Todays News

It’s Summerween, witches!

Summerween, a term popularized in recent years to refer to celebrating aspects of Halloween during the summer months, has taken social media by storm. Area apple orchards and pumpkin patches are already open, stores are stocked with candy for trick-or-treaters and moviegoers await the release of "Practical Magic 2" set to hit theaters in September.

Locally, couple Cody Brown and Eternitie Routh decorate their home, 111 N. 9th Street annually, putting spooky, lighted creatures in their yard, beginning in August, keeping the décor up until early November. They welcome people to stop by and take photos in the yard. But, they point out, stay off the porch -- which is guarded by vengeful dolls on swings.

"Maybe one out of every five to 10 cars slows way down. It's always fun to see the reaction," Brown said. "I just put myself in other people's shoes. I would feel weird pulling up to someone's house, but we want people to feel welcome."

Routh noted she shops year-round, looking for just the right thing to add to her collection.

"I use Facebook Marketplace, Home Depot, Menards, Lowe's. A lot on clearance. We love a good deal," she said. "There are great deals like five days before Halloween. Even 80 percent off. The display models too are a great deal."

Brown, who has lived in the house longer than Routh has, said his previous girlfriend was also into "going big" decorating for Halloween. In fact, their house was previously featured in the T-R back in 2018.

"My ex-girlfriend really loved Halloween as well. We had an inflatable up. Eternitie loves it even more, just on steroids. She's obsessed," he said. "I do enjoy Halloween, but it's more being supportive of her. I'm kind of more the muscle behind it."

Routh uses ChatGPT to map out where she'll put her current decorations and where any new purchases will go. She also keeps in mind if she has space for where to store larger items in the off-season, before buying it. It's not unusual to drive by the house one day just to see items re-arranged the next.

"(I'll say) this is not the vibe and change it," she added.

Brown said he's re-arranged the display three to four times already.

"I'm sure the more stuff that we get, the more ChatGPTing she'll be doing, and I'll be out working and executing (the design)," he noted.

Their three children, ages 4, 7 and 9 are also fans of the spine-chilling.

"The kids love it. They embrace the scariness. They're currently obsessed with Ghostface (from the movie 'Scream'), and so we went to Spirit Halloween and got a Ghostface adult costume and dressed up one of the skeletons to surprise them," he said.

In addition, the couple has a 12-foot-tall skeleton that beckons visitors with outstretched bony fingers. It stays up year-round (weather permitting) and will sport different outfits depending on the occasion.

"This summer, he had beach wear on. For winter, she is wanting to put a Santa suit on him," Brown said. "I think they even make St. Patrick's Day outfits."

The yard is lit up every night with colorful lights so passersby can see it. Routh said the home's blackout curtains help block out the light.

If the decorations are a bit outside the norm, Routh wants them for the yard. Inside their home, they decorate with vintage Halloween items, some from Brown's grandmother.

"Cody tries to tell me to wait as long as possible to put up the decorations, but the kids say 'nope.' We love scary movies, everything," she said. "The kids want us to buy it all."