A ‘Grim Grinning Gala' is materializing, all to help the creative dreams of young people

Summoning a colorful cadre of sweet-minded spirits just days before Halloween arrives is never easy, given the full-to-brimming schedules of most phantoms come October.

But one of the swingingest wakes in Southern California will feature seasonal high jinks of a phantasmagoric nature and a glad-hearted give-back purpose, too.

Prepare to float by the Grim Grinning Gala, a Haunted Mansion-themed fundraiser organized by the Garner Holt Foundation.

The Redlands affair, which will summon several celebrated guests on Oct. 28, will apparate several miles from The Happiest Place on Earth, it's true, but the inventive Mr. Holt has long been synonymous with theme park enchantment.

So many of the incredible animatronics that have delighted visitors at Disneyland and beyond had their spectacular start at the fanciful workshop, a whimsy-making factory that the dreamer and his talented designers so joyfully helm.

But Garner Holt's most important invention must be his STEAM-centered foundation, an aspirational organization that "... is dedicated to creating robust systems of learning that equip students with a strong foundation in creativity, innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship."

To support these noble, future-forward goals, the Grim Grinning Gala will present an ethereal evening of uplifting experiences, with a costume contest, tantalizing tricks performed by a prestidigitator (one who has appeared at the Magic Castle), a buffet dinner, an auction, photo ops of fantastical nature, live music from Bank of Harmony, and, oh yes, so many great guests.

Lauded Disney Imagineer Kim Irvine, whose visage appears as Madame Leota in the Haunted Mansion's holiday overlay — her mother, Leota Toombs, spectrally served as the original Madame Leota — will be there, along with the great Tania Norris, another celebrated Disney pioneer (if you adore the Disneyland attraction's eye-conic wallpaper, you'll want to pay homage to its charming designer at the event).

MiceChat's affable impresario, Dusty Sage, will fill the storied shoes of the Ghost Host as the evening's master of ceremonies.

A ticket to the Oct. 28 affair is $199.90 and should be summoned in advance.

For more information about the foundation's good works, the party's haunting panel and its ghostly guests, and what to expect of the vintage, velvety soirée, slip over to this doorless chamber, er, helpful site, now.