Westfield Announces Final Roster Of Addamsfest Activities

WESTFIELD, NJ — The third annual AddamsFest is officially underway, once again transforming Westfield with a uniquely exciting celebration honoring cartoonist and town native Charles Addams and his spooky Addams Family creations.

Dubbed “Alt AddamsFest” for 2020, the festivities are shaped by creative approaches to gatherings that provide a safe environment while maintaining the initial spirit of the celebration.

Born in 1912 and raised in Westfield, Charles Addams was one of the country’s premier cartoonists, with his work prominently featured in The New Yorker. The Addams Family was inspired by his hometown surroundings.

The characters that began as illustrations grew into a television series, a live action movie franchise, a Broadway musical, and last year’s Addams Family animated movie. On Oct. 18, he was posthumously inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

This year’s AddamsFest (www.addamsfest.com) includes the following events that offer something for everyone:

• Wicked Windows of Westfield: Once again, AddamsFest transforms Westfield into a fanciful, spooky, kooky destination. Residents and visitors can support Downtown Westfield and South Avenue businesses while taking in the Wicked Windows of Westfield, an artistic celebration of Halloween and The Addams Family. (Oct. 8 – Nov. 1, no tickets required. Sponsored by Jean Marie Morgan, Realtor and the Downtown Westfield Corporation.)

• Haunt Your House Contest: Back by popular demand! Get in the spirit of the season with Westfield’s third annual Haunt Your House Contest. Once again, community members will tour Westfield to view the entries and vote for their favorites using an online map of participating homes. This year, with 51 entries throughout Town, Haunt Your House provides a great family activity to check out the entries and vote to see who wins prizes and top bragging rights. (Oct. 8 – Oct. 31, no tickets required. Sponsored by The Mavins Group.)

• Draw This in Your Own Style – The Addams Family: The “Draw This in Your Style Challenge” is a viral trend that emerged over the past few years on social media and art-oriented websites. The challenge begins with a posted piece of artwork and then challenges others to reinterpret that drawing or character in as many different styles as possible, often with amazing and inspiring results. AddamsFest invites the public to participate in this contest by drawing one of Charles Addams’ specific iconic cartoons in their own style (pictured on addamsfest.com) and sharing their entries on social media. To participate, post a photo of a completed work on Instagram with the hashtags #DrawThisInYourStyle_Addams no later than Oct. 20. (Entries are open to all, and are due by Oct. 20.)

• Mystical Mindowaskin: One of Westfield’s most picturesque destinations will be the site of a family-friendly, self-guided stroll that will evolve throughout October and include the following features:

• The Painted Pumpkin Path will showcase local talent as Westfield celebrates native son Charles Addams' connection to the arts community and the Town’s 300th anniversary. 30 painted pumpkins, one for each decade of Westfield’s history, will be chosen from the submissions of local artists by the Westfield Public Arts Commission and displayed as a “Westfield State of Mind” art installation in Mindowaskin Park. (Oct. 25-31, no tickets required. Sponsored by Outta Hand Pizza.)

• The Addams Family House on Mindowaskin Pond. Playing off a beloved Westfield tradition, this Halloween house is a nod to the replica of the Presbyterian Church that signals the holiday season in December. (Oct. 8 – Oct. 31, no tickets required. Sponsored by Erin Ben-Hayon, Realtor.)

• The Enchanted Forest and The Quest for the Halloween Fairy Doors is a self-guided stroll that will keep young Wednesdays and Pugsleys entertained as they go on this mystical search. Halloween Fairies have been busy building their homes throughout Mindowaskin. The youngest AddamsFest revelers will love this adventure to locate the fairy doors encircling the bandstand area of the park, as well as the Enchanted Forest surprises in the playground area. Share all of the discoveries by tagging @AddamsFest on Instagram with #mystical_mindowaskin. (Oct. 16 – Nov. 1, no tickets required. The Enchanted Forest is sponsored by The Westfield Education Association, and The Quest for the Halloween Fairy Doors is sponsored by Oceans Orthodontics.)

• Maniacs’ Carving Chat and Contest: Don't miss the return of the incomparable Maniac Pumpkin Carvers — creating stunning and unique custom pumpkin carvings that have been featured on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and displayed at MoMA and Yankee Stadium! Join them for a live video carving tutorial to elevate everyone’s seasonal pumpkin game. Creations can then be entered in the Maniacs’ Carving Contest between Oct. 17 and 25, by tagging @AddamsFest on Instagram with #addamsfest_carving for a chance to win prizes and top jack-o-lantern bragging rights. For those looking for tools to complete their masterpiece, a limited number of AddamsFest Pumpkin Carving Kits are for sale for $25 at addamsfest.com. (Virtual carving tutorial: Oct. 16, 5 p.m. This event is free, with advance registration required at addamsfest.com/pumpkincarving.)

• Dudley’s Drive-In: A little bit retro and naturally socially distant, a drive-in is the perfect addition to the 2020 Alt AddamsFest line-up. The South Avenue train station lot will host four drive-in movie screenings:
• Friday, Oct. 30, 7:00PM: Pajama family screening of Hotel Transylvania.
• Friday, Oct. 30, 10:00PM: Calling all Brads and Janets (age 18+)! AddamsFest tradition lives on for a late-night screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with the return of the Friday Nite Specials shadow cast! (Advance tickets are required, and were available on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 8 p.m. at addamsfest.com, for $30 per car [$40 for Rocky Horror]. The Premier Sponsor for Dudley’s Drive-In is Wonder, a brand new home dining experience in Westfield. The Associate Sponsor is Shovlin Mattress Factory.)

• Tamaques Haunted Trail: Families near and far are summoned to bring their bravest passengers to drive through this new and immersive Halloween experience in Tamaques Park. By day, the Trick or Trail will welcome families for a spooky, age-appropriate event, while the distinctly haunted Trail of Terror will be held at night for more adventurous attendees seeking a frightful drive. Through a combination of live action and digital simulation, this innovative attraction for a pandemic-friendly environment aims to bring the spirit of the season to a variety of age groups. (Oct. 24 & 25. Advance tickets are required, and were available on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 8 p.m. at addamsfest.com, for $25 per car. The Tamaques Haunted Trail is sponsored by the Westfield Education Association, with Trick or Trail gift bags provided by Stop & Shop of Westfield.)

• Charles Addams: A New York State of Mind: Missing Manhattan? Join a virtual conversation with Kevin Miserocchi, Director of the Tee & Charles Addams Foundation, as he as he regales us with tales of the saucy side of his friend, Chas, and introduces us to the new book featuring illustrations of Addams’ beloved New York City, Addams’ Apple: The New York Cartoons of Charles Addams. Get a behind the scenes glimpse of Charles and Tee Addams’ home in the Hamptons (“The Swamp”), visit the pet cemetery where they were buried along with 35 pet cats and dogs, and explore the mysterious home where Charles Addams’ creations were born. (Oct. 29. This event is free, with advance registration required at addamsfest.com, beginning the week of Oct. 18. Sponsored by Outta Hand Pizza.)

Further details about this year’s altogether ooky events can be found on the AddamsFest website (www.addamsfest.com) and social media channels (@addamsfest on Facebook and Instagram). All events are subject to change in accordance with public health guidelines. For more information on sponsorship and volunteer opportunities, please email info@addamsfest.com.

AddamsFest is a town-wide celebration, honoring Westfield native Charles Addams and his penchant for the macabre. This destination event of the season will take place throughout October and includes family-friendly events, lectures, exhibits, film screenings, and more. For more information, visit www.addamsfest.com, or follow along on Facebook and Instagram (@addamsfest).

What else?

Follow this link to find out about other Westfield activities, as well as area fall events at local pumpkin patches and farms. READ MORE: 5 Ways To Fall For Autumn In Westfield.

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