I love Halloween. I love costumes, candy corn, ghosts, ghouls and goblins. And, apparently, my new city loves Halloween too.

Chicagoween, as its known, is a celebration throughout the city. There are pumpkin patches in parks, haunted buildings along the lake and an orange fountain in front of the city building. It's spooktacular.

Strolling through the city on a very fall-ish day a few weeks ago I saw the Midnight Circus perform in Daley "Pumpkin " Plaza. It was an absolute riot. This kind of goofy stuff is seriously important, believe it or not.

1. Chicagoween is awesome for families. My friends who reside in the suburbs brought their nearly-three-year-old daughter to a Halloween affair in Oz Park. She dressed up as a red dragon, rode a pony, took a hayride and got a witch painted on her cheek! Even though my friends live in the south 'burbs they had an awesome day in the city with their daughter. Families from inside the city and out can do the same, and they usually stick around to eat, play and shop. Cha-ching, says Mayor Daley.
2. Chicagoween is free. Nothing brings people together like free. Isn't the what Halloween is all about?
   
3. It made my heart sing to see a really, truly diverse group of people chuckling at the Midnight Circus. That's good for everyone. Plus there are events all over the city, making Chicagoween accessible and affordable to everyone in Chicago.
   
4. Chicagoween connects everyone. Libraries, museums, parks, historical spots, the Chicago Transit Authority and many more groups are involved. Connections between real life and books, particularly, are amazing learning tools.
5. The Midnight Circus performance is a hilarious spoof! The ringmaster is a (pretend) Mayor Daley trying to bring the Ghoulish Games (Olympics) to Chicago. It's a riot.
   

A huge city bringing people together, offering tons of activities, trucking in pumpkins, and making fun of itself all for silly, happy fun? Spooky.