Yard Displays for Halloween 2019 – Creators Bring their A-Game!
Thank you to Tim Beedle, Erik Blair, Charlotte Cocker, Tyler Davidson, Spencer Frankeberger, Gabbi Jewell, and Dan Waldkirch for their contributions to this article. yard displays
Los Angeles, and the surrounding area, has become an increasingly popular destination for all things Halloween. Whether it be immersive entertainment, large theme parks, conventions and festivals, or independent haunted houses, the horror industry has found a booming mecca – so much so that people from all over the world visit California to see what Halloween entertainment it has to offer. We’ve reviewed several local home haunts already, praising their innovation and creativity, but what about those who spend the time and money to go all-out in decorating their front yards for the spooky season? Here, we’d like to shine a light on some epic yard displays that you should keep on your radar for next year.
While we simply don’t have the time or writers to see everything in the area, we were able to see quite a few. Here’s a list and description of the awesome yard displays we were able to catch this year, in alphabetical order:
Casa de los Muertos (Long Beach)
The Casa de los Muertos yard display debuts this year in Long Beach, California, and provides locals with plenty of spooky and sweet decorations to take a gander at. This display celebrates life and death, as well as the journey that spirits take after passing. With its large-scale graveyard, pumpkin patch, and plenty of skeletons, there are many details to enjoy! There is nothing morbid about this display, as it depicts the reunion of spirits who have passed away – such as a husband and wife who reunite in the afterlife, as well as their skeleton dog and cat. This family-friendly yard display also features fog machines, music, and bright lighting to attract all of the local trick-or-treaters who can pick up some candy from the home-owners on Halloween night.
LOCATION: 2172 Eucalyptus Ave., Long Beach
Photo: Charlotte Cocker
Catastrophe Cabin (Glendale)
As the location of home haunts like Opechee, Glendale is slowly making a name for itself for its low-key Halloween offerings. Catastrophe Cabin, for instance, is an incredibly well-decorated yard display that draws a surprising amount of traffic. An eerie red hue is cast over the entire front yard, enhancing the already ominous mannequins and animatronics dotting the lawn. Even the walk from the street to the front door is foreboding, as it’s been turned into a covered corridor of sorts, cobwebs all over and mannequins challenging you to ask for candy.
Meanwhile, up the driveway is a more interactive element, as under a covered awning is a sort of witch’s hut. The witch inside will gleefully offer up treats for the little ones, and fortunes for older visitors, making Catastrophe Cabin more interactive than your typical yard display, without being a full-on walk-through experience. It’s also worth noting that Catastrophe Cabin employs significant safety signage to protect its visitors, as crowds will often spill off the sidewalk and into the edges of the street. Between its attention to safety and its attention to detail, Catastrophe Cabin makes for a fantastic visit on Halloween night.
LOCATION: 1541 Garden St., Glendale
Photo: Tyler Davidson
Clown Town (Valencia)
Clown Town gives you exactly what you might expect from its name. Covering one corner of a house at the southern edge of Santa Clarita, Clown Town is a crazy composite of insane clown statues. Most of them appear to be modified from store-bought statues and the theming offers little more than the statues themselves. Only one segment of the ‘town’ moves in any way and that’s the window facing the corner of the yard that comprises the display. If you watch for a few minutes, you’ll see a truly dangerous-looking, face-painted individual trying various different deadly tricks – thanks to a looping video that’s nicely projected onto the window area.
LOCATION: 25302 Via Palacio, Valencia
Photo: Thea Rivera
Clybourn Manor (Burbank)
Doing something a little different is Clybourn Manor, which displays an undead pirate theme instead of a traditional Halloween approach. Less spooky than other displays on this list, Clybourn impresses with its animatronic captain, “underwater” Kraken, and skeletal mermaid. Other sailors guard a treasure chest on a nearby island, while yet another swashbuckler keeps watch on the gate. The trickling water of a non-seasonal fountain only adds to the ambiance.
LOCATION: 4336 N Clybourn Ave., Burbank
Photo: Lacey Rae
Factory Defect (Van Nuys)
On the more intense end of the yard display spectrum – but not too gory – is Factory Defect, created and displayed by a special effects artist and a set designer. Using their expertise, the creators have decorated their front yard to loosely tell of a toxic hazard wreaking havoc on the humans and animals in proximity. Although the theming isn’t 100% cohesive throughout their display – mad scientists perform experiments next to a de-limbed torso on a pike, zombies emerging from their graves, and a three-headed wolf-dog – it surely is impressive. Horror fans will get a kick out of the quality and macabre decorations as well as the multi-colored lighting, and if guests visit closer to Halloween, they can look forward to a 7-foot-tall demon statue (lovingly named Brutus) that is simply stunning.
LOCATION: 7057 Lasaine Ave., Van Nuys
Photo: Eric Boguslavsky
Fillmore Graves Jack-O-Lantern Farm (Sherman Oaks)
Reminiscent of Tim Burton’s eerie aesthetic in Sleepy Hollow, Fillmore Graves features several impressive family-friendly tableaus – a truck bed full of jack-o-lanterns (cover photo); an animatronic, pumpkin-headed scarecrow; a creepy cemetery and standing tomb; and window displays featuring a haunted piano, and a séance. Guests might be able to spot a few familiar faces in the jack-o-lanterns (the Kit Kat pumpkin, for example), but visitors should watch out for the temperamental witch – she might put a hex on them!
LOCATION: 14318 Emelita St., Sherman Oaks
Photo: Eric Boguslavsky
Ghoulie Graveyard (Hawthorne)
Spooky splashes of green and blue light set the ambiance of this yard display from houses away. An animatronic werewolf howls at trick-or-treaters who dare walk by its foggy graveyard gates. Passersby keep an eye on the moving skulls, undead creatures, and other haunted decorations on this chilly Halloween night – not everything is as still as it seems. Pieces of yard decorations move as if possessed by spirits (or perhaps motion sensors). A zombie emerges from the ground, just eye level with some of the tinier costumed children who stand, pumpkin bucket in hand, in awe at its decorated horror.
This is the second year Ghoulie Graveyard has made its mark on Hawthorne. The creator and self-proclaimed haunt enthusiast, Nikki, has her own ghoulie website where she blogs about anything ghoulish she loves, as well as her process of putting together the yard display – from start to finish. Not every piece is handcrafted, but the best parts of the yard are the ones she proudly proclaims that she built herself in this terrifying tradition that she is happy to be a part of.
LOCATION: 14722 Fonthill Ave., Hawthorne
Photo: Gabbi Jewell
Greenewitch Cemetery (Ontario)
Greenewitch Cemetery is a compact, but still impressive yard display that’s perfect for Halloween lovers of all ages. While the Greenewitch name is new, the display has been part of the home haunt landscape for the past six years, with new details added or changed each year. Flanking the display are two witches – one practical, who continually stirs a smoke-filled cauldron; and one virtual, who sings spooky songs, peers into a crystal ball, and performs other witchy tasks. Between them stands a pumpkin-headed creature and plenty of gravestones, jack-o-lanterns, and other dark details. New for 2019 is a glowing moon that stands on top of the house and is periodically shadowed by flying bats, howling wolves, or witches flying by on brooms.
This is a great, family-friendly yard display with nothing likely to scare smaller trick-or-treaters, but it’s not just for kids. All of the names on the tombstones are tributes to luminaries of horror and the macabre, including some deep cuts, giving adults plenty to look at and ponder while their kids snatch up candy from the homeowners on Halloween night.
LOCATION: 420 E Plaza Serena St., Ontario
Photo: Tim Beedle
Grimwood Hollow (Burbank)
The beautiful Grimwood Hollow is now in its second year since relocating from Pasadena. The creation of a sculptor at Disney, Grimwood consists solely of hand-made creatures and animatronics. The whimsical, folksy vibe of the stunning display is enhanced with lighting effects, a fog machine, and sound effects and music. The outstanding little pumpkin imps are new this year, conjured by a life-size, gnarly witch (not pictured; go for yourself!). Look out for a few surprise moments that might illicit a fun jump-scare or two.
LOCATION: 618 N Sparks St., Burbank
Photo: Lacey Rae
Haunted Graveyard (Redondo Beach)
Three weeks before All Hallow’s Eve, Steven Turner was in his front yard, setting up his display. Unlike most yard decorations, his creation was going to favor the brave – the daring – the kids who don’t mind walking down long, winding hallways with flickering lights. Neighbors watched with anticipation, waiting for its final form to be unveiled. Standing before them on Halloween night was a giant, shed-like building with just one single light overhead, and a warning sign that read: “Where Nightmares Dwell Halloween Night.” Despite the clear skies, lightning flickered in the background, and beside the entrance was a still graveyard – except for one dancing lantern carried by invisible forces while ominous music played.
Sorting out the candy-collectors from the thrill-seekers, children make pacts out front to either walk through together or report back on how scary the inside of the shed is. Once inside though, the scariest part is your own imagination, wondering what is lurking in the shadows. With projections of ghosts on walls, hand-crafted props built by Steven himself, and hidden rooms for anyone willing to peek their head through to the other side, this kid-friendly haunt is built to psych even the adults out. There are no jump-scares, but you couldn’t blame someone for worrying anyway as they round the first and only corner.
While just the length of his driveway, a variety of props and strategically placed lighting and projections give visitors plenty to look at. Once you muster up the bravery to enter the shed itself, there is a lot to see, and every corner has something spooky in it – even if it doesn’t move. The Haunted Graveyard pulls off a high-tech and professional-grade display that can delight even the most squeamish child who enters. In the back is the caretaker himself, handing out candy to any courageous soul who made it to the end. Unfortunately, though, they still have to walk the entire twisted hallway back to safety.
LOCATION: 1919 Spreckles, Redondo Beach
Photo: Gabbi Jewell
Hellsir Cemetery (Rancho Cucamonga)
Hellsir Cemetery is an impressive, must-see yard display that has been running at its current location for the past ten years. Situated on the corner of a busy intersection, this locally beloved haunt is very visible and draws quite a lot of traffic as a result, but there’s plenty of parking, including two shopping complexes on opposite sides of the intersection. Hellsir makes great use of its space, with the home’s front yard devoted to the cemetery proper. Along with professional-quality lighting and sound, the cemetery features plenty of gothic-looking headstones (some with residents attempting to crawl out), a realistic, slightly animated gravedigger, and a large crypt in which a variety of morbid – and occasionally darkly humorous – actions take place via detailed projections. Within the garage you’ll find the mortuary, complete with an open coffin containing a decomposing corpse, and along the right side of the home is an impressive, horse-drawn hearse. None of these features appear off-the-shelf, and many are quite sizable, showing just how dedicated this family of home-haunters are to creating a memorably morbid experience.
Hellsir even includes a small walk-through portion that features two truly effective jump-scares. Fittingly, this is the one part of the haunt that might not be appropriate for young children – the first scare is shockingly gory – and it’s easily avoided, demonstrating an awareness on the haunt designers’ part that gore and jump-scares aren’t for everyone. Outside of that one corridor, the effects here are macabre, but more atmospheric, making Hellsir Cemetery well-suited for even the youngest haunt fans, and 100% worth a visit if you live in or around the Inland Empire.
LOCATION: 10522 Lemon Ave., Rancho Cucamonga
Photo: Tim Beedle
Lopez Family Maze (Ontario)
While technically a walk-through maze rather than a yard display, the 2019 Lopez Family Maze is so simple that a full review would be overkill. Built entirely in the Lopez family’s garage, the brief (less than a minute to get through) maze includes some frightening background SFX, one creepy tableau featuring an eerie-looking doll, a masked creature that follows you through the maze, and one effective jump-scare at the end. That’s it.
While the 2019 maze may not offer much, it also doesn’t sound like a good representation of a typical maze for this family. The family admitted they’d intended to do a lot more, including building an entire IT-themed room, but were working with a lower budget and tighter time frame than they typically have. It’s clearly a popular attraction on its bustling residential street, and has been running since 2001 (and at its current location since 2009). With that sort of track record and local enthusiasm, this one deserves a second look next year when they’ll presumably have more time and resources to build it.
LOCATION: 2935 E Saint Andrews Dr., Ontario
Photo: Tim Beedle
Malice in Wonderland (Burbank)
Malice in Wonderland combines the traditional Disney cartoon Alice with the more modern Tim Burton Alice to create a delightful, colorful, and kooky yard display (with a fun Cheshire Cat projection through the window!) that speaks to Alice in Wonderland lovers as well as the young at heart. With statues of beloved characters (the Caterpillar and Alice herself), audio from the Disney cartoon, and the display creeping onto the street (a tree out front includes conflicting “This way” / “That way” signs), the display is a loving tribute to the Lewis Carroll heroine and her (mis)adventures. The homeowners – dressed themselves as the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts – proudly show off their homemade materials – from the oversized cards painted from scratch to the playing card rainbow arching over the gate to each mushroom adorned with its own set of spots to the hanging bread-and-butter-flies. What sets this apart from many other displays is the intricate, handcrafted attention to each specific item placed within the yard, and in rows, patterns, and off-kilter designs to match the innocence and whimsy of Alice herself.
LOCATION: 400 N Catalina St., Burbank
Photo: Lacey Rae
Myers Monster Mansion (Westchester)
Every Halloween, for over 20 years, the Myers Monster Mansion has been outdoing itself with a yard display with massive amounts of chills and thrills. Animatronics of various sizes and shapes fill the yard, moving in slow creeping motions, beckoning trick-or-treaters from all over L.A. to stop by and peek at what skeletons might be hiding in the Myers front lawn. This year’s display features illusions inspired by Disney’s Haunted Mansion, with a see-through hearse that reveals a skeleton and a floating candlestick. Among those two iconic images are restless graves, floating skulls, and a large variety of graveyard spooks.
The entire yard has been decked out from the sidewalk to the front door, with only the driveway open for the whole Westchester neighborhood to stop by and talk with the Myers about their impressive build, and grab some candy while they’re at it. The mastermind himself, Guy Myers (who has worked on this year’s display from October 1st all the way up until 5pm on Halloween day), can point out little details that are easy to miss, and enjoys talking through the mechanics of the illusions he’s mastered. Last year, he built an entire Game of Thrones-style scene, complete with a dragon, meaning that it’s worth checking out every year just to see what nightmare Guy dreamed up this time around. Keeping it in the family, he even honored his daughter’s request for a drop window to scare trick-or-treaters from – screeching and screaming, and adding a delightfully human, albeit undead element most yard displays don’t have.
Practically every piece of the large-scale lawn is moving, some so slow that it almost feels like you’re being watched, as you swear that skull wasn’t looking at you earlier. With such an impressive and dynamic neighborhood-famous house, you can tell that neighbors are just trying to keep up with the Myers’ legacy. However, nothing matches the time and dedication that Guy Myers and his family put into their house each year. Their passion for haunted decorations is practically magic.
LOCATION: 5769 West 76th St. Westchester
Photo: Gabbi Jewell
Pierdell Cemetery (North Hollywood)
*NOTE: Due to the heavy winds that evening, portions of Pierdell Cemetery had been taken down during our visit.
Pierdell Cemetery is comprised of hand-made decorations and animatronics – from an old gravekeeper to a creepy baby doll – mixed in with the tombstones and foliage. An impressive skeleton-driven hearse proudly displays the haunt’s name, while a talking head greets guests at the front gate. On a normal night, Pierdell features a scrim back-drop with projected ghosts meant to frighten the gravekeeper, while fog and sound effects add to the ambiance of the haunted cemetery.
LOCATION: 6245 Whitsett Ave., North Hollywood
Photo: Eric Boguslavsky
Rosehill Haunt (Studio City)
Rosehill Haunt is a spooky, highly Instagrammable yard display by young haunter Ben Conway. After a greeting by a wisecracking animatronic skeleton, guests are free to wander a surprisingly large exhibit that stretches into the back patio of the house. It’s lighthearted, family-friendly, and includes a few fun photo opportunities. Many of the props are borrowed from other haunts, such as Boney Island, but the entire display is cohesive and truly lovely. Rosehill stands out for its wonderful use of light and color, which drew in large crowds of trick-or-treaters on Halloween night.
LOCATION: 11560 Acama St., Studio City
Photo: Dan Waldkirch
VanOaks Cemetery (Sherman Oaks)
Started in 2008, the family-friendly VanOaks Cemetery is the brainchild of Derek and Erin Young. The amiable Youngs amp up the spooky cemetery setting with some fun, supernatural effects – like shifting tombstones, a floating lantern (itself a nod to Hallowed Haunting Ground), and a ghost warning passersby from the window. The graveyard is accompanied by occasional thunder and lightning, as well as a haunted antique radio that plays “We Will Meet Again,” one of Derek’s inspirations for the display. Especially of note is their hyper-real weeping woman statue, which some guests mistook for a scare-actor lying in wait. Visitors are encouraged to take pictures of the display and chat with the Youngs (if they’re home and able to greet you, perhaps with candy) about other Halloween attractions in the neighborhood.
LOCATION: 5822 Norwich Ave., Sherman Oaks
Photo: Eric Boguslavsky
Welcome Foolish Mortals (Lake Balboa)
Welcome Foolish Mortals is a quaint yard display paying tribute to Disney’s Haunted Mansion. With stand-up cut-outs of hitchhiking ghosts, several decorative tombstones and busts, the infamous stretching paintings, and a large flashy sign on top of the roof, this small and colorful display is a cute photo op for fans of the Disney ride and children of all ages.
LOCATION: 7132 Forbes Ave., Lake Balboa
Photo: Eric Boguslavsky
Even though Halloween is over and the decorations are packed up, keep an eye out for these yard displays that are sure to impress again next year. Check out our Event Guide for more Halloween and horror entertainment throughout the year.
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