For the second year here in Ladysmith, Darrell Lewis has transformed his home at 417 Buller Street into the Buller Bonehouse.
Lewis has been decorating Halloween displays for over 10 years — previously decorating his home at Duggan Road in Nanaimo.
“We’d get up to 350 kids come by. People would drive in for it,” he said.
So far in Ladysmith, the response has been ‘great’. Lewis said last year 167 trick-or-treaters visited — according to his neighbours — that’s three times the average.
“We’re between three schools, so we get kids coming by here every morning,” Lewis said. “I start decorating in mid-September, and every weekend I put just a little bit more out. That way every week the kids come by there’s something new.”
Scattered across Lewis’ lawn are various skeletons, gravestones, and severed appendages. The main attraction is a 15-foot tall skeleton with a pet T-Rex skeleton on a chain.
The weeks of decorating will all culminate in the big night of Halloween. Lewis has COVID-19 precautions in place to ensure that trick-or-treaters can enjoy the Bonehouse safely.
Lewis has crafted a candy chute from PVC pipe that will run from his door to a small table by his front gate. That will leave roughly 10 feet of distance between the door and trick-or-treaters.
“We’ll take the candy with tongs or a spoon so we’re never actually touching it.”
Visitors will also have the opportunity to take a photo with Lewis’ large skeleton display. A gate in front of the display will be open, and markers will be placed on the sidewalk reminding people to stay six feet apart.
Lewis and his family have created an Instagram page: @the_buller_bonehouse. Anyone who takes pictures with the display is encouraged to tag the page in their photos.
Trick-or-treaters are welcome to visit until roughly 10 p.m. on Halloween night, and are encouraged to respect public health advice and social distancing.
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