These are the spookiest houses in Niagara Falls this Halloween

Giant pumpkins, masked murderers and enormous skeletons are a few of the fearsome features you can expect to see on the front lawns and walkways of some homes and businesses in Niagara Falls in the lead-up to Halloween–and places with the best decor could win prizes.

Recently, the city announced that the Niagara Falls Spooky Awards are back for 2024 and this year, over 60 homes are competing for the top spot. 

A participating house on Willodell Road

The Niagara Falls Spooky Awards is the city’s free outdoor Halloween display competition. It allows festive owners with a taste for PG-13 decor to compete for nine awards across three categories: Judges’ Favourite, Best Effects, and People’s Choice. 

While registration has closed for this year, residents can do self-guided tours of the participating properties, all of which can be found on the city’s Spooky Map. 

The contest will run from Oct. 25 to 27, but the city’s website says the displays will be lit up right until Halloween night. 

As for how viewers can participate, the city says residents can cast their votes in the People’s Choice Awards. Voting will be open to the public during the judging window (6 p.m. on Oct 25 to 10 p.m. on Oct. 27). 

There are some rules for those who are participating. According to the city’s website, the contest is limited to exterior decorations that must be visible from the street. The decorations cannot interfere with fire safety equipment, roadways, or walkways, they can’t be too grotesque, and special effects/lighting/inflatables must be operating each night during the competition.

Official Spooky Awards entry lawn signs must be easily visible from the curbside. 

A home on Rice Crescent

Residents checking out the displays are asked to follow all the usual rules of the road and refrain from blocking traffic. 

Participants will be graded on originality, overall theme, creative use of lights and special effects, detail/placement of decorations, overall presentation and best effects. 

A house on Delaware Street

First-place winners will receive a Spooky Awards trophy, and first, second, and third-place winners will receive a commemorative lawn sign acknowledging their spooky display and the category they placed in. Winners will also receive gift cards.

For more information, click here. 

All photos sourced from the official Facebook page for the Spooky Awards