This Halloween, dress as the Parks and Recreation Department.  The citizenry of Pawnee are in for a real treat.

If you’d like to be the first female President of the USA, then take on the persona of Leslie Knope and inspire all your coworkers to dress as the Parks and Recreation cast.  From Leslie to Ron Swanson, everyone can get into the spirit.  Meet at the pumpkin patch, local park improvement site, or your very own non bureaucratic office.

As Leslie, take charge of the committee and be perky about it.  Remember Leslie is the eternal optimist.  Be prepared for lots of public speaking with a smile, even when people are screaming at you.  They are just caring loudly at you.  For the costume: wear a suit or something casual for the park.  Leslie’s bid for City Council wrapped up in Season 4, but you can still sport Knope 2012 campaign merchandise including, shirts, campaign buttons, and pens.  Be sure to watch your favorite clips and have some of her memorable lines on hand.

  • (On Pawnee) We’re overrun with raccoons and obese toddlers.
  • My official statement is that is, overall, a bummer.
  • Nothing gets me more amped than Sarah Machlachlan.
  • I was in favor of closing the Borders bookstore, not the border to Mexico.
  • There are very few things I have asked for in this world. To build a new park from scratch, to eventually become president and to one day solve a murder on a train.

Alternatively, dress as fan favorite Ron Swanson.  As Director of Parks and Rec, Ron lets Leslie do all the work.  He sports a mustache and staunch Libertarian values.  While collecting a government paycheck, Ron believes in as little government as possible and feels the parks department should not even run or maintain parks.  He advocates for program cuts wherever possible, and actively works to make city hall less effective, and he especially detests interacting with Pawnee taxpayers.   Ron has a deadpan, inexpressive personality and loves meat, hunting and breakfast foods.

 

Great Ron Swanson lines:

  • (On Fishing) It’s like Yoga, except I still get to kill something.
  • It’s never too early to learn that the government is a greedy piglet that suckles on a taxpayer’s teet until they have sore, chapped nipples.  I’m gonna need a different metaphor to give this nine year old.
  • The less I know about other people’s affairs, the happier I am. I’m not interested in caring about people. I once worked with a guy for three years and never learned his name. Best friend I ever had. We still never talk sometimes.
  • You had me at meat tornado