Once ravaged by flooding, neighborhood keeps spirits high with massive Halloween display

WALKER – In one Livingston Parish neighborhood, you can find a street full of thrills that draws in little ones from near and far every year.

“They stop by many times a day, so I guess that means they like it. And they come to take pictures. There’s people that I don’t even know come up in the yard and take pictures,” Dana Guarisco said.

Guarisco is the puppet master behind the Halloween display. It takes her and her husband two weekends to put it all together, and it grows bigger each year.

“Five years ago, we didn’t have hardly anything around the house, and it’s grown. We’ve got a werewolf that the kids really love, the big inferno guy that lights up. The little kids really love the dinosaur and many other things that make noise and music, as you can hear in the background,” Guarisco said.

It all started in an effort to keep the spirits high in the neighborhood following the historic 2016 flood.

“We had 36 inches of water, so we had to take everything out with a big pile of debris, out in the front yard. Had to redo all the sheet rock and flooring,” she said.

She’s still repairing her home to this day but makes sure to bring joy to the neighborhood with her friendly frights.

And the neighbors all join in on the fun in their yards, creating a huge display down the entire street.

“It’s for the memories for the kids with their families. I remember the houses that decorated when I was little, so it’s just to create memories with their families,” said Hilary McKey, who also owns an interactive display.

It brings everyone together, one scare at a time.

“One little boy is like, ‘You’re my favorite person in the neighborhood!’ It makes me feel good. I like to see joy from them,” Guarisco said.