Lakers News: Shaqtoberfest Invades Long Beach
Hall of Fame former Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal is getting into the Halloween game this season.
The Queen Mary, a historic 1,019.4 foot ocean liner that operated as a ship from 1936-1967, has been docked in Long Beach as a permanent hotel and restaurant since 1971. It has been frequently outfitted as a "spooky" All Hallow's Eve destination for half a century, and now the Big Diesel is getting in on the action.
Per the official Shaqtoberfest website, here's a broad outline of the retired 7'1" big man's plans for the scary season:
"Shaqtoberfest is a massive Halloween festival in Long Beach, California. With The Historic Queen Mary as the backdrop, Shaqtoberfest will be the ultimate Halloween destination this October!"
Events include a street carnival that includes a terrifying funhouse, a pumpkin patch that by day is a delightful excursion for little ones, and at night is a "walk-through experience" with a light show and EDM tunes, a 1920s-style "Lost City Boardwalk" beneath the gangways next to the ship, plus some additional creepy nautical tie-ins, including a graveyard and a pirate bar.
The Halloween festival extravaganza has been underway since September 29th, and will continue through Halloween proper.
Individual adult tickets are retailing for as little as $34.99, while kids' tickets are available for $29.99 and up.
O'Neal served as the Lakers' All-Star center from 1996-2004. During his run with the team, he and All-Star shooting guard teammate Kobe Byant led the club to four NBA Finals, winning three straight from 2000-2002. O'Neal won the 2000 MVP for his efforts with Los Angeles. In 79 games that year, the LSU product averaged 29.7 points (on 57.4% shooting), 13.6 rebounds, 3.8 steals, and three blocks a game.
