Halloween Party / Samhain
Communion with the Dead
Grand Midway Hotel
November 7

AFTERNOON CLASSES
Isaac Bonewits, living legend of current neo-pagan culture and author of the legendary book  'Real Magic', he also was America's first academically accredited magician, graduating in 1970 with a B.A. in magic and thaumaturgy from University of California at Berkeley, will be teaching two classes here.  The first class is on, What is Magic?  giving a context to what is meant by 'real magic'.  The  second class is on this time of the year, the 'final harvest' seasonal historic context, and the meaning of Halloween, All Saints' Day, All Souls' Day, and Samhain celebrations.  Finally, Rosemary Ellen Guiley, author of nine encyclopedias on the paranormal, ghosts, angels, demonology, and finally her newest book on Spirit Communication (written with radio host George Noory of Coast-to-Coast), will be offering a class on the subject of Spirit Communication.  Bring your questions, pen and paper!

EVENING SAMHAIN CEREMONY
The main Samhain event / Communion with the Dead ceremony where, as history claims, "The veil between our world and the world of our ancestors could be drawn aside / and journeys could be made to the other side."  Everyone should bring a photo of someone passed on, be it a relative, friend, historic figure, or even pet, and we'll cover the walls in the large dining hall.  As Isaac describes it, "We'll create a giant ancestor altar!" 

NIGHT HOTEL HALLOWEEN PARTY
This will be a classic American Halloween party in the spirit of haunted hotel fun.  Mark Swindler the Magician will astound you with an act created just for the Grand Midway Hotel stage.  Next, Agnes Wired For Sound, The Men in Black, The Bridge City Bombshells, etc, all ready to set the stage ablaze.  Other acts are currently lurking.  Damien Youth?  Typewriter Girls?  Dr. Skot Jones?  The spirit of Weldon Kees?  Horror short films shot here?  We'll surprise you.   Isaac has specifically requested "dark, chewy beer."  It should go pretty late.  Wear a costume...

Please note:  This is a private event in a private home.  It is not open to the public.  If you got this in the regular mail you currently hold your invitation.  This event will also be filmed for a cutting-edge new documentary being created by Rosemary and a crew out of New England.  Isaac's druid friends of Sassafras Grove ADF Pittsburgh will be joining us as well.   As always with the hotel there is no entry fee.  It would be a nice gesture though if everyone brought some extra money to buy the generous speaker's books, any musician's CDs, etc.  I also wouldn't say no to any donations and offerings of help in the spirit of the event (IE: help cleaning prior, construction, bringing food for the festivities, prayer from afar, etc.).  If you wish to sleep here afterwards, which could be fine, it will be cold and rooms are limited, so PLEASE contact me with your prior request so I can attempt to accommodate you.  Don't bring anyone criminal, disrespectful, under age, or negative, obviously.  Thank you. 

Hope to see you.  Have an excellent October and Creepy Happy Halloween!

Welcome to the Grand Midway Hotel.  The Midway is not open to the public, though we sometimes host public events.  It is a think tank for the arts as well as "holy experiment" (thank you William Penn).  There are several projects currently being created here.  The building itself is also a project.  It is often described as a "breathing canvas."  A more detailed webpage with an entire virtual tour can be found through any of the following:

WWW.TheCemetery.Net

WWW.ILiveInAHauntedHotel.Com

WWW.KerouacFest.Com

Among events offered, the Midway Hotel is also the location of the annual Kerouac Fest.  Kerouac Fest is a week long intense gathering for artists by artists.  It was inspired by the 1950 American Beat Writers (Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Neal Cassady, David Amram, Baird Bryant, etc).  Kerouac and his fellow artists created a cultural mythology celebrating their friends within their own works.  For the meat and spirit of their works they made naked examples of their loves, losses, heartbreaks, journies, joys, diaries, and trials.  It is a testament to their endearing legacy.

On a more private level, we are perpetuating a mythology of individuals currently growing around the Grand Midway Hotel as well.  Their creativity and passion is manifesting an aspect of the visiting character throbbing within these walls.  This MySpace is to highlight all those hotel friends, guests who have visited, sent best wishes, or who would visit, and offer them as they would be presented in their own creative spirit.  Enjoy the network.