Toronto Magazine - Premier 2008 - (Page 35) Things get downright freaky when the Gay Village fills with Halloween eye candy. f or the Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, Halloween marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter. Celts believed that on this night of celebration, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead become blurred and ghosts return to earth. On this night, locals also believed that the Druids were granted the power to make predictions about the future. For a people who wholeheartedly embrace the unpredictable nature of the world, these prophecies were a source of comfort during the long, bleak winter. And so began the tradition of Halloween. In the Village, a vibrant gay community in the area of Church and Wellesley, the Halloweek celebration marks the end of patio season and the beginning of autumn in the city. Residents of the Village believe that during this festival of fun and frivolity, only the hottest, most uninhibited ghosts come to haunt Church Street. On this night, locals also believe that every Halloweek partygoer is granted the power to charm the costume off anyone they so chose. For a people who whole heartedly embrace the unpredictable nature of the world, this means companionship for all. The tradition of Halloweek continues in 2008 with a haunting seven days of parties and pumpkins. www.halloweek.ca toronto | 2008 35 http://www.halloweek.ca
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