Trick-or-treaters walking up Front Street in Lititz one Halloween found more than candy at one house. The front yard held 55 jack-o’-lanterns, every one carved by hand. Two pumpkins at the side of the yard burned with foot-high flames. Three scarecrows near the sidewalk watched passersby through glowing eyes, and on the porch sat a werewolf, perfectly still, waiting for the right moment to howl.
It was one of the most photographed Halloween displays in town that year, and parents lined the sidewalk to take pictures while their children worked up the nerve to approach the door.
A week of carving
The couple behind it described Halloween as their holiday. They grew up in very different places, one in a residential neighborhood of Pittsburgh and one in the woods of the Pocono Mountains, but both said trick-or-treat was among their best childhood memories. For the entire week before Halloween they carved pumpkins every evening and built the display piece by piece.
The werewolf on the porch was a family member in costume, playing the role for the evening. Once the display was up, the couple said, the fun was standing back and watching people react to it. After trick-or-treat ended, they hosted a Halloween party for friends and family.
Why big displays matter on a small-town street
Lititz has the kind of walkable neighborhoods that make trick-or-treat a community event. Sidewalks, porches set close to the street and blocks of older homes mean families cover a lot of ground on foot. A single elaborate yard can become a destination, and over the years several Lititz households have developed reputations for their displays.
Those displays also take real planning, especially when fire is involved. If you are thinking about building your own:
- Use battery-powered lights inside most pumpkins. Reserve real flame for a few pieces you can watch closely.
- Keep any open flame well away from costumes, dry leaves, hay bales and porch decorations. Children’s costumes can be flammable.
- Leave a clear, well-lit path to the door so trick-or-treaters do not wander through the display.
- Have a fire extinguisher or a hose ready, and put out all flames before you go to bed.
- Pumpkins carved early can soften and collapse. Many carvers wait until three to five days before Halloween, and rubbing petroleum jelly on cut edges can slow drying.
Carving tips from serious pumpkin people
Experienced carvers tend to agree on a few things. Pick pumpkins with a flat bottom and a sturdy stem. Cut the opening in the back or bottom rather than the top, so the lid does not sink. Scrape the inside wall thin where you plan to carve detail, which lets light pass through shaded areas. And use a simple pattern for most of a large display, saving intricate designs for the few pumpkins closest to the sidewalk.
Pumpkins are easy to find around Lititz in October. Farm stands and orchards across northern Lancaster County sell them by the bin, and many add hayrides, cider, pick-your-own patches and corn mazes on fall weekends. Buying from a local grower also tends to mean fresher, sturdier pumpkins that last longer once carved.
Halloween traditions in town
Front Street’s flaming pumpkins were one part of a season that also includes the Lititz Lions Club Halloween Parade, held downtown each October. Our restored account of one memorable parade year is here: A Living Trophy, a Claw Machine and the Mad Hatter.
Do you know of a Lititz house with a Halloween display worth a visit? Tell the newsroom through our Contact page, and include a photo if you can.