Sticking around for Halloween?
Happenings abound for Durango's unofficial favorite holiday

Sihasin plays Nov. 1 at Fort Lewis College's Vallecito Room./ Courtesy photo
I know many folks take off from our fair burg on Halloween for other locales – larger metropolitan areas or even smaller, more rural ones. I will say that larger cities tend to have more offerings, but there are always options here in Durango.
The Animas City Theatre is hosting a handful of events leading up to All Hallows’ Eve, including not one but two nights of Stillhouse Junkies on Fri., Oct. 27 (with openers Golden Shoals) and Sat., Oct. 28 (with Never Come Down). You can catch Long Beach Dub Allstars and Passafire on Sun., Oct. 29, and on Halloween, local favorites Liver Down the River and River Spell will likely be a sellout affair.
Last weekend, I visited Durango’s newest events space, The Subterrain, located at 900 Main Ave., Suite F, which was hosting a mask-making event in advance of the holiday. I spoke briefly to the two partners (Megan Riddle and Tim Hassemer) about what they had in mind for the space, in what was formerly the Irish Embassy Underground and is connected, physically, to the Durango Winery. A small stage was erected in the northeast corner of the space for bands, DJs or fill-in-the-blank, and the room was freshly painted for the upcoming Monsters Ball Dance Party on Sat., Oct. 28, with DJ Panacea, a 21+ event.
All in all, the venue can hold roughly 100 attendees, which is promising. It’s hard to undertake a new events space, and I wish them the best of luck. It does seem that the space is open to suggestion and ideas – those inquiries can be sent to their general contact submission form via their website, thesubterraindurango.com.
In that same vein, next door, the Durango Winery will host live Irish music on Sat., Nov. 4, with Tom Ward’s Downfall and Patrick Crossing, with special guests TBD.
The day after the big festivities offers options as well, with Sihasin playing the Vallecito Room at Fort Lewis College at 7 p.m. Wed., Nov. 1. The show kicks off Native American Heritage Month, of which KDUR is a sponsor. Sihasin is a Diné band consisting of brother and sister duo Clayson and Jeneda Benally, formerly of Native American punk group Blackfire. In my opinion, a show not to be missed.
Also, a quick thanks to all who attended Punk Rock Breakfast at Anarchy Brewing on Sun., Oct. 15. It seemed like a solid turnout to support the local youth nonprofit, The Hive. As I’ve said, we need more spaces for kids, art, music, skateboarding and all the intersections therein. With that in mind, keep your eyes peeled for more happenings at the SPACE Pop-Up, via the newly formed Rodeo Odyssey, in the former Basin Printing Building at 1437 E. 2nd Ave. You can find out more info at rodeoodyssey.com.
There are goings-on in our little mountain town – and if there is something you see missing, make it happen. As a matter of fact, feel free to send any of those things that are missing my way at the email address below. Along with questions, comments and gripes. Especially the gripes.
Jon E. Lynch is the program director at KDUR. kdur_pd@fortlewis.edu
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