With the spooky season right around the corner, Redwood City homes are morphing into eerie realms of glowing pumpkins and ghostly shadows as the Haunt Your Home competition starts.
The contest, hosted by the community of Redwood City, opened on Oct. 4 and is ready for both new and returning contestants.
For the past five years, Redwood City has arranged the competition with free entry. Prizes include a gift basket filled with goodies and a yard sign to display in front of your home. The Youth and Teen Advisory team of Redwood City are the judges of this year’s Haunt Your Home competition. Last year, they picked first, second, and third place for each category: Best Effects, Most Creative, Scariest, and the most coveted: Judge’s Favorite.
Asteris Ling, a member of the Youth and Teen Advisory team, discusses what the judges will be looking for most this year.
“This year, as we judge the houses, we will definitely be focusing on the creativity that the contestants put into their decorations, especially seeing those that make do with what they have,” Ling said.
According to Ling, a few years ago, an apartment was one of the winners despite its limited space. The apartment was decorated creatively and played a big role in how the judges ranked it.
“While everyone may not be able to decorate an entire house, people are often able to create very impressive displays regardless of how much space they have, which is something we want to recognize,” Ling said.
With these expectations, many residents start to decorate their houses with all different kinds of spooky and fun objects. Claire Steunenberg, a student attending Carlmont who lives in Redwood City, enjoys the way this contest brings the mood of Halloween through the creative decorations.
“I think the Haunt Your Home contest is a really good idea to bring more to the holiday. It’s just kind of sad without the decorations. My neighborhood is starting to get decorated, and it feels more festive now,” Steunenberg said.
The Haunt Your Home contest also brings the community together. According to Ling, people work together to decorate homes and tour haunted houses that have entered the competition.
“I think it gets people outside to look at the houses, which is a form of entertainment. In my experience, people looking at the houses strike up conversations with strangers, which certainly helps build community,” said Greg Wilson, a Redwood City resident.
Residents are filled with excitement as they see their neighbors decorating their houses.
“Though I’m not participating in this year’s Haunt Your Home contest, I can’t wait to check out the amazing houses that this year has. Last year’s houses were truly a spectacle,” said Swing Zhou, a Redwood City resident.
