I did here from a Gazette Staff that the crowds were upwards of 30,000, compared to 15,000 last year. This will only get larger and more exposure in the future...great night!!!

Those are great pics, so1rfan, but would love to see more! Got any more?

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll267/Karried1/Oct08014.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll267/Karried1/Oct08018.jpg

Twenty-plus thousand people downtown would be a news story anywhere. State's largest paper only ran one photo.

Yeah, I'm really disappointed with the coverage on this event. My organization had a float and I wanted to see how it looked from the crowd's POV, but haven't been able to find much of anything. Hopefully the Gazette will have some good pics in their next issue.

Sorry about the quality... my camera doesn't do too well long distance trying to focus on the lights ( torches ).... but here you go.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll267/Karried1/Oct08015.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll267/Karried1/Oct08016.jpg

Gives you an Idea of the Crowds:

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll267/Karried1/Oct08017.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll267/Karried1/Oct08018.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll267/Karried1/Oct08019.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll267/Karried1/Oct08021.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll267/Karried1/Oct08022.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll267/Karried1/Oct08023.jpg

Great shots, Karrie!

Sweetdaisy, did you hear us yelling like Banshees as your pet float came by ( we were right at the end in the bleachers) :bow:


The Alien in the first pic above was on stilts and towered over people.. hard to see from the pics.

Notice in the last pic the Giant Astronaut?
Wayne Coyne was in the ball of course.

Yes, we do need to get the word out about this event.. it could be huge.

Aww, thanks Karried! We were very pleased by the response of the crowd. Our float was small and not nearly as impressive as most, but everyone's cheers and support made us feel fabulous!

Next year, we'll get on it earlier and do something very cool (though NOTHING can compare to the flaming skeletons).

We were supposed to be in the OK Humane float, but had to pull out. I worked until about 7 last night, and hubby was feeling under the weather allergy-wise, so we had to miss out. Were bummed, too. Had the pups' costumes ready to go.

Hopefully next year!

The crowd was heavy from Mcnellie's all the way down tenth and got even heavier once we hit Automobile Alley and into north downtown. I couldn't believe it - it was insanity. The level of effort put into the costumes and floats was incredible as well, and I can see it getting even crazier in coming years as the oneupmanship ramps up. A lot of the people in the crowd must have put just as much time into their costumes as those in the actual parade.

I was really surprised with the number of people in the crowd that didn't take the time to wear a costume. I only counted maybe a dozen on the Broadway Curve.

Come on, people. Live a little.

A few more images, again sorry about the quailty, night photography with a flash is not my forte.

Wayne's ball was so fogged up he had to stop and wipe it down but it did no good.

Daily Oklahoman isn't going to mention much because of the event's ties to the Gazette.

The parade was pretty long and took quite a while, about 90 minutes. Signs were up all over in areas telling people that parking was free and reminding people not to litter.

My suggestion is to keep adding skeletons, I could imagine 10,000+ in the coming years. Something that large will garner worldwide attention. I think it is up to the people of Oklahoma City to publicize this event by spreading the word.

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/9554/img9865ds4.jpg
http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/4732/img9884vs4.jpg
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/200/img9893gr6.jpg
http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/7882/img9866au7.jpg
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/7250/img9871ra9.jpg
http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/838/img9908ra9.jpg
http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/6840/img9900ab2.jpg

The last photo is Michael Ivins leading the way.

A few more images, again sorry about the quailty, night photography with a flash is not my forte.

Wayne's ball was so fogged up he had to stop and wipe it down but it did no good.

Daily Oklahoman isn't going to mention much because of the event's ties to the Gazette.

The parade was pretty long and took quite a while, about 90 minutes. Signs were up all over in areas telling people that parking was free and reminding people not to litter.

My suggestion is to keep adding skeletons, I could imagine 10,000+ in the coming years. Something that large will garner worldwide attention. I think it is up to the people of Oklahoma City to publicize this event by spreading the word.






I understand that its the Gazette's event, but it may not be forever. They lose money on this thing and it over-extends the already-busy staff.

My beef is that the Oklahoman is ignoring this because they didn't think of it first, but it's difficult to deny that it is a story when you consider the sheer numbers (of people).

Least they could've done was had a Wimgo float, or refer to it as a Flaming Lips parade. It seems like corporate pettiness, imho.

Somebody posted this little video up on youtube:

YouTube - The Flaming Lips' March of 1000 Flaming Skeletons (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvAp7J1PcO4)

It was interesting for me to watch it this year after participating in it last year. I thought everyone did a great job on their floats with a few exceptions. I don't think driving your radio station logo'd van in the middle of the parade qualifies as effort, but maybe that was just me. It looked like there were less skeletons this year to me, I haven't received the official count yet. I have pics and video I'll be putting up later this week also. I didn't like the route or how it just ended at 3rd street.

Sweetdaisy, did you hear us yelling like Banshees as your pet float came by ( we were right at the end in the bleachers) :bow:


The Alien in the first pic above was on stilts and towered over people.. hard to see from the pics.

Notice in the last pic the Giant Astronaut?
Wayne Coyne was in the ball of course.

Yes, we do need to get the word out about this event.. it could be huge.

Word was out last year on the event, the NY Times, Yahoo and tons of international papers picked it up last year.

http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-area-talk/11284-join-flaming-lips-halloween.html

The crowd around Plaza Court in Midtown was fantastic . . . plenty of pre&post-parade celebrating at the area's restaurants. Our view form Cafe do Brazil's roof terrace was supurb . . . what a freak show. Many thanks to Bill Bleakley and the Gazette staff for all of their work on this important event.

I was a flaming skeleton this year, and it was well worth being on my feet for six hours to be a part of the march. I wish I could have seen the rest of the parade, but I'm sure there will be enough youtube footage to satisfy me.

I must say, though, those of you who didn't go to the Gazette's afterparty missed out on quite a spectacle. The Toxic Goddess burlesque show at the IAO Gallery was excellent, despite some rather annoying technical difficulties. This was a full-on strip show, but it wasn't anything like spending a night our at the Playhouse. These girls were talented; one was a bellydancer, one was a singer, one did yoga poses on a bed of broken glass and escaped from a straightjacket... it was pretty awesome. I expected the "alternative models" to look like Suicide Girls, but they were much classier. I hope they got a good response... I could see this troupe getting their very own venue.

News OK video (http://www.newsok.tv/?titleID=1881622354) of the parade.

Some friends and I went to the parade. We all had a great time. Next year I want to be a skeleton. Thanks Old Downtown Guy for starting this thread, I wouldnt have thought of going otherwise. The press/media didnt do a very good job of advertising this event.

I thought the parade was terrific! Does anyone know the skeleton count? Did they make it to 1000?

Many thanks to Dennis & Karrie for making the article I've just finished (pretty much so, anyway) possible: Doug Dawgz Blog: Halloween In OKC (http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2008/11/halloween-in-okc.html)

I've added some history and perspective concerning risks to events such as Halloween ... a controversial item in some people's eyes.

Nice blog.

I think this parade was proof that the religious conservatives can't destroy Halloween.

I remember, as a kid, the First Baptist Church of Altus always had the best haunted house... now they have "Hell House" depicting a girl who had an abortion, a homosexual, and a "good" man that was never saved all burning in hell. At the end is a guy giving you the opportunity to be saved!

I tell you.... that was FAR more disturbing to the children than ghosts, witches, or vampires!

At some point in the 90s churches seemed to decide to shun Halloween for it pagan roots... wonder when they will acknowledge Christmas and Easter has have equal "pagan" roots.