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Do some canines like to dress up?  My dog Buddy does not like wearing costumes.  

The winner Raul an English Bulldog won the Columbus Dispatch’s 2007 Pet Costume Contest, dressed as Henry VIII complete with wives heads (they look like Barbie Doll heads to me. ) Raul’s costume really is creative.

2007 Pet Costume Contest - Slide Show on The Columbus Dispatch website.

The second prize winner, Beau, a French mastiff is wearing my dog Buddy’s Devil costume or similar…probably a lot larger devil costume and Beau wears it well and as the judges noted Beau has the right expression.  This photo is from years ago and although you can not see Buddy’s expression you can see Buddy did not want to dress up as a devil. 

This was the best photo of Buddy in costume.  Hardly a photo that will win a dog costume contest.  It is almost impossible to photograph a dog who does not want to wear a costume.  The Humane Society would probably frown on the use of duct tape so we did NOT try it.  The CAHS  Pet Parade is tomorrow at Easton and the Muttster Mash is on Bethel Rd at Fitzgeralds benefitting the Franklin County Dog Shelter. 

I thought the ferret dressed as a pirate on the front page of section D of the Columbus Dispatch today was a cat at first. I don’t know personally how easy ferrets are to dress but I know I would not play dress up with a cat now. I did as a kid.  Kittens. puppies, rabbits, my younger brothers, whatever would stay still long enough.

For the full story read  Pet Costume Contest - Pet Projects by Joe Blundo of the Columbus Dispatch.  

Another local Halloween event, this one benefits the Franklin County Dog Shelter, Muttster Match  this Sunday, noon to 4:00 P.M.  at Fitzgerald’s Tavern in Northwest Columbus. 

Fitzgerald’s Tavern - 2640 Bethel Rd Columbus (just east of Sawmill Rd.)  Ph: 614-457-3489.

My dog has the same devil costume as the little dog pictured on the Friends of the Shelter Page (Muttser Match)  on the Franklin County Dog Shelter site.  I have no good photos of Buddy wearing the costume since he becomes a whirling dervish as I try to put the costume on him. He tries to eat the cape and horns.

The Friends of the Shelter page on the Franklin County Dog Shelter pages says the Muttster Mash  is 1:00 to 3:00 and the Fitzgerald Tavern announcement says noon to 4:00 (those party animals….) so I am confused.

Halloween Pet Parade!   Sunday, October 28, Easton Town Center, Town Square (behind Brio Tuscan Grill). This one benefits the Capital Area Humane Society. 

Columbus K9 page on my website has links to Central Ohio animal shelters and rescue groups. 

A bit of a drive from Columbus but Haunted Attractions  calls Mansfield “North Central Ohio.”  The north part of Central Ohio?  Or the central part of Northern Ohio. 

 The architecture of “the big house” is something to behold.  

If any place is haunted, of course the old penitentiary there has got to be haunted.

The Halloween Experience “The Night They Came Home” in MansfieldOhio  is 15 dollars per person.  

Dead Ohio - Mansfield Reformatory

Mansfield Reformatory Official Site

The Reformatory has Ghost Hunts and Ghost Tours throughout the year.   The Ghost Hunts and Ghost Tours  for 2007 are sold out but the 2008 schedule is up. 

More info Wikipedia about The Ohio State Reformatory - Including the prisons  starring role in films.

The photo is from Wikipedia  in the public domain (OK to use!)

Did you know Columbus (Christopher, the Italian explorer in the employ of the Spanish government that Columbus Ohio is named after…)  introduced cows to the New World.  According to Matt on his Bag Wine Ruminations blog’s Columbus Day post “Land D’oh”:

“For instance, most people do not know that Columbus introduced cows to the natives. Now why is that significant? Let me tell you. In order to keep the natives from bothering the cattle and preventing theft of the bovine, Columbus kept them penned up in an area guarded by a sailor named Giuseppe.

Everyday at noon, Giuseppe would eat his lunch…the same thing everyday. He would eat a semi-circle shaped piece of dough that was stuffed with cheese and sausage. When asked what this delicacy was called, he said, “ I don’t know, but it really helps me to get through working twelve straight hours here in the Cow-Zone.” The spelling may have changed, but to this day it is a staple of fine Pizzeria dining.”

I love calzone’s but have not had one in years…  Spinach calzones from Sumeno’s when they were on Sawmill Road, south of Snouffer Rd. back in the early 90’s.  

Land D’oh goes on to explain how the new world got Stromboli.  Again the spelling has changed since “1492 when Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”   Or was it 1493 when Columbus sailed the deep blue sea”

Stromboli… memories Route 3 (Westerville Rd.)   just south of south of Dempsy Rd. in Blendon Township… Carsonie’s? Sits at the front of the plaza there.  Boccie ball courts in front…  

He says he is from Bagwine Ohio.  Is there such a place?  Matt of Bag Wine Rumination is very, very funny.

Beggar’s night (trick or treat) is on Halloween this year…

In the City of Columbus - Trick or Treat 2007 and many of the suburbs, Dublin, Powell, Westerville, Worthington.

A couple of years ago the Columbus Dispatch said of the history of Beggar’s Night in Columbus:

“Beggars Night, which could fall as many as four days before Halloween, was started in Columbus at least 90 years ago, originally because a Downtown community party was held on Oct. 31. But the party got too rowdy, according to newspaper accounts, and Columbus police halted it in 1954.”

Channel 10 has a list of many Central Ohio Communities!

Halloween in Central Ohio is not just for little kids! Although the website says “Boys and Ghouls” the website and the real live site are definitely not for young children… or mature adults who don’t enjoy gore. Dead Acres - Haunted Hoochie is scary.

It is one of the top 10 haunted houses in the US.

Terror Park at Cooper Stadium

Spooky Stories at Blendon Woods, 10/26/07, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Annual Halloween Party at Inniswood Gardens 10/28/07, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

From the Dowtown Columbus.com

“Halloween at The Red Brick District
Location: Main Street between Third St. and Fourth St.
Hours: October 27, 1 pm
Admission: Free
Come for a family-friendly Halloween celebration Downtown. Balloons, candy, popcorn and prizes for the kids, plus a canine costume contest!

The Columbus Symphony Concerts for Kids: The Magic of Halloween
Location: Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St.
Hours: October 28, 3 pm
Admission: $10 - $12; children 2 and under free
Phone: 614-228-8600″

The Columbus Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo is described on the Zoo website as “a Merry Not Scary Event.”

The Santa Maria on the river downtown becomes a pirate ship for Halloween! The Haunted Ship: Halloween at the Santa Maria, “Look out for the spiders and rats. Don’t be surprised if we come under attack!”

All Hallows Eve celebrated at the Ohio Historical Center / Ohio Village - info on Experience Columbus 

More to do for Halloween and otherwise…in Central Ohio visit Experience Columbus.

Originally posted on Discover Columbus… using that font.