Some people put a pumpkin on the porch for Halloween. Others go a little further.
And then there’s the Oakwood Halloween House in Raleigh.
Located at the corner of Oakwood Avenue and East Street in Historic Oakwood, this house takes Halloween decorating to an entirely different level. Monsters, skeletons, creepy clowns, oversized creatures, and just about everything else you might imagine turn an ordinary front yard into one of the most entertaining Halloween displays around.
And we love it.
Homeowner Jesse Jones has been creating this Halloween spectacle for about 15 years, and it has grown into something of a Raleigh tradition. What started as elaborate decorations has become a destination for families and Halloween fans from across the Triangle. The display is enormous, wonderfully over-the-top, and packed with details that make it worth slowing down and taking a closer look.
Part of the fun is seeing just how much creativity goes into it. There is something different to discover everywhere you look, and the entire experience feels like a combination of a haunted attraction, a neighborhood celebration, and someone’s Halloween imagination running completely wild.
Of course, this year the house has been making headlines for something other than the decorations.
The City of Raleigh has raised questions about permits and safety requirements as the Halloween crowds have grown. With thousands of visitors and several neighborhood streets closed for trick-or-treating, city officials say additional planning is necessary. Jones has expressed frustration with the requirements and the costs associated with keeping the tradition going.
We certainly hope everyone can find a way to make this work for years to come. Safety matters, especially with so many families and children visiting, but so do the neighborhood traditions and the people willing to put this much time, effort, creativity, and expense into making something special for their community.
That’s what we love most about the Oakwood Halloween House. It’s not a commercial haunted attraction or a ticketed theme park experience. It’s someone sharing their enthusiasm for Halloween with an entire city, and people showing up year after year to enjoy it.
Raleigh is fortunate to have places and people like this.
