Check Out These Unbelievable Photos From A WKFR Halloween Party In Kalamazoo In 1982

Did your parents ever party with their local radio station? In 1982, WKFR sponsored their annual Halloween Party at Stan & Ollie’s. Having invited the entire community to come out and celebrate in costumes at their local bar, the turn out appears to have been better than anticipated. However, not every party is perfect; and especially not every costume. 

WKFR Halloween Announcement 

Hosted at Stan & Ollie’s, WKFR held a Halloween Party for the local community in 1982. For a full month before the event, WKFR made sure that anyone listening would know the party was open to all. With music provided by the band Spiral Staircase and admission at the low price of $1.03 (for stereo 103.3), the station was expecting a minimum of 500 people. Part of what drew in such a large crowd were the costume contest prizes: 

Get our free mobile app

Grand Prize: 7-day vacation for two in Jamaica, a one-month membership for two to “Duck’s Landing,” a video disc player, $100 in video discs, three pairs of jeans, and dinner for two. 

Second Prize: 3-day vacation in Las Vegas, jeans and dinner 

Third Prize: stereo and dinner for two 

Fourth & Fifth Prize: Portable TV and dinner for two 

Sixth-Tenth Prize: dinner for two 

Eleventh-Twenty-Fifth Prize: Album 

As a bonus, the first 103 people attending the event receive an album from the station. 

Kalamazoo Gazette Follow-Up on Halloween Party 

The follow up newspaper clipping on that year's Halloween Party stated the station was essentially at fault for age discrimination because of the event's minimal age requirement. Having advertised the event on-air in the upcoming weeks of the event, WKFR openly invited the local community to attend and participate in their upcoming event. During these announcements, nothing was stated about 18,19- and 20-year old's not being able to enter the business because of drinking age requirements.  

“I feel that the idea of a costume party at Halloween is terrific; but in the future, I certainly hope that the advertising will not be so misleading. For many it was a good time, but for some of us, it was one big sham.” -Andy Kristen 

At the time of the Halloween Party in 1982, many establishments were still adjusting and discovering the newest rules and regulations for the age of a customer at a business that serves alcohol. In 1978, Michigan changed its legal drinking age from 18 to 21. This left reverberations of ‘age discrimination’ for the next few years to follow because businesses weren’t sure if this new law meant no persons under 21 at all, during a given hour, or allowed but just not served. So, while the announcements lead to disappointment for many underaged attendees, a lack of clarification from different sources is essentially what caused this issue. 

“Walter Kech, of the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, said the MLCC has no rules or regulations on the matter. He did say that in any case, any licensee is barred from selling, serving or giving booze to anyone under 21 years old, even if the bar is being used for a private party.” -Andy Kristen 

What do you think about a WKFR/radio station Halloween Party? With the legal age limit situation having been cleared up for a few years now, would you, the community, be interested in participating in a Halloween Party and costume contest? Do you recognize anyone from our 1982 Halloween Party? 

Warning: There are an ABUNDANCE of costume images from the 1982 WKFR Halloween Party, so be prepared for a long scroll of some very interesting costumes.