Metacomet Road in Plainville turned into a full-blown Halloween spectacle Saturday night, with 12-foot animatronics, hundreds of skeletons and a 27-dancer performance of Michael Jackson's Thriller drawing crowds to a free neighborhood display built to stock the town's food pantry shelves. The 12th annual Mega Metacomet Halloween Thriller ran from 6 to 8:30 p.m. across homes at 62 to 82 Metacomet Road, with a donation truck parked out front already filled by Saturday morning, according to WFSB.
The tradition traces back about 25 years to Jennifer Bucci's lawn, where she and her husband Dan began decorating with hay bales before neighbors started joining in, according to FOX61. “We have so many 12-foot animatronics, hundreds of skeletons, thousands of lights,” the station reported Dan Bucci saying of how far the display has grown. WFSB reported that Bucci described the tradition as starting small before spreading to include her neighbors' properties over the years.
One of those neighbors flew in just for the occasion. Matt Saraceno traveled from Arlington, Texas, to visit his parents' yard, decorated this year with haunted pirates, per WFSB's report. Saraceno said he wanted his children to experience the neighborhood where he once celebrated Halloween and to see the event grow to nearly eight houses, and he told the station he was looking forward to watching the street light up with visitors enjoying the night.
Werewolves, Freddy Krueger and a Witch Dance Every 20 Minutes
Beyond the animatronics, the display features werewolves, skeletons and Freddy Krueger setups scattered along the block, WFSB reported. A witch dance repeats every 20 minutes throughout the night, and the headline act — a full group performance of Thriller featuring 27 dancers from the YWCA New Britain School of Dance — plays outside 62 Metacomet Road on a loop from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Neighbors have pitched in to build the sets over the years. One helper known as Alex of Plainville told WFSB he started pitching in when he was about in seventh grade, while Hayden Bedell said the neighborhood's children enjoy seeing the decorations go up each fall. For visitors who don't live nearby, Crew Volkswagen of Plainville provided a shuttle and visitor parking at 245 New Britain Avenue, with a Halloween-decorated electric van ferrying guests to the event, according to CTvisit.
Listings describe the display slightly differently depending on the source: CTvisit's event page says visitors can explore seven themed homes, including a new Spirito Hallow Cemetery, while a report from the Bristol Press described six elaborately decorated houses with fog machines, laser projectors, video screens and food trucks.
Food Pantry Says Demand Is Outpacing Supply
The charitable purpose behind the lights is urgent this year. Plainville Community Food Pantry assistant director Justin Woerz told WFSB the pantry is seeing more clients than ever, with its appointment book completely filled, and said community donation drives like the Metacomet Road event help the pantry keep pace with that demand. The pantry expects to receive two tons of food from this year's event, per WFSB's report.
Figures on the event's total impact vary by source. FOX61 reported organizers saying the display has collected more than 8,000 pounds of food for the pantry over its 12 years, while the Bristol Press reported that the 2025 event collected approximately 4,000 pounds — more than 2.5 times what was collected the previous year. A separate account from the Haunted Attraction Network noted the event collected 1,400 pounds in 2024, which organizers called double its previous best year, and that the display has since added 2,000 feet of lighted sidewalk arches for its 12th year.
The pantry's needs extend beyond Halloween night. In an earlier report, Woerz said donations were down and shelf supply was getting low, adding that the pantry was seeing a family every half hour. Separately, NAPA Auto Parts ran its own food collection for the pantry during a July grand-opening celebration, per the Bristol Press.
What the Pantry Still Needs
The Plainville Community Food Pantry says it is happy to accept any canned, boxed or nonperishable food items, and that gift cards are also welcome to help clients cover fuel, specialty food items and clothing. Visitors to Saturday's display could donate food or money directly to the pantry on site, according to WFSB.
The Metacomet Road display isn't the only local tradition raising money for area causes. The Bristol Press noted that Plainville Pumpkinfest has raised more than $80,000 for local charities over its 10-year history, underscoring how the town's fall events have become a steady source of community support heading into the colder months.
