As the nights grow longer and the autumn leaves skitter across sidewalks, Dudley St. in Westfield is ready for the spookiest night of the year. In this area of town, each front yard becomes a stage: glowing jack-o’-lanterns, skeletons, witches and colored windows beaming from each house. For years, Dudley has been the centerpiece of Halloween decorations in our town, and this year is no exception.
On Dudley St., the pressure to live up to the neighborhood’s Halloween reputation is real, and it’s something every resident feels. “Once that one house went all out decorating, the rest of us felt like we needed to step it up,” one resident shared. It’s no surprise that this street is known around Westfield as the best-decorated block in town.
For one neighbor, decorating for Halloween is more than just a tradition, it’s a journey. After starting her decorating journey in Hoboken, she’s kept the spooky spirit alive for 15 years. “I would love when people would do the lights and webs, so that was my inspiration,” she said. “But you know, you work with what you’ve got, and it just evolves from there.”
Another homeowner on the street said, “Every year we just keep adding one more thing, and this year we decided we were going to do skeletons.” One of those skeletons is a yoga skeleton, which was inspired by his wife, who is a yoga instructor.
Besides the decorations, trick-or-treating is a must on this street. One homeowner on Dudley said, “When Halloween ends up being on a weekend, we get around two to three thousand kids trick-or-treating.” Thousands of children coming to trick-or-treat in one neighborhood is an overwhelming pressure for these home owners to put on their best display on Halloween night. “When I first moved to this neighborhood I didn’t buy as much candy as I needed, so that year was a mess; I had to keep going to the store and look for candy.”
Year after year, Dudley St. shows that Halloween isn’t just about candy or costumes, but about keeping traditions alive and the excitement that brings the community together.
From glowing pumpkins on every doorstep to neighbors sharing laughs over spooky decorations, the street becomes a place where creativity and community shine. Take a drive down the street and check out their artistry on display and if you happen to be trick or treating on this spooky holiday, Dudley St. is the place to be.