East Bay Homeowners Amp Up Halloween Decorations to Keep Spirits High – And Haunting
ALAMEDA (KPIX) -- With COVID-19 still haunting the nation, many may fear Halloween won't be much fun this year.
Especially for the kids, with trick-or-treating considered a high-risk activity, many East Bay neighbors are banding together to give their communities something to celebrate.
The Frentz family entered their home -- they call it "Deadton Abbey" -- in Alameda's "Haunt Your House" contest, and they're hoping it will earn the title of most haunted home in town.
"It really helps our Halloween spirit. We love everything spooky!" said McKenna Frentz.
Dancing ghosts, the sound and smoke effects and a contactless way of handing out candy were all built by two set designers.
"Neither one of us have been able to do our jobs since March. Live theater was the first thing to go and the last thing to come back," explained Kelly Tighe, co-creator of Deadtown Abbey.
It was a similar story in the Oakland Hills where homeowners with a little extra time on their hands created their take on Disneyland's Haunted Mansion. They almost lost a key part of the show when thieves drove off with the hearse. Luckily, it was quickly recovered.
"One Grinch isn't going to ruin our holiday spirit and we want to make sure we can give back and give happiness to this community," said David Petlin, creator of the Haunted Mansion.
While trick-or-treating is highly discouraged, just off Ridgewood Drive you can find candy walls and treat bags hanging off decorations. Neighbors are working together to come up with a safer alternative.
"We have seen more of our neighbors since Covid," said Christine Clark, an Oakland resident. "We have met more of our neighbors' children. In some ways it's not so bad."
In Alameda, the haunted house decoration contest is for a good cause. Visitors can scan a QR code to make a donation to the Alameda Food Bank.