Halloween in Basel; Cultural Events

Basel has plenty of experience with dressing up for a holiday, having celebrated the "modern" version of Fasnacht for over 500 years, with roots of that tradition dating back nearly 1000 years. So it's no surprise that global Halloween traditions have also taken root here. Typical Basel Halloween activities have come to include trick-or-treaters roaming the streets, knocking on the doors of strangers, asking for candy, and plenty of promotional sales, events and bars hosting parties. Interestingly, Halloween's Celtic and pagan origins have plenty in common with Basel - where Celtic-era buildings have been excavated at the site of the Münster Cathedral!

Cultural events this week include exhibitions "Elegant Imbibing", "Van Gogh Alive" and "Wildlife Photographer of the Year"; the Semi-Circle theatre group's "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike"; music from Nova Twins (in Zurich) and the Czar Fest (in Basel); Story Time with Ms. Jeanne; fleamarkets at the Markthalle; and Basel's Herbstmesse.

Tonight's musical theme was a Halloween spooktacular featuring the following tracks:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll

Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil

Stevie Wonder - Superstition

Ava Max - Sweet But Psycho

Bobby Pickett - Monster Mash

Nina Simone - I Put A Spell On You

Warren Zevon - Werewolves Of London

Tenacious D - Tribute