As you drive down 27th Street, you’re greeted by a 10-foot skeleton. That’s not the only thing that awaits you.
Cindy Williams has been decorating her house on 27th Street for 20 years.
Cindy Williams and her husband, Kenny Williams, decorate their house for Halloween every year.
“I just like Halloween it’s a fun time,” Williams said.
For Williams, some years follow a theme and others not so much. She recalled a year when the theme “CarnEvil,” which included carnival-themed props, one being an animatronic monkey holding cymbals.
“This year, I kind of mixed it up,” Williams said.
From the outside, the house’s theme is CarnEvil. You’re immediately greeted by clowns and dolls; “ring toss” is written on a board plank with limbs hanging from the rings.
Walking up to the house, spectators go through a tunnel of spiders with a body bag waiting at the end. Make a right, and you’re transported to a woodland theme inspired by Camp Crystal Lake. Jason awaits near the garage entrance.
Leaving Camp Crytal Lake, or the breezeway, is the garage filled with witches and black cats. The garage follows a witch theme, with floating candles, crystal balls and more.
As a young girl, the closest thing to Halloween for Williams was the Harvest Fest. “We didn’t go trick or treating or anything. My mom didn’t like that,” Williams said. Williams gets her décor from various locations, including Home Depot, garage and estate sales. She points at the multiple dolls she has bought from garage sales.
“I have all those clown dolls,” Williams said. She points at a pale brunette doll wearing a white dress with black shoes.
“That one. She’s kind of plain. She’s just got roaches,” Williams said.
With so many decorations, Williams begins prepping six weeks before the first of October.
A majority of the decorating is done by Williams; however, her husband helps her with the bigger props.
“I had a friend that always helped me, but she passed away a couple of years ago,” Williams said.
Brenda Tisdale helped her out for about six years before passing away. In the year of CarnEvil, Tisdale could not help as much. In support, she showed up to pass out candy the night of Halloween.
The duo met while working at the ShopKo on the highway.
“We were working together and discovered we both really like Halloween, and so she wanted to come and help me with this,” Williams said.
Every year, Williams dresses up on the night of Halloween for the trick-or-treaters to see.
“I have a woodlandy witch costume I might wear, and then I also have a clown costume,” Williams said.
Her husband, Kenny, doesn’t dress up, he keeps it casual with a t-shirt.
The difference in dressing up doesn’t stop them from watching the kids enjoy themselves as they trick-or-treat and walk through the setup.
This year, Williams is handing out cookies with the usual Kool-Aid packets, little toys and candy.
Not only will they have treats but also tricks, with so many props around the house, many of them are animatronics.
From sweet treats to jump scares, Williams is ready for Halloween night. She hopes everyone will “come out and have a good time.”