No tricks, just treats! South Ward Scare Map celebrates another successful year
Rubyyy Jones
Cultural Correspondent
Community spirit was on full display in Paris’ South Ward this Halloween, as residents transformed their homes into spooky spectacles for the annual South Ward Scare Map House Decorating Contest. What began as a neighbourhood initiative by South Ward resident and local business owner Tiffany Martin has grown into a much-anticipated Halloween tradition, bringing neighbours together through creativity, friendly competition and plenty of frightful fun. With more than a dozen entries in 2026, this year’s contest proved to be another spooktacular success.
Congratulations to the winners of this year’s scariest displays! The Most Festive prize goes to Nightmare on Washington Street.
This young family, the Tomlinsons, are new to the neighbourhood and decorated bit by bit over a few weeks to prepare. They shared, “it took a couple weeks of getting and making things, and then piece by piece putting things together. Lots of batteries and electrical cords, we started on October 1st and just kept going!”
Best Surprise prize goes to Halloween lovers and first-time entrants, Roseanne’s Alien Encounter on Patterson Street, which featured UFOs, vibrant aliens and several cows, including Roseanne’s dog Pebbles, who was the cutest cow ever!
The Spookiest Presentation award went to Nightmare on Amelia Street, where homeowners pulled out all the stops to create a fully interactive haunted house experience. Complete with a frightening maze, bone-chilling characters and imaginative decorations that transformed every corner of the property, the display delivered a truly unique Halloween experience.
“My husband, Clint Langer, spends 2-3 weeks creating this, and we all help and love it too - we are one hundred percent a Halloween family. We just wanna scare kids, in a fun way!” From colourful inflatables and eerie graveyards to interactive displays, haunting lights and creepy characters, this year’s decorations showcased an impressive mix of creativity, imagination and Halloween spirit. Whether featuring elaborate modern displays or traditional handmade scares, each home brought something unique to the neighbourhood. A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who decorated, whether officially part of the Scare Map or not, and to the many residents and visitors who ventured out to enjoy the displays.
Together, they helped make this Halloween tradition another memorable celebration of community spirit in Paris.
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