- December 20, 2024
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The participants of the Costume Crazies' Mrs. Roper themed night. Courtesy photo
Tracy Ike, Pamela Baird Mengel and Darcy Thomas. Courtesy photo
Darcy Thomas, Rhonda Newton, Tracy Ike, Laurie Broad, Candy Cayton, Leslie Weigel, Molly Bastien, Sandy Cassella and Pamela Baird Mengel. Courtesy photo
Front: Pamela Baird Mengel, Leslie Weigel, Molly Bastien and Candy Cayton. Middle: Laurie Broad, Vara Linick, Sandy Cassella and Tracy Ike. Back: Darcy Thomas and Rhonda Newton. Courtesy photo
Pamela Baird Mengel at 31 Supper Club. Courtesy photo
Ormond-by-the-Sea resident Pamela Baird Mengel has always loved costumes.
Combine that with a night out and that equals a good time for Mengel. So when it came to forming a new social group in Ormond, costumes had to play a role.
Enter the "Costume Crazies," who held their first outing on Aug. 7, visiting three restaurants in Ormond's downtown: Kona Tiki Bar, Sovereign 63 and 31 Supper Club. The theme? Dress up like Mrs. Roper. About 17 women took part, most of whom were Mengel's neighbors or women who found the Facebook group.
"The wigs were all different colors, it seemed like," Mengel said. "I didn't know there were so many levels of red. It was a lot of fun."
Mengel's inspiration for Costume Crazies came after taking part in a "Wandering Witches" event last October, where she and other women dined at different restaurants in Ormond Beach, all dressed as witches. After seeing other themed costume events in other cities, she thought it would be a good idea to form a group.
After all, she had ideas for more themes: Lucy and Ethel from "I Love Lucy," The Flintstones, Great Gatsby and fairies, for example.
Mengel hosts a lot of parties. Every month for the past 15 years, she's hosted a full moon potluck party at the beach. She's hosted a block party for her subdivision twice a year for the past 20 years.
"We do theme parties every time we do a party," Mengel said.
She's only missed one Halloween her entire life — and that was for a friend's wedding.
Mengel said if she had to guess when her love for costumes began, it probably would date back to the time her parents owned a roller skating rink in Syracuse, New York.
"We had costumes for the birthday parties for the kids, and I had to be dressed in the costumes," Mengel said. "Be it a bunny, a gorilla — that was not a big hit."
At the first Costume Crazies event, the 17 women posed with about five or six people who were celebrating birthdays at the restaurants. Even some of the restaurant staff, Mengel said, took photos with them.
"We were working that whole night," she said with a laugh.
Her only request? Stay in costume for the whole night.
Mengel would like for the group to continue to grow, or for subgroups to pop up in different areas. Costume Crazies is an opportunity to lighten up and have fun.
"This is a little out that's fun and not so serious, and that'll make them forget about their problems a little bit," Mengel said. "I think that's more it. Forget about your problems and enjoy a night out."
The Costume Crazies' next outing will take place in October. The theme will be "Wandering Witches."
To learn more, or join the Costume Crazies group on Facebook.
