause makes it more rewarding,” Postema says. In 2014, attendees of the Witch Party partied with a purpose. Attendees were asked to bring an unopened can of peanut butter. The group donated about 80 jars to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania.
Get attendees involved. Ask guests to jump in and contribute by bringing an appetizer, dessert or even a drink. Not only does it save on costs, but Postema says it also makes the event more fun because it's easy entertainment. “It takes a bit of ingenuity and a whole lot of creativity, but it’s always interesting what these gals come up with,” Postema says.
Have Fun. For Zahorchak, party planning has always been a hobby she enjoys. She grew up with a mother who loved to entertain and decorate fabulously, she says, and it wore off on her. “Parties can be wonderful or really stressful it’s all what you make of it,” Zahorchak says. “For me, it’s a labor of love, but for some it can be stressful. You need to be relaxed. There will be mishaps, but that’s just the way it is.”
Source: Marissa Orbanek, GoErie, September 27, 2015.