For Immediate Release
Contact: Jerry duPhily; 302.655-6483; jduphily@tsnpub.com
This October marks the 40th anniversary of the Halloween Loop. To celebrate this milestone in a memorable way, Out & About Magazine and other area businesses are partnering with the Light Up the Queen Foundation (LUQ) to present the inaugural Halloween Loop Costume Ball on Saturday, Oct. 26, at The Queen in Downtown Wilmington.
Doubling as a LUQ fundraiser, the event will see Halloween Loop festivities return to where the one-of-a-kind costumed celebration began four decades ago – Market Street.
“The Halloween Loop is the biggest, longest-running nightlife tradition in Delaware,” says Out & About Magazine publisher Jerry duPhily. “The Loop’s 40th anniversary gives us an appropriate opportunity to celebrate all the venues, bands, bartenders, fans and great costumes that have contributed to the legacy of this exceptional party series.”
For those who remember the Loops fondly but feel they’ve aged out of the party, this is a chance to step back in time and relive this Halloween tradition. Well-known faces from previous Loop hot spots (Kahunaville, Bottlecaps, Bank Shots, Epoch, etc.) will be in attendance as guest bartenders. Old Loop posters will be on display and a slide show will be playing throughout the evening feature memorable images from Loops past. Costumes are highly encouraged with cash and prizes up for grabs to the most creative.
To add a nostalgic music touch to the evening, the Halloween Loop Costume Ball will feature four legendary bands that have helped shape Wilmington’s music scene: The Caulfields, Montana Wildaxe, The Numbers, and The Snap. It will be the first time these four bands have played the same event.
“I am thrilled to be involved in the 40th anniversary of the Halloween Loop,” said Tony Cappella, a member of Montana Wildaxe. “Not only do we get to highlight four bands whose members all played the Loop years ago, it’s for a fantastic cause. The Light Up the Queen Foundation supports community arts programs, so those attending the Loop Ball will be supporting our arts scene.”
Although the City Loop Series has helped raise money for numerous area non-profits over the past 15 years, this will be the first time the Halloween Loop will be serving as a fundraising event. Proceeds from the Costume Ball will benefit the Light Up the Queen Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to building community through programs in arts, music, education, workforce development and mentoring.
“The Halloween Loop is a tradition that is unique to Wilmington and we love the energy and creativity it brings to our city,” said Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki. “Forty years is quite a run and there is no better way to celebrate this milestone than with a Halloween Ball. Our congratulations to Out & About for keeping this spirited event going year after year.”
The Halloween Loop Costume Ball will kick off the 2019-20 City Loop Series. The series continues Friday, Dec. 13, with the Ugly Sweater Crawl. The Shamrock Shuffle is set for Sat., March 14, 2020 and the Cinco Crawl will take place Sat., May 2, 2020.
For tickets and additional information on the Halloween Loop Costume Ball, visit The Queen’s website, the Facebook event page, or in person at The Queen theater box office. For more information on the City Loop Series, visit OutAndAboutNow.com.
