Hurricane Sandy may have disrupted Halloween for many families across the East Coast, but it didn't spoil the fun for one Hamden household that turned their front yard into something spooktacular.
At the house on Wood Street, there are many smaller elements that combine to create the complete Halloween effect, like howls from ghosts and goblins, strategically positioned smoke machines and black lights. There's even a ghost that pops up to spook unsuspecting passersby when they step on a sensor on the sidewalk.
The homeowners and masterminds behind the display, Mike Gambino and John Proto, had the decorations up early, as always. But they had to take them down on Saturday before Hurricane Sandy came in, to avoid having everything blow away. They were just putting the finishing touches on their elaborate design on Halloween evening, just before dark.
"It's fun," Gambino said. "We've lived here for 12 years now and there's a lot of kids in the neighborhood."
Last year their decorations attracted more than 300 kids, who lined up around the street to sneak a peak at the spooky scene. Gambino and Proto expect to draw a similar size crowd again this year.
