Ok, for all my friends who are getting tired of so much mindless cycling drivel, I’ll tell you a bit about our Sunday evening at the Bordello of Blood.

For years, I’ve been wanting to go to the Phantom’s Feaste, and I finally did it. It wasn’t planned, really. A friend of mine who works the faire mentioned it, sparking a long dormant desire. Later that week, Amanda and I drove out to the faire grounds and bought two tickets.

Sunday finally arrived and we met said friend at the grounds at 6 to pick up the tickets. We didn’t have long to wait before the theater began. As the sun went down, I was glad I decided to wear layers. It got a little chilly, but at least the sky was clear and the dirt dry. All 130 of us stood outside the gates while the story began to unfold. There were vampires and ghouls and vampire hunters, taking turns walking around and involving the crowd. It took a little to get into the story and relax, but once I did, it was a lot of fun.

Split into groups, our guides let us through the faire grounds. A stunningly lit blood fountain marked the beginning of the journey, before they led us down dark, torch-lit paths, past empty shops, and shops that weren’t so empty. Murderous barbers, ghoulish chefs and undead brides were some of the inhabitants, all of which were fully in character and eager to make the most of the night. Through the church and the barely lit cemetery, we made it to the feast hall and found our seats in the back row next to a very loud, and very funny caged vampire captive.

The story continued there, and we were fully immersed in what amounted to dinner theater with a horror bent. The acting wasn’t always top-notch, but it was fun, and the food was great. This will absolutely be a regular annual thing for us. Next year, however, I’ll get the tickets earlier and go for Halloween night. :)