Canadians craft elaborate homemade Halloween displays from animatronics to corn mazes
Enthusiasts across the country build intricate yard haunts with handmade props, interactive skeletons and themed scenes.
Halloween enthusiasts across Canada are putting the final touches on elaborate homemade yard displays, from interactive animatronics to sprawling corn mazes, in anticipation of trick-or-treaters this weekend. Many decorators build their own props year-round, favouring handmade creations over store-bought items. Their efforts draw hundreds of visitors each Halloween night, with some households handing out thousands of pieces of candy. The displays range from high-tech installations to deliberately low-tech pumpkin carving, all driven by a passion for the holiday.
One Quebec-based decorator, who started his haunt 20 years ago, said the majority of his props and animatronics are handmade by his family. "We prefer to build our own rather than buying from retailers," he said. This year his display includes an AI-powered animated skeleton that will have interactive discussions with visitors, featuring randomly played bilingual audio. He said they receive over 400 children on Halloween night and hand out over 2,000 pieces of candy.
"For us, Halloween is a passion, and we work year-round to make and repair props and then spend several weeks prepping the small space we have," he said. "It’s one of the best feelings to watch the kids try and figure out how something works and hear the older kids and adults comment on how much they enjoy the experience each year." Other decorators embrace a simpler approach. One resident of a small mountain town said her decorations are deliberately old-fashioned and low tech. "I love seeing real pumpkins carved and lit on Halloween," she said. She carves two or three pumpkins each year with faces suggested by the pumpkin's shape, a tradition she has maintained for about a decade.
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In other yards, skeletons have taken over. One family said they added a spider maze to their yard this year and that clowns have occupied a small baking shed. They also grew a larger corn patch and pumpkin field, decorating it with a scary burlap family featuring jump-scare scarecrows. "My husband and I continue to do this every year when we see how happy the kids are when they show up on Halloween night," the decorator said. "I’m keeping a childhood love going as long as I can, thank God I have a husband who will indulge all my crazy ideas."
Some displays are inspired by pop culture and current events. One family, inspired by the WNBA expansion team Toronto Tempo, created a basketball-themed display this season. They incorporated a skeleton selling popcorn, a nod to having popcorn at a Tempo game. "Since we only have two skeletons, we had to take a scene from the sport into more of a 1:1 format," they said. "We imagined dribbling or shooting at a net, which we repurposed from another family that had it on the curbside. We enjoy when others can smile, point and take pics."
Other homeowners offer more immersive experiences. One is staging a haunted garage walkthrough with animatronics, lighting, fog and actors. The decorator changes the theme annually while keeping some elements, like clowns, consistent. "This year is a chance to visit the spirit world," they said. "Two actors will be spirit walkers, and my seven-year-old son will be a 'soul stealer.'" They have been running the garage haunt for seven years and hope this year will be the best.
For some, the drive to decorate is about creating realistic, theatrical magic. One decorator, a registered nurse who studied theatrical stagecraft, said she is inspired by the imagineering behind Disneyland attractions. She decorates her parents' lawn with a cemetery-style display since her condo does not offer the space. "For me, it’s all about the dramatic lighting!" she said. "It’s a labour of love and it brings me so much joy." As Halloween night approaches, these decorators are ready to welcome visitors to their carefully crafted worlds of fright and fun.
With files from The Globe and Mail
Isabelle Moreau is the editor of Novello Desserts and writes about family life and everyday living in Canada. The editor signs off on corrections and editorial standards.