A Halloween Ghoulardifest, Oct 31 to Nov. 2 in Parma

Event preview by Charles Cassady, Jr.

Other than LeBron James, the only thing significant about Cleveland, as we know, is GhoulardiFest, happening as an apres-Halloween treat this weekend in the only place it could happen - Parma.

It's virtually impossible to imagine North Coast culture without channel 8's Ernie "Ghoulardi" Anderson, who, as host of WJW-TV's "Shock Theatre," put on a garishly phony goatee and Fu Manchu mustache and spiced up B-grade horror and sci-fi flicks for insomniac viewers in beatnik-comic fashion for a few brilliant years there in the mid-1960s. The silver-tongued announcer, unrecognizable in his fright-wig disguise, would do blackout comedy bits (some including a young sidekick named Tim Conway), sound effects, songs and the catchphrases. "Turn blue!" "Stay sick!" "Ovaday!" "Dorrrothy..." And offscreen his family grew to include filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson (MAGNOLIA and othes).

Mark Ghoulardi's 50th anniversary at the GhoulardiFest in (of course) Parma, Nov. 1, 2 and 3

Event preview by Charles Cassady, Jr.

Hey group ovah dey! This year marks the 50th anniversary of an icon of Cleveland-area television. A hip, goofy guy whose tousel-haired face and pop-eyed stare are renown to all late-nite Cleveland viewers. A cool character whose catchphrases are part of the lexicon. An alternative  hero of the creature-features, who started in the days when TV was black and white, but who is still remembered and honored everywhere today. Of course, you all know EXACTLY who I'm referring to, right?

Of course you do. Doctor Who. It was in 1963 that actor William Hartnell first appeared on the BBC as the time-traveling alien and dedicated Dalek fighter...

Oh, you thought I was going to mention somebody else?