A Message from Our Fearless Leader
Janna Kennedy-Hyten, the Halloween Lady

It is with a heavy heart that we must say goodbye to Brooklyn’s most elaborate Halloween spectacle. In 1994, when we kicked off the spooky celebrations in my front yard, I had no idea it would evolve into the full-blown theatrical extravaganza known as Halloween 313.

Our final show was a blast to perform, and was the perfect swan song to celebrate our 23 years of all-volunteer, community outreach. Our mission was always pretty simple: to provide a safe, entertaining environment for the whole family to enjoy Halloween. And have fun doing it!

On a personal note, I’d like to thank all of you who came out to see and support us over the years. And my undying (undead?) thanks and love go out to the countless actors, writers, producers, designers, artists, and community members from around Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Bed Stuy, and beyond, who gave up their weekends to make each year’s show better than the last. All for the love of their community and the Halloween spirit.

And though we at Halloween 313 are stepping down, I challenge each and everyone of you to please help grow this wonderful tradition, and continue to make our humble neighborhood the destination for all things Halloween.

With all my love, and a hearty

Bwahahahahaha!!
Janna

The roar of the greasepaint
The smell of the crowd
The performances raucous
The audience loud

And like all good things it must come to an end
We made this neighborhood into a friend
We did the shows that were scary and spooky
Ridiculous, haunting, funny, and kooky

So this is the year of our final bow
It’s been wonderful, joyous, tearful, and now
We can’t thank you enough for your love and devotion
You’ve been dearer to us than the shore to the ocean

Some 20 plus years you’ve supported us all
And so many of you have answered the call
To entreat and entrance and to dazzle the young
With words we have spoken and songs we have sung

If there is one last thing to say to you
It is cover your children in candy and goo
Halloween after all is quite the affair
What with goblins and ghosts and bats in your hair

Goodbye and thank you!
The Crew of Halloween 313

—Marc Ashmore