The spirit of Halloween is in the air in Lethbridge and decorations are coming alive.
Houses decked out with pumpkins, ghouls, spiders and pirates are among a few of the most extravagant displays in the city.
Neighbours Evan Cossette and Ryan Borgstrom have collaborated on their jack-o’-lantern houses for the last five years, with Cossette collecting dozens of gourds.
“I just got lucky and moved in next to him,” said Borgstrom.
Decorating houses also brings a little sense of neighbourhood rivalry, said Marco Kramer who lives across the street in Copperwood.
“Everybody’s trying to, a little bit, one-up each other; same thing with Christmas as well,” said Kramer. “We’re trying to do a friendly competition and trying to make sure all the kids are having a good time.”
“It pumps them up a little bit more as they come around,” added Borgstrom. “If this is their fourth or fifth block they’ve gone around, they’re like, ‘Woah,’ when they take in all the decorations, and they’re ready to keep going.”
Curtis Burton started the Lethbridge Haunt and Halloween fans Facebook page that celebrates the most decorated houses in the city. He said it’s important to keep the traditions alive.
“There are so many things that kids end up losing as time goes by, and so the more that we can do to keep kids, kids and enjoying Halloween, then we’ll just keep doing it,” said Burton.
Driving down 6th avenue south, Carrie Kerber and her husband John have been building up their pirate ship house annually for 20 years. It takes about a month to build their creation.
“The responses from the community, from everybody, from little tiny kids to the elderly, is fantastic,” said Kerber. “There’s smiles, there’s giggles, maybe a few screams, and that’s what it’s all about; having fun.”
As the hours until trick-or-treaters arrive continue to dwindle, these crafty homeowners are making sure all the finishing cobwebs are in place.
“And you never know what’s going to move on Halloween night,” said Burton.