The gates are open, the lanterns are glowing, and the black cats have taken their places. Welcome to the Midnight Midway.
Halloween has always been at its best when it feels just a bit mysterious. Not frightening, exactly. More like an old carnival that appears at dusk — glowing lanterns, painted signs, striped tents, strange little prizes, and the feeling that you probably should keep walking…but of course you don’t.
That was the idea behind my Midnight Midway Collection, and the newest addition is the Midnight Midway Halloween Banner.
I wanted this banner to look as though the pieces had been gathered from an old Halloween carnival — part vintage circus poster, part antique Halloween postcard, with just enough celestial magic mixed in.
Black cats grin beneath starbursts. Jack-o’-lanterns wear witch hats and party hats. An owl keeps watch beside the moon. Stars, diamonds and bold carnival stripes fill the spaces between them.
The colors are deliberately old-fashioned: warm pumpkin orange, deep midnight blue and black, faded cream and touches of red. I added worn textures and imperfect printing details so the pieces have the character of something that might have been tucked away in an old box of Halloween decorations for decades.
Eleven Pennants, One Midnight Midway
The complete banner includes 11 different pennants, mixing larger illustrated pieces with long triangular flags.
Some of my favorites are the wonderfully mischievous black cat, the moon-faced celestial design, the owl, and the stack of three jack-o’-lanterns. I also created coordinating starbursts, harlequin diamonds and striped pennants so the banner feels collected rather than overly matched.
Each pennant measures approximately 5 inches wide by 7 inches high, and the complete garland stretches approximately 8 feet when strung.
That makes it large enough to really become part of your Halloween decorating — across a mantel, doorway, hutch, shelf, party table or along a wall.
And because I know some of us fall into two very different camps when it comes to crafting, I made the Midnight Midway Banner two ways.
Ready to Hang — or Make It Yourself
The finished Midnight Midway Banner arrives cut, assembled and ready to hang, with approximately 8 feet of twine included.
This is the version for anyone who sees a pair of scissors and thinks, No thank you. I have decorating to do.
But I also created a printable Midnight Midway Banner for those of us who actually enjoy sitting at the table with cardstock, scissors, a hole punch and a cup of coffee while making Halloween decorations.
The digital version includes the printable banner pages and instructions. Print them on your favorite cardstock, cut out the pennants, punch the holes and string them in whatever order you like.
You can even print additional copies and make the Midway as long as you want.
And the Midway Isn’t Closing Yet…
This banner has started something.
As I worked on the cats, moons, pumpkins, stars and carnival patterns, I kept imagining what else might belong inside this strange little Halloween midway.
So more pieces are beginning to appear.
Some are decorative. Some are printable. Some may have arms and legs that move.
And one particularly suspicious black cat seems to have appointed himself master of ceremonies.
The gates to the Midnight Midway are officially open.
Step right up. Halloween is about to get wonderfully strange. 🎃🌙🐈⬛
Find the finished Banner here or Find the Download in my Etsy Shop.