Ghoulishly good times
Oct. 31—A Lewiston Orchards family will be sitting around a fire pit in their driveway tonight, eating chili and chowder with friends and handing out candy to trick-or-treaters.
Sounds pretty normal, right?
The difference is instead of a few glowing pumpkins, Derek and Beth Katzenberger and their son, Ryan, go all out to create a Halloween display that leaves a lasting impression.
For the past month, father and son have worked on a front yard cemetery, a truck with glowing eyes, animatronics and skeletons to create a memorable experience for everyone who stops by 3707 17th St. this evening.
"We want little kids to have fun and not be too scared," Derek said. "It all started when Ryan was little, and we add to it every year."
When the sun goes down, the lights and fog come to life near a large maple tree, which adds a colorful carpet of leaves to the eerie scene. In the branches sits an old tree house with moving eyes.
"We were going to tear it down, but we thought, 'Where are we going to put the eyeballs on Halloween? We're basically middle-aged, little kids," Derek said, with a grin. "The skeleton in the bathtub makes us laugh every night when the bubbles go off."
When they're not decorating, Derek, 50, works at Clearwater Paper and is a member of the Katz Band, and Beth, 48, is the music director at Congregational-Presbyterian Church. Ryan, 13, is an eighth grader at Sacajawea Middle School.
"The best part about this project is all of the tiny details," Beth said. "It's fun. I do the whimsical, not the gore."
The 1965 Ford F250 parked on the lawn gets the most compliments, along with "Bath time for Bubbles." The only downside is the family's well-used truck is out of commission for a month, but it's worth it, Derek said.
"I actually like Halloween more than Christmas," Derek said. "I love to see people's creativity and share mine."
In addition to his parents, Ryan credits his grandma, Phyllis Katzenberger, and neighbor, Carrie Hartshorn, for inspiring his love of Halloween. As a young child, he would spend hours at Halloween stores, staring at the animatronics and asking questions.
"We used to wait in the van and let him wander in there for an hour," Beth said. "He was like Norm on 'Cheers.' Everyone knew him there."
One year, a manager let Ryan name an animatronic because he was the store employees' favorite customer, Derek said.
"I still go trick-or-treating," Ryan said. "You're never too old. I go with my friends, and we have a lot of fun. I just like the candy part, the dressing up and especially the decorations because it's like bringing Halloween alive."
The family's Halloween tradition has made a lasting impact that he plans to continue as an adult. When he grows up, Ryan wants to be an electrical engineer and make his own animatronics.
"I will remember this part of my childhood forever," he said.
Derek said he's always been a fan of the late October holiday, and he and Ryan are already dreaming up new features to add next year. Some "Thriller" characters may be in the mix, along with the music.
"To me, it's just fun to be able to dress up," Derek said. "It's kind of like going to a concert. There's no malicious intent."
The Katzenbergers bought $100 worth of candy to hand out this year. As word of the cemetery spreads, more folks are visiting their dark street on Oct. 31.
"I'm starting to like the cemetery theme," Ryan said.
"Buried Betty" was the first tombstone and skeleton in the plot. A creepy grave watcher holding a lantern was handmade by Derek, who sculpted a foam head and brought him to life.
"He's the one who makes sure no one comes and no one leaves," he said.
The grave digger was the first animatronic on the scene, which now includes a guardian of the cemetery, a cyanide tea party and a wizard with a crystal ball, created by Ryan.
The scariest exhibits are probably the executioner and the collector, Ryan said. But visitors shouldn't overlook the old tool shed near the front door. A hauntress jumps out periodically to surprise unsuspecting trick-or-treaters.
On Monday, the Katzenbergers will start taking down the display and carefully storing each piece for next year. In the meantime, they're happy to share the display with the community.
"We get people stopping, jumping out and taking pictures," Derek said. "It's a lot of fun."
Sandaine may be contacted at kerris@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2264. Follow her on Twitter @newsfromkerri.
