Haunt on Williams | Randy SkalosConneaut, Ohio

~Skalos Haunt

A slideshow containing images by photographer Fred Scruton.

Midwest Region

Midwest

Haunt on Williams

Randy Skalos

In 2020 Randy Skalos resurrected his elaborate Halloween display for the 30th time.  It attracts hundreds of visitors and is the local epicenter of Halloween – the city of Conneaut closes Randy’s block on Halloween night, and there are long lines of costumed visitors waiting in the driveway at the curtained entrance to his garage turned haunted-house.

Randy Skalos' Haunt on Williams; Conneaut, OH 2020
Randy Skalos; Conneaut, OH 2021
Randy Skalos greeting visitors at the garage/horror house entrance in 2021

 inside the garage:

Randy Skalos' Haunt on Williams; Conneaut, OH 2016

Randy Skalos' Haunt on Williams; Conneaut, OH 2022

Randy Skalos' Haunt on Williams; Conneaut, OH 2014

Randy’s haunt is a (mostly) outdoor display of his collection of premium, vintage, and handmade props.  Featuring many animatronics, sound effects, fog, and a hissing/spitting young cannibal girl, there are no cheep seasonal Halloween store items to be seen!  In addition to his factory job, Randy works seasonally on the maintenance and restoration of Bill Tracy’s 1970’s vintage “dark ride” fun-houses at Waldameer Park in Erie, Pennsylvania.  Many of Randy’s props have interesting, often convoluted stories about who made them – or where they came form, and how Randy was able to acquire them.

Typically, after weeks of preparation, Randy opens his haunt on the weekend before Halloween, then starts dismantling it the day after.  A yearly group of friends and family assist, including with the annual carving of pumpkins that run from the street along the right side of the driveway.  Fellow Conneaut, Ohio Halloween display maker Jeannie Tagle (who refers to Randy as her “Halloween husband”) first directed me to Williams St. in 2011: Randy’s haunt has been an annual hoot ever since.

Randy Skalos, friends and family; Conneaut, OH 2012
Randy Skalos, friends and family; Conneaut, OH 2012
Randy Skalos and Jeannie Tagle; Conneaut, OH 2014
Randy Skalos and Jeannie Tagle; Conneaut, OH 2014
Randy Skalos' Haunt on Williams; Conneaut, OH 2020
Halloween day, 2020

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