VIDEO Transcript: Central New York goes all-in on Halloween
Luciano Calvosa: ‘Tis the spooky season in Central New York! With Halloween just around the corner, locals are going all out this season.
Calvosa: Residential homes in the area are getting creative with decorations. They’re so creative, that they are competing against one another. Dani Benjamin, head writer of the Wandercuse blog, likes to explore and engage with her community
Dani Benjamin: I just wanted to create a way to let people know in the area, whether they were locals or traveling here. Of all the hidden gems and all the cool culture and food and art scene, everything we have here.
Calvosa: Benjamin is running a contest for the best decorated house in the area. During her search, she has seen houses go above and beyond what she has seen before.
Benjamin: There’s a handful of houses that do the lights that sync up to music. You drive by their house, turn on the radio station, and then you see the lights slashing to the beats. There’s more of those houses every year. And I think just as the technology is getting more available.
Calvosa: From lights to inflatables to animatronics, the bar for creativity is sky high. But Benjamin’s main reason for this contest, is to show appreciation for those who dedicate time to decorating.
Benjamin: This year I thought it’d be a little more fun to get more community involvement and kind of have people voting back and saying like, ‘oh, hey, I really appreciate this,’ and letting people know a little bit of their hard work and their passion for decorating their houses is appreciated.
Calvosa: With the spooky season lighting up Central New York, neighbors are coming together for some fright-filled fun.
In Syracuse, Luciano Calvosa, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Halloween has officially arrived in Central New York, and local neighborhoods are showing off their spooky spirit in a big way.
From towering skeletons and glowing ghosts to elaborate inflatables, families across the region are transforming their homes — and now, they have a little extra motivation. This year, residents can enter a community-wide Halloween house-decorating contest.
The contest is organized by Dani Benjamin, writer and creator of the Wandercuse blog. Benjamin said the goal is to bring people together and give the community something festive to enjoy.
“I thought it’d be a little more fun to get more community involvement and kind of have people voting back,” Benjamin said. “Letting people know a little bit of their hard work and their passion for decorating their houses is appreciated.”
These decorations go far beyond pumpkins and cobwebs. Some homes feature music-synchronized light shows, animatronic figures and full haunted-yard setups. More than 50% of homeowners decorate their homes for Halloween year round.
“There are a handful of houses that do the lights that sync up to music,” Benjamin said. “You drive by their house, turn on the radio station and then you see the lights flashing to the beats. There are more of those houses every year.”
This is Benjamin’s first year running the Halloween contest, and the community response has been strong. She hopes it becomes a new seasonal tradition that celebrates creativity and brings Central New Yorkers together.
