HONOLULU (KHON2) — Halloween is Oct. 31. For kids it’s all about the sugar rush from the candy, but for many adults the rush comes with the preparation that begins long before the trick-or-treaters come knocking.
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From hanging ghouls and creepy graveyards, to 10-foot-tall skeletons and gigantic goblins,
Halloween is one of the spookiest nights of the year and some wouldn’t have it any other way.
“We love Halloween,” said Kahala resident Denise Etschit. “Halloween is like a good time for everyone to have fun. We like the scary stuff more though.”
Etschit said this is the third year in a row they’ve decked out their yard for the occasion.
“Every year, more and more people are decorating, so it’s nice seeing people’s spirits coming. COVID helped,” she explained. “Our neighbors love it. We get a good response, so we keep doing it.”
While some are already set up, others like Nuuanu resident Kameron Ko were busy putting the finishing touches on their displays.
“We do this every year,” Ko said. “It takes about two days to set up. Every years is different, we have different layouts. This year we tried to utilize our wall more.”
Ko said almost everyone on Dowsett Avenue gets into the Halloween spirit. They’re expecting around 1200 people and he said HPD will be there to help direct traffic.
“It’s very safe here. Everyone’s very cautious, this neighborhood’s great,” he said. “Dowsett Ave, come by.”
Jack Skellington will be making his fourth appearance on McCorriston Street in Kapahulu. The fan favorite will be ready and set up just on time for trick-or-treating.
The Marsh family created the mechanical Jack Skellington during the pandemic.
“It was a way to deliver candy hands-free,” Aaron March explained. “We pour it in the hopper, and the kids come up with the bucket and kids get there candy.”
He said every year they add more to it. Setting it up takes about six hours. But he doesn’t mind doing it.
“It’s one of those things everybody really likes to see it now,” he said.
KHON asked if the cost of electricity going up was an issue?
“No,” Marsh said. “Actually, candy’s the big one that’s gone up.”
“This year I spent maybe $50 more on the same amount of candy,” Etschit agreed. “So, yeah, the cost is going up. I did one bag less this year.”
KHON: “Would you ever stop doing this?”
“I don’t think so,” Etschit said. “The kids love it. I love it. I mean everybody loves Halloween so we have to keep going.”
Residents all along Dowsett Avenue in Nuuanu will be welcoming trick-or-treaters and have a number of other activities planned from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31.
Off of Kilauea Avenue along Hunakai Street in Kahala. Look for the huge Monkeypod tree with ghosts hanging from it.
To visit the mechanical Jack Skellington go to McCorriston Street off of Diamond Head Road.
