I drove in circles around West Hartford so you don’t have to. Here are the houses going all out with Halloween decorations this year.

By Mia Jaworski

This Saturday is Halloween, and for some, the holiday is an opportunity to transform their homes into their most haunting, spooky, skeleton-filled, octopus-armed decorating fantasies. For others, it’s a chance to guzzle as much candy as humanly possible.

I have taken it upon myself to drive around West Hartford for the last couple of days and scout out a subjective “best of” Halloween decorations in town. 

Growing up in West Hartford in the early 2000s, I know the unveiling and excitement of Spirit Halloween when Toys”R”Us closed. I remember the Halloween actors hiding among the decorations on Four Mile Road, ready to give trick-or-treaters an extra scare. I also have been traumatized by the Halloween Hauntings walk at the Old North Cemetery on North Main Street. And, I know what the full-sized candy bar means. 

Consider this a lifetime of West Hartford Halloween research finally paying off.

The Halloween Hunt

I have based my criteria on prop use, lights, creativity, and general display.

And if I missed you, I greatly apologize, with these gas prices I can only drive in so many circles without feeling guilty. But please share! 

Whether you’re looking for a drive by, or a must-see trick-or-treat spot, here is my Halloween decoration round-up.

The best of the boo

In a subjective first, is Sulgrave Road. This tutor mansion displays several spooky scenes. Each scene is highlighted with its own spotlight color. From a scary Duffy dragon, to a 10 foot wolf, this house is definitely worth a stop on Halloween. 

Next, is a sneaky favorite on Westmont Street. Being on a corner, it definitely takes advantage of its visible yard space with graveyard decorations flooding the lawn. 

Up next, is the corner of Belmont and Glenwood Road. This house features a projected story on all sides, including music and changing lights. A modern Halloween display and a massive red ghost. 

Next, is Cumberland Road. If you like animatronics encouraging you to come closer and giant pumpkin headed statues, this house leaves quite the fright. It also leaves me to question, where would you store this?

A classic, North Main Street. With more than two decades of phenomenal and sometimes political Halloween decor, the North Main Street house[1] sports lines of skeletons held at the stake. And, while you admire the reigning Halloween House, across the street is another great Halloween display. This house[2] also has skeletons, but they are not at a stake, rather they are climbing into windows and perching on the roof. 

Amongst the top for creativity is Grove Street. For a witch hat lined porch, and enough decor to reel in trick-or-treaters, the witchy decorations show that it doesn’t have to be huge to be festive.

Now, for the octopus arms. If you haven’t noticed, a common display recently is purple and blue spotted blow-up octopus arms that can be attached to windows. Though, I have never seen such tentacles as the ones on Four Mile Road. At the corner of Sedgwick, it displays a piano with a pink skeleton, and go along its landscaped yard to find the massive light-up octopus arms. 

Argyle Avenue. A coming-to-life cemetery just set away from the Center. This is a stop-worthy house with hidden skeletons covering the facade. 

Honorable mentions:
The 10 foot tall skeletons. All shapes and all sizes.
Those who have their skeletons dressed/acting/sitting.
Grim Reaper on Pheasant Hill Drive
Fall decor straight a Hallmark movie set on Brunswick Avenue
Neon spiderwebs on Bainbridge Road
Motorized twirling witch display on Elmfield Street
Inflatables on Walden Street

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