DAY 17: GOTH IN THE PARK
One of the stated goals of this countdown is to force myself (and hopefully inspire you) to get out there and enjoy the Halloween season before it slips away. Last night, despite every fiber of my being telling me to stay home and stare at a wall for six hours, I indeed forced myself to get out there. I hopped on my bike, pedaled my sorry ass to Cathedral Square Park, and checked out Goth In The Park. It was incredible.
Goth In The Park was the final 2026 installment of the ever-popular Jazz In The Park series. This year’s lineup was pretty eclectic and not-very-jazz to begin with (’80s tribute bands, Grateful Dead tribute bands, etc.), but last night’s shindig was way off the map. And delightfully so: Milwaukee’s Goth Barge DJs set up shop on stage and delighted the crowd of goths, goth-adjacent folks, and slightly puzzled Jazz In The Park regulars to music from Siouxsie And The Banshees, Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, and more. The vibes were great, and they only got better as the sun went down and the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist loomed in the background.
Did I dance? Yes, for the first time in years, I danced. (I’m helpless when I hear “Head Like A Hole.”) Oh, and I put together a quick video of the event, too. Enjoy! Have a goth day/night!
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DAY 16: PSYCHO
Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is 66 years old this year. This countdown is 66 days long. Coincidence? Absolutely. Am I using that coincidence to rewatch the entire Psycho franchise? Absolutely.
What’s left to say about the original film? It’s a masterpiece, Anthony Perkins is brilliant, the score is brilliant, the final denouncement kind of blows, blah, blah, blah. But watching it last night (via Shudder), I was reminded of my favorite sequence: the long, wordless “cleanup” scene and the subsequent “car sinking” scene.
The first scene is just Norman, diligently cleaning up the mess left by his mad, murderous mother. (No spoilers for 66-year-old films here!) It goes on for nearly seven minutes:
The second bit is even more stunning/subversive. Norman attempts to get rid of Marion’s car (and, um, Marion herself) by pushing it into a swamp. We watch as the car starts to sink. And then…it stops. Norman becomes concerned. We become concerned. The car continues to sink. Norman breathes a sigh of relief. We breathe a sigh of relief. Are we, the audience, silently implicated in this scene? Oh, Hitchcock, you devil!
DAY 15: HARDWARE STORE HALLOWEEN JUNK
I kicked off this countdown with a look at some CVS Halloween junk [complimentary]. So how about a look at some Halloween junk [complimentary] I spied at my neighborhood hardware store? Okay!
Honestly, I’m good on lights and stencils for the year, so the most appealing thing in this photo is the wood. Oh, how I wish I had an indoor or outdoor fireplace for some autumnal bonfires! Maybe there’s still time…
DAY 14: HONEY BUNCH
I’ve spent the past two weeks trying, and failing, to find a good new horror movie. This search has mostly been happening on Shudder. Unfortunately, as any Shudder subscriber knows, for every new gem in the streamer’s catalog there are 8,000 duds. But last night I struck gold: the Canadian slow-burn Honey Bunch, from 2025. I loved, loved, LOVED this movie.
“Diana’s husband is taking her to an experimental trauma facility deep in the wilderness, but she can’t remember why,” reads the synopsis. “As her memories begin to creep back in so do some unwelcome sinister truths about her marriage.” Here’s the trailer:
The whole thing is shot—and scored!—like a ’70s Hammer horror flick. It’s the kind of thing you could see Ti West doing if he was still following the thread he started with The House Of The Devil, and not doing, um, a Scrooge movie with Johnny Depp. Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli are the dual writers and directors of Honey Bunch, and they absolutely nail the retro vibe without going overboard. Oh, and star Grace Glowicki—who is fantastic—was the director, co-writer, and star of the batshit Dead Lover, which screened at the 2025 Milwaukee Film Festival. And which was subsequently marketed by Milwaukee’s own Kurt Ravenwood! A local connection! How ’bout that!
DAY 13: LABOR DAY
Happy Labor Day, dedicated 66 Days of Halloween-ers! You know what that means: it’s the unofficial end of summer, and the unofficial beginning of fall! Hell yes! Time to get serious! Here’s a clip from John Waters’ Serial Mom!
DAY 12: I WANT TO BITE YOUR HAND
It’s no secret that I love “Weird Al” Yankovic. (Buckle up for Milwaukee Record’s upcoming Weird Al Week! Details soon!) But I also love the zillions of forgotten, unsung, and under-appreciated parody artists who never got anywhere close to Al’s success. You know, the artists who didn’t just get their start on the Dr. Demento show, but peaked on the Dr. Demento show.
Enter “I Want To Bite Your Hand,” a 1964 parody of The Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” What GENIUS took an early Beatles hit and spiced it up with a goofy Dracula voice? That would be Gene Moss, an L.A. kids TV show writer and host, AND the voice of Smokey The Bear. “He was a total ham, an absolute ham,” Moss’ son said when his father passed away in 2002. My kind of ham!
Here’s the song. I’m not quite sure what’s up with the video.
And yes, the only reason I’m aware of this song is because Von Munz always plays it during his weekly WMSE radio show. Shout-out to Von Munz!
DAY 11: DIA LE LOS MUERTOS AT THE DOMES
How ’bout another Halloween event to put on your ol’ Calendar app? This one is a Milwaukee classic: Día de los Muertos at the Mitchell Park Domes! On Friday, October 30, from 6-9 p.m.!
“In the Desert Dome, students from the surrounding community will create traditional ofrendas—offerings assembled in honor of loved ones—and the entire dome will be decorated for the celebration,” explains a press release. “The celebration will feature a mariachi band, traditional dancers, local food and art vendors, educational programming, and hands-on art activities inspired by Día de los Muertos traditions. The event is designed for families and community members of all ages.”
Tickets are $15 for Milwaukee Domes Alliance members, and $18 for the general public. Ge them HERE. (Note: Tickets will not be available at the door. Oh, and the folks from the Domes suggest getting your tickets now, because this thing tends to sell out.)
DAY 10: AKIRA
How does one chase a 70mm screening of Lawrence Of Arabia at the Oriental Theatre? With a 4K restoration of Akira at the Oriental Theatre the following night! God, I love this town.
I’m of an age where Akira was absolutely my first exposure to full-length Japanese anime. And since anime was scarce in the late ’80s and early ’90s (Akira was released in 1988), I first saw the film via a crappy, fourth-generation VHS dub passed down from the older kids in my high school’s A.V. club. Akira has lived rent-free in my head ever since. Dubbed, subbed, or re-dubbed, I love it.
And I especially love THIS scene. Seeing Tetsuo mutate into a body-horror blob on VHS 8,000 years ago was amazing. Seeing him do it in 4K at the Oriental was a revelation. TETSUO!!!
DAY 9: HALLOWEEN III ON THE BIG SCREEN
I just got home from a special 70mm screening of Lawrence Of Arabia at the Oriental Theatre. I’m both ashamed and thrilled to report that it was my first time seeing the film—ashamed because I absolutely should have seen Lawrence Of Arabia before, but thrilled because THIS was the way to see it. I think this may have been my favorite moviegoing experience of all time? The gorgeous 70mm projection, the intermission, the musical overtures, the packed house, the whole shebang. Milwaukee is BLESSED to have both the Oriental Theatre and its operator, Milwaukee Film. Bravo!
Speaking of perfect movies and perfect moviegoing experiences, may I interest you in Halloween III: Season Of The Witch, screening in the main house of the Oriental on October 30 and 31? I audibly squealed when I saw this ad pop up during tonight’s pre-film slideshow.
Nineteen-eighty-two’s Halloween III is similar to 1984’s A Nightmare On Elm Street 2 in that it used to be considered the black sheep of its franchise, only to be later embraced as a cult/fan-favorite. Michael Myers isn’t in it, Laurie Strode isn’t in it, and even Dr. Loomis isn’t in it. It’s a standalone film that was meant to transform the Halloween franchise into an anthology series; people hated it, however, and the franchise got back in the Michael Myers game six years later with the aptly titled Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers.
But Halloween III is a TON of fun. It’s heavy on weirdness, heavy on vibes, heavy on that Silver Shamrock commercial, and heavy on Tom Atkins. It’s been a minute since I’ve seen it, but I ABSOLUTELY plan to see it at the OT. Blessed, I tell you! Blessed!
DAY 8: DISNEY HAUNTED HOUSE SOUND EFFECTS RECORD
What to do when it’s getting late and you’ve been too busy with work all day to get in the proper Halloween mood? Drop the needle on 1964’s Chilling, Thrilling Sounds Of The Haunted House from Disneyland Records, of course!
This record is weirder than you’d think. Side 2 is filled with all the random shrieks, creaks, and thunder you’d expect from a spooky sound effects collection, but Side 1 features those sounds preceded by a short, second-person narration. “You are a bold and courageous person, afraid of nothing,” begins the lady narrator on opening track “The Haunted House.” “High on a hilltop near your home, there stands a dilapidated old mansion. Some say the place is haunted, but you don’t believe in such myths.” Cue the wind and rattling chains!
I have to thank my wife for this record. She collects all kinds of stuff like this. If you ever need to borrow a vinyl copy of the audio from the Apollo 11 moon landing, and/or the complete FDR radio speeches, she’s your gal.
As for this delightful oddity, be warned: “The Disneyland catalogue of children’s records is one of the finest in the world. The primary audience for children’s records is the age group from three to eight years. […] This particular Disneyland record, CHILLING, THRILLING SOUNDS OF THE HAUNTED HOUSE is not intended for young, impressionable children from three to eight. It is intended for older children, teenagers and adults.”
DAY 7: FIRST DAY OF SEPTEMBER
Happy first day of September! Not to be dramatic, but OH MAN THIS IS THE BEST MONTH OF THE YEAR AND THE TIME TO GET IN THE HALLOWEEN MOOD IS NOW!
While there isn’t much autumn in the air today (it’s still 900 degrees), there is a touch of it in the trees. I’ve doggedly documented this particular tree for past countdowns, photographing it as its leaves turn from green to dead. I hopefully won’t have to rely on tree photos too much this year, but you never know! For now, here it is on September 1!
DAY 6: GARGOYLE’S QUEST AND UNIVERSAL MONSTERS
It was 900 degrees in Milwaukee this afternoon and it’s still 879 degrees as I’m writing this at 10:30 p.m. Not exactly “spooky” weather. But no worries! It’s as good as time as any to bust out a monster-rific retro video game and put on a monster-rific channel on mute in the background!
I love to play old “horror” video games during these countdowns. Last year it was a bunch of Castlevania games; this year I’m starting with Gargoyle’s Quest, a funky platformer/RPG released for the Game Boy way back in 1990. (I’m playing it via the Nintendo Classics service for the Nintendo Switch) You play as a gargoyle named Firebrand, and it’s up to you to save the Ghoul Realm from the mysterious Destroyers. The game is an offshoot of the Ghosts ‘n Goblins games, you see—games that are absolutely impossible. Luckily, this one is an approachable 8-bit mix of action and walking around towns and talking to friendly zombies. I just started tonight. I’m loving it so far.
What pairs well with a black-and-white horror video game? A black-and-white horror movie, of course! When my wife isn’t playing Crimson Desert for the PS5 and my kid isn’t watching Frasier (don’t ask), I like to keep the TV parked on the Universal Monsters channel. It’s one of those free streaming channels you get with Roku boxes or Samsung flatscreens. And like it says on the tin, it’s nothing but old Universal and Universal-adjacent horror films! (There’s some newer stuff, too.) Does it get any better than that? Nope!
So yeah, I’m playing a 36-year-old Game Boy game while watching Island Of Lost Souls, which is 94 years old. Do I know how to party or what? But whatever. Chiptune music and Charles Laughton as Dr. Moreau? Be still my heart.
DAY 5: GOTH BARGE EVENTS
The last few years have seen the ascent of a new name in Milwaukee events: Goth Barge. This is a goth-y DJ collective that puts on goth-y dance parties at clubs, venues, and, as its name suggests, boats. The great Tea Krulos did a terrific piece on Goth Barge for us in 2024. Check it out HERE. (The phrase “as the goths mingle on deck” has lived in brain rent-free for two years.)
Goth Barge has oodles of events lined up for the spooky season, and I thought I’d share two of them here. Personally, I’m not sure if I’ll make the tiki barge thing on the 6th, but I’ll 100% be at Goth In The Park on the 10th.
TIKI BARGE: GOTH BARGE / OMEN / THE BLACK LAGOON ROOM
Sunday, September 6, 2026 | 7:00 PM – 10:30 PM
Aboard The Vista King (Milwaukee, WI)
$45 ADV / $50 DOS | 21+
“Aloha from the dark side. We’re transforming the vessel into an unholy poly-pop fever dream in collaboration with OMEN and our sinister friends at The Black Lagoon Room. Expect surf goth, psychobilly, exotica, and darkwave classics mixed alongside tiki-inspired cocktail magic. Don your finest vintage Hawaiian shirts, creepy cabana wear, and dark tropical gear.”
GOTH IN THE PARK ft. SCARY LADY SARAH
Thursday, September 10, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Cathedral Square Park (Milwaukee, WI)
Free Admission | All Ages
“We’re bringing the fog machine to the heart of downtown for a special open-air dusk ritual. Joining the Goth Barge selectors is the legendary Chicago scene icon Scary Lady Sarah (Nocturna). Bring a blanket, grab a drink, and enjoy classic goth rock, post-punk, and ethereal wave under the trees as the sun goes down.”
DAY 4: HAUNTED DELLS
My friends and I are currently spending the weekend in a rental house in Wisconsin Dells. Gee, Matt, aren’t you farting around the Dells every weekend? Yes I am. But this weekend is notable for a few reasons: 1.) I’m having a blast with a great group of folks who travel well together and know how to have a good time, and 2.) this is honestly the first time I’ve been in the Dells without having to wrangle one to three small children. Seriously, this is my first adults-only weekend in the Dells! We can all do strictly adult things!
Like go through the Haunted Mansion on the main strip, which we totally did today. ‘Tis the season!
DAY 3: HOMEMADE HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS
I’m at my parents’ house for a few days, which means A.) I went out with them last night and drank more than I usually drink in a week (shout-out to Salty’s in Fond du Lac), and B.) I’m checking in on their homemade Halloween decorations. Yep, my parents have been creating wooden pumpkins and ghosts since July! The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Here’s a nifty pumpkin box from my father. The back opens up and you can put a light in it. Neat! My dad has never been into woodworking, but he’s taken it up recently and he’s been practicing on stuff like this. Hell yeah!
My mom, meanwhile, has been in charge of painting my dad’s creations. She’s been doing a great job! Hell yeah again!
Oh yeah: happy Friday, everyone! Get out there this weekend and hunt down some Halloween goodness! It’s early, but like they say, life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look at some Halloween cards at Pick ‘n Save once in a while, you could miss it.
DAY 2: TALKING “66 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN” ON TV
Forgive the meta cross-posting so early in the proceedings, but hey, this is a one-person show. If I can kill two (spooky) birds with one (spooky) stone, I’ll do it!
So yeah, I dropped by the TMJ4 studios yesterday for my bi-weekly appearance on afternoon show What’s Brewing Wisconsin, and I totally talked about this very countdown! Sometimes I worry that the topics I bring to the show are a bit too wonky for general TV audiences, and I definitely had this fear this time around. Happily, host Steph Brown totally got what I was throwing down, and it turned out to be a great segment. Watch it below!
DAY 1: CVS HALLOWEEN JUNK
What better way to officially kick things off than by visiting my local CVS and snapping photos of the random Halloween junk already on shelves and aisle end caps! Is it the same glorious, beautiful, bewilderingly overpriced junk from last year? Did any of it even leave shelves since last November? Who’s to say! Gimme that 11-inch LED Haunted House for $15 now!
I typically limit my CVS Halloween purchases to one or two non-candy items per year. Maybe some black-light napkins or one of those little solar-powered dioramas where a skeleton bobs its head back and forth when you put it in the sun. I’m just glad this stuff is already out there, reminding loyal CVS customers that the Halloween season is here (whether they like it or not), and that a glow-in-the-dark plastic pumpkin might go well with that Sunday-night DiGiorno pizza.
DAY 0: IT’S BAAAAACK
They said it couldn’t be done. They said it wouldn’t be done. The traffic from last year’s countdown said it shouldn’t be done. But I don’t give a shit, I’m doing it anyway…
WELCOME TO MILWAUKEE RECORD’S 66 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN, 2026 EDITION!
Yep, once again, against all better judgement, I’ll be crafting one short Halloween-related entry every day from now until October 31. It could be my thoughts on a spooky movie. It could be info on a spooky event coming to Milwaukee. It could be a recap of a visit to a pumpkin patch. Or it could just be a photo of some changing leaves because, let’s be honest, 66 days is kind of a haul. I’ll add each new entry to the top of this article, so you can go ahead and bookmark this page now. (I’ll wait.) Until I get to Day 22, after which I’ll start a new page (Part II). Oh, and then I’ll start another new page (Part III) when I get to Day 44. So, um, plan to bookmark those, too?
Let’s address the (ghostly) elephant in the room: Why? Why am I doing this? To be more precise, why am I doing this again? Yes, I did manage to pull off a complete 66-entry countdown last year, but that was only after two previous failed attempts. “Will I do this again next year? Probably not,” I said last year. So shouldn’t I…oh, wait. “Oh, who am I kidding, I totally will,” I also wrote last year. Damn. I don’t want to let my 2025 self down!
But seriously. I’m doing this not because of some deep-seated obsession with Halloween (though there is a little of that), but because I truly love this time of year, and it tends to go by WAY too fast. By forcing myself to write one Halloween-y thing every day for 66 days—by being deliberate about getting into the spirit—I find that the season slows down. The days seem longer. The weeks seem longer. The late-summer/early-fall vibes seem to vibe a little harder. It works for me. Hopefully, by following along, it works for you, too.
Okay, enough talk! Let the countdown begin! Here’s an ancient Bartz’s Party Store commercial!
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