Lynn Usher's family has made its Halloween display a Dartmouth Street draw: more than 100 trick-or-treaters are expected at the Holyoke home this year. Purple lights and oversized Halloween figures fill the yard.
A flyer circulating in the neighborhood calls Dartmouth Street Holyoke's Halloween Headquarters and celebrates the decorations and trick-or-treating there. According to MassLive, Usher said she does not know who made the flyer but is honored by the recognition.
A family tradition grows
The collection began about 10 years ago with a floating witch statue, MassLive reported. It remains a yearly fixture and is usually the first decoration to go up; strong gusts sometimes send its purple hat flying.
The tradition started with Usher, her parents, grandmother and brother, and has grown to include her daughter, other relatives and newer neighbors. Nearby homes add decorations of their own, MassLive reported.
Weeks of work before Halloween
The family spends weeks bringing storage totes up from the basement and assembling the display. Visitors stop by during October, and MassLive reported that school buses have pulled over on Halloween in past years so children could get candy.
Fire safety for seasonal displays
The Illinois Office of the State Fire Marshal, citing National Fire Protection Association data, reports an average of 832 home structure fires beginning with decorations each year from 2019–2023. The U.S. Fire Administration recommends battery-powered candles or flashlights instead of open flames for decorations.
The family plans its usual Halloween party starting around 3 p.m. Usher plans to dress as the devil while family members hand out candy and try to spook older children at the door. She said they will get to every visitor, regardless of how heavy the foot traffic becomes.
Another Halloween event in Holyoke
The City of Holyoke's Parks and Recreation page also listed a separate Harper's Haven Halloween event for Friday, October 2, 2026, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Community Field.
