Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, which bills itself as “Halloween headquarters,” threw an outlandish Ghoulwill Ball at the stately and almost spooky Portland Club last weekend.

“We love this space,” said Lee Anne Dodge, attending her fourth Ghoulwill Ball. “It’s so regal. The music is fabulous, because it’s all music we grew up with.”

Motor Booty Affair didn’t just bring the funk, they set the scene with an elaborately choreographed entrance complete with theatrical lighting, otherworldly music from the “planet Funk,” and really big hair.

“I’ve never seen a mummy wearing flip-flops,” quipped the band member known as Superfly. “There’s a first for everything.”

A hilarious mishmash of characters, including Loretta Lynn, Superman and Aladdin, danced the night away as judges scoured the room for the best costumes.

Justin Dickson, outfitted as the Mad Hatter, won Most Creative Use of Goodwill Finds.

The roller coaster guys – who when lined up looked like an entire row of an amusement park ride – took Best Overall Grand Prize. No one saw their faces last year, but the same four men – Adam Gagne, Ellis Baum, Chad Cote and John Rohn – won the 2014 Grand Prize as green toy soldiers. These dudes know how to rock a costume bash.

The People’s Choice award concluded in a fierce competition between Brian and Lauren Gagne, as General Tso and his chicken, and Claire and Tom Jackson as sunburned tourists. The Jacksons won – and then donated the $150 prize back to Goodwill.

The Best Group award went to a group of characters from “The Wizard of Oz,” who even brought a yellow brick road to pose on. This crew represented longtime Ghoulwill Ball sponsor Healey & Associates.

“Goodwill does an amazing job, and this is a great event to get some publicity for what Goodwill does,” said Matt Arbo, an insurance agent with Healey & Associates. “People think of Goodwill as only the store, and it’s so much more than a store.”

The ball raised about $9,000 for Goodwill’s Job Connections pilot program.

“Job Connections is an intensive workforce service for Portland residents who may be some of the hardest to employ for various reasons,” said Trendy Stanchfield, senior director of mission investment for Goodwill Industries of Northern New England.

Amy Paradysz is a writer and photographer based in Scarborough. She can be reached at:

amyparadysz@gmail.com