By Lars Hindsley

In the world, there are places to be certain times of the year. New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro bring to mind Mardi Gras. Germany has Oktoberfest, Black Rock City has Burning Man, Pamplona as Running of the Bulls, and Wilmington, Delaware has the Halloween Loop.

There is a tradition in Delaware that happens once a year. The over 21 crowd dresses up in costume to circle the town in buses in an incessant loop to all the well-known bars and restaurants where most all have live entertainment.

What makes it special is both the sheer number of participants and, of course, the desire to out-do others in your costume selection.

It all happens in Wilmington, Delaware, and on this night Wilmington doesn't play second to any city at Halloween. Each year, downtown Wilmington becomes party central for the over 21 crowd.

Never to be missed, this is a life experience you can't just show up to; you must participate or experience the embarrassment of being the only person on the planet to show up without a costume.

PCM will be at Loop night in 2009. We'll be conducting video interviews, taking photos for a gallery, and much more. We'll be in costume, so you'll just have to be prepared and hope to find us. For more photos of past Loop Nights, see our links at the end of this article.

What happens on Loop Night? Starting at 8pm, the conservative, stuffy banking town of Wilmington undergoes a change. Buses drive in a loop around Wilmington's prominent bars. You pay for a wristband at any bar, and from there you get all-night access to the buses and the bars they hit.

You could spend all night trying to hit every bar, but you better start early. In fact, you should start before the buses begin at the bar where you want to end the night; subsequently you start at it. When you finish, you most likely will have reached closing time.

Over the years I've personally witnessed amazing expressions of originality, and many times as groups. Themes include:

• The Adamms Family
• The Knights Who Say Ni (Monty Python & The Holy Grail)
• The Flintsones (complete with stone wheeled car!)
• The Brady Kids

The Brady Kids dressed in their jumpsuits with racing stripes. They even performed Keep On Movin in the street! This had people in stitches if you've ever watched a Brady Bunch episode. I never found out how The Flintstones showed up with their stone wheeled car, nor how they made entrance into any of the clubs, but they drew a crowd everywhere they went. In 2008, one couple dressed as the Hamburgler and his girlfriend was Wendy. Over the years, groups have become cheap or lazy and you don't see the large detailed themes las in the past.

In 2007 forty or so people constructed a giant cardboard ship built entirely of cardboard boxes, and carried it around dressed as pirates. Their SS Bird was at least 30 feet long. It was simple, it was cheap and it was hilarious. It's a testimony to how large groups of friends or co-workers can think 'outside' the box; or in this case - inside the box. If you go and come up with great ideas, you will draw a crowd and most likely make the local papers, online magazines and print magazines. PCM will be there this year doing interviews, taking loads of photos and video too! We'll be in costume too - just be ready!

Then there was 2008 when a large contingent of Waldo's stormed the city. It was great. No doubt, no one had to ask where Waldo was that night. Of course, what if a Waldo strayed from the bunch? Heaven forbid they lost a Waldo. That must have caused some serious "Where's Waldo-ing" among the group. Worse yet, if they lose a Waldo, how do they know a Waldo is missing?

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