Halloween Party at the Historical Society of D.C.

October ended on a damp note in Washington, DC but Halloween was hot as hundreds of young adults celebrated at the Historical Society of D.C. Hosted by the local social networking web site Late Night Shots (LNS) as well as the bars George and Gin & Tonic, the event offered a fully-stocked open bar and live band to the costumed attendees.
“This is definitely the best place to be tonight,” said Kyle Bye, a Maryland native who came home from Charleston, S.C. to party as Alvin the Chipmunk. “Some of my friends were worried it’d be overcrowded but I think this is the perfect amount of people.”
With the obvious draw of a four hour open bar, the event sponsors capped ticket sales at six hundred to keep patrons satisfied.
“Everyone knows the worst part of an open bar is waiting in endless lines,” said Reed Landry, co-host for the evening. “To reward those who acted early and bought the cheap tickets, we set up five bars, each manned with two or three bartenders around the venue and limited the number of attendees to keep drink lines moving.”
Ticket prices started at forty dollars but rose quickly as word spread and the event’s popularity grew. “I bought a few extra tickets in case more friends decided to come last minute but ended up selling them for over one hundred dollars a piece on Craig’s List,” said Knute Scholl of Virginia.
One of the biggest draws for the event was the promise of an appearance by DJ Curious. The 28-year-old disc jockey came to the DC Area by way of South Africa and spins house music at a variety of clubs and lounges around the city. Between band sets, DJ Curious kept the crowd dancing with a mix of 80s and contemporary music bouncing off the hall’s marble walls.
“I’ve seen DJ Curious perform before and have always enjoyed parties at Gin & Tonic, so I knew this would be a good time,” said Bye.
Unlike the usual parties hosted by LNS and the Georgetown-area bars, dressing up in costume was required for entry at the Historical Society’s Halloween Party.
“I had so much fun checking out people’s costumes and seeing how creative everyone could be,” said Ellen Devine, an Arlington, Va. resident. While some patrons chose traditional costumes like ghosts and vampires, others picked media celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga and Colorado’s “Balloon Boy.”
No matter how elaborate their costumes, as the crowd streamed from the hall’s main doors well past midnight, it was obvious everyone enjoyed the Halloween celebration brought to them by LNS.
“When’s the next party?” yelled a man in the crowd. “Where can I get my tickets?”

-L