Tricked-out home is a Halloween treat

SANDPOINT — It’s hard to miss the so-called Halloween House — a fact chaperones of trick-or-treat parties will soon discover.

Located at the corner of Hickory Street and North Division Avenue, the residence has a reputation for turning heads in traffic. That’s probably due to the incredible amount of Halloween-themed decorations, which festoon nearly every square inch of the property’s front yard.

A spectacle maintained by Russ and Judy Ball and John and Tiffany Field, the Halloween-themed decorations have become a yearly tradition over the past five years.

Since the home doubles as a day care center, it’s also a source of endless entertainment for the children that hang out during business hours.

“The kids absolutely love playing out here,” Judy Ball said. “They really psyche themselves out.”

As the Balls and Fields soon discovered, it also makes the home a must-see stop for trick-or-treaters every Halloween.

According to Ball, the costumed tykes frequently lined up all the way down the driveway and to the mailbox for a shot at candy from the spooky-looking home last year. As a result, the family distributed more than 15 gallons of candy over the course of the evening. They’re well-prepared to meet demand this year with more than 200 bags of candy in stock.

It’s easy to see why Halloween fans just have to drop by the Sanpoint home for a visit.

The yard is equipped with an inflatable play house, prop gravestones, a zombie that periodically rises from its coffin and much more. The home will be tricked out even more on Halloween with fog machines and more. There’s even a life-sized, mechanized statue of Jason Voorhees of the “Friday the 13th” franchise, who rattles to life when visitors approach the door.

“The kids were a little scared of Jason at first, but then we put candy in his pocket and they loved him,” Bell said.

The monumental display of Halloween spirit took about 20 hours to assemble over the course of the week between the four decorators. The kids at the day care helped out by suggesting decorations and helping set them up. And lest you accuse the Balls and Fields of being unambitious, rest assured: the interior of the home is just as rigorously decorated.

There will be no rest for the weary after Halloween wraps up tonight, according to Ball. In a few weeks, the family begins work on Christmas decorations, which she says are just as extensive.

“We’ll want to have them up by Thanksgiving,” she added.