Noyo Center creates Halloween costume contest
There are spooky times ahead of us. You can already feel it in the air, and sense it in the dry autumn leaves that have begun to skitter along the sidewalks. As you walk the streets of Fort Bragg or Mendocino at night, youmay feel an eerie chill, ormaybe hear a plaintive whisper on the breeze. There’s a definite change in the atmosphere, and parents are holding their children close, wondering what lies around the bend, just weeks away. The tension is rising.
Normally, the North Coast welcomes Halloween with a hearty mixture of parties, haunted houses, laughter, costumes and the knock of little Trickor-Treaters at the door. It’s normally a time of happy thrills, with just a soupcon of chills.
But this year there’s COVID-19. Masks and social distancing are obligatory and parents are— wisely— holding their children close. No one will be knocking at your door this year. Sowhat to do?
Well, there’s always someone who comes up with an idea that’s just too good to let it go. In this case, it’s Mendocino resident Carin Berolzheimer, one of Noyo Center “super volunteers” who are always ready to apply their time, energy and creativity to advance the goal of marine education.
So here’s Berolzheimer’s idea: Why not take advantage of the new virtual technologies that are sweeping the land and use them to give kids and adults a way to celebrate Halloween in a way that’s fun, creative, and safe? And, being the Noyo Center, in a way that advances ocean education.
Working together with Noyo Center educator Sue Coulter and other volunteers, Carin and her team have devised a celebration that allows children and adults to come up with the most creative ocean-related costume they can think of and — from the safety of your own homes — view it on the Noyo Center’s YouTube channel for everyone to see and enjoy.
The contest will include five age categories from infant to adult in the following costume categories: Best Fish, Best Marine Mammal, Best Tide Pool Critter, Best Deep Ocean Critter, Best Seabird and Best Overall Costume. And, youbet, there will be lots of prizes for winning entries.
For ideas and inspiration, participants can view SueCoulter’s “CreatureFeature” each Friday throughout October on the Noyo Center’s Facebook page and
check out such amazing and spooky creatures as the blobfish, coffin fish, batfish, goblin shark, ghost crab and vampire octopus. Who knows? Maybe you can become one of them. Whatever creature you choose, the Noyo Center wants to “Sea” you in costume!
Interested? Just register at the Noyo Center’s website, noyocenter.org and submit a photo of yourself or your child in costume before 2 p.m. on Oct. 30. The cost is $5 per entry, but kids under age ten are free. All costumes will be visible on Oct. 31, and the announcement of winners will be live on YouTube at 7 p.m. that evening.