Westfield's AddamsFest To Include Masquerade Ball, Beer Garden + More

WESTFIELD, NJ — Temperatures may be scorching this week, as we are still very much in the thick of summer, but before you know it, the leaves will change and it will be time for Westfield's annual AddamsFest.

This year marks the fifth iteration of the October festival, which celebrates the legacy of Westfield native Charles Addams — the mind behind the famously spooky cartoon "The Addams Family."

Organizers have released the lineup of events for this year's AddamsFest, and Westfield residents can look forward to a jam-packed October with tons of events to get you in the Halloween spirit.

Born in 1912 and raised in Westfield, Addams was one of the country's premier cartoonists and his work was prominently featured in The New Yorker.

His most successful creation, "The Addams Family," was inspired by his hometown surroundings, an area full of ornate Victorian mansions and archaic graveyards.

The famous Addams house is still located on Elm Street in Westfield, where Addams lived for 27 years.

The town recently issued a request for proposals to host a beer garden at this year's festival.

Check out the full 2022 event lineup below:

Haunting Your House Decorating Contest: Judging opens Friday, Oct. 4

• The competition for the spookiest house was stiff in 2021, and the decorating contest is back on this year. Community members will tour the decorations vote for their favorites using an online map of participating homes.
• Registration opens Sept. 12

The Addams Family House On Mindowaskin Pond: Throughout October

• Playing off a beloved Westfield tradition, an Addam Family house replica will be floating in Mindowaskin Pond throughout October. The Halloween house is a nod to the replica of the Presbyterian Church that signals the holiday season in December. You can take a stroll in the park to admire the Lighted Bandstand, decorated in festive colors for the AddamsFest season.

Wicked Windows of Westfield: Throughout October

• Downtown Westfield's storefronts will be transformed into Halloween displays throughout the month. Residents can look for some of Addams' favorite characters peering out from the windows. There will also be spooky decorations on the street lamps and special appearances by the Addams Family themselves.

Evolution: Addams And The Artistic Process: Oct. 14-30

• Hosted at the Center for Creativity at the Rialto on 250 East Broad Street, the exhibit will feature Addams' original cartoons, rough drafts and more. This exhibit will give a glimpse into the process of one of the world's most iconic cartoonists.
• In addition to the main exhibition, local students who participated in a weeklong cartooning workshop will have their art displayed alongside original works by Charles Addams.

Morticia & Gomez's Masquerade Ball: Friday, Oct. 14

• After walking the purple carpet, masked guests will be invited to feast on Addams-inspired gourmet fare, sip smoldering libations and dance in an interactive setting at the James Ward Mansion on 169 East Broad Street.

AddamsFest Presents: The Art of Cartooning Workshop: Monday, Aug. 29 - Thursday, Sept. 1 (Location TBD)

• In this four-day workshop, aspiring cartoonists will learn the elements of single panel cartoons with teaching artist Doug Baron. Finished works will be displayed alongside original Charles Addams cartoons during AddamsFest’s art exhibit at the Rialto, Oct. 14-30.

Addams-Inspired Murals: Unveiling in early October

• The Town of Westfield Public Arts Commission held an open contest to create murals for the Central Avenue underpass. One entire span of the underpass will feature the theme: Inspired by Addams. Winning submissions will showcase their most Charles Addams-inspired works to "create an indelible mark not just on the walls of the underpass, but on Westfield’s history."

The Addams Family Fun Day: Sunday, Oct. 16

• Quimby Street will be closed off to cars for a day of family fun — including Addams Family character visits, live performances, displays by the Maniac Pumpkin Carvers and Bubble Show, activities with local merchants and more.

Charlie's Ale Garden: Saturday, Oct. 22

• Hosted at the Westfield Armory on 500 Rahway Ave., the beer garden will return with a full roster of local bands, as well as beer, wine and food for purchase from a variety of local restaurants.

Gomez's Lecture Series: Thursday, Oct. 27

• Each year, AddamsFest brings artists, scholars and entertainers together to discuss aspect of Charles Addams’ life and art. This year the tradition continues with Chatting With Charlie: The PBS Interview. In 1981, Charles Addams sat down with PBS’s John Callaway for a sprawling conversation about the artistic process, his life growing up in Westfield and all things Addams. A screening of this interview, followed by a Q&A by Executive Director of the Tee & Charles Addams Foundation, Kevin Miserocchi will be held at the Center for Creativity at the Rialto.

Family Movie At The Rialto: Saturday, Oct. 29

• A Halloween classic movie screening will be held at the Center for Creativity at the old theater on Saturday afternoon.

You can learn more about the festival on the AddamsFest website.

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