Banff National Park, Alberta
Halloween has always been big in North America and Canada but Banff takes things to a whole new level. Never before have I seen so many witches, cowboys and Michael Jackson’s running around this town. Human horses burst from their hotels, axe murderers sipped beers in Banff’s many bars and a man dressed as a shower curtain dominated the dance floor. It’s safe to say the freaks were out more than ever sampling the well renowned Banff nightlife.
A Saturday night in Banff is always crazy busy regardless of what season it is. People hop between the more chilled out pubs like the Elk and Oarsman before hitting the late night nightclubs such as Hoodoos. As it was Halloween and the demand for dance floors increased, many traditional pubs reverted to nightclubs for the night which is how I found myself dancing at 1am downstairs in the Paddock Inn. Tickets (only $5) sold out a full day before the actual event as all sorts of creatures crowded into the packed venue.
The DJ kept things pumping into the wee small hours of the night as the drink flowed like blood from a severed head (Halloween similes are allowed only once a year!). On Sunday morning, the remnants of the night before were clear to see on Banff Avenue as there wasn’t a soul to be found. Visitors were still soundly tucked up in their hotel beds nursing a well earned hangover. Falsely I believed a hike in the fresh mountain air would cure all my woes. Luckily I left my phone at home otherwise I’m pretty sure there would have been a desperate call for a helicopter from an exhausted and hung-over man on top of Tunnel mountain! The thought of making the walk back down was probably the scariest part of the whole weekend!