Hollywood Gothique
LA Attractions Gothique

Halloween 2013: Last-Minute Yard Haunt Updates

Too much is never enough when it comes to Halloween in Los Angeles. Despite our most diligent efforts, we never manage to list all of the city’s Halloween Yard Haunts before the final week of October rolls around. Here are a few more that recently drifted onto our radar. Happy Haunting!

Balian Mansion front yard

Balian Mansion of Halloween

Location: 1640 Braeburn Road, Alta Dena

Date: Halloween Night

Hours: dusk until 10pm

Description: Now in its fourteenth year, this home haunt reportedly draws a crowd of 3,500 trick-or-treaters every October 31. An article at Altadenablog.com describes “dead bodies, zombies, and monsters…creatures, inflatable displays, doorways, coffins, and even a real hearse,” along with a walk-through “tunnel of darkness.” Opinions seem to vary on whether the Balian Mansion of Halloween is too intense for youngsters: some parents describe it as R-rated, others as a PG-13.

While in the area, you might want to check out some other Altadena yard haunts, listed here.

DIY Haunt House

DIY Haunt HouseLocation: 11206 Califa Street, North Hollywood, CA 91601

Web Page: Click here

Description: Do-It-Yourself Halloween enthusiasts “Charlemagne Lazarus” (a.k.a. “Charlemagne Kinsman,” a.k.a. Brian Miller) throws his hat into the ring with this new home haunt. The DIY Haunt House is described as short and suspenseful, with a low fright level but probably not appropriate for children under eight.

Hours are sunset until midnight, October 31 and November 2.

The haunt is free. The entrance is on the cross street, Fair Avenue.

NIght of the LIving Dead y copy

Night of the Living Dead

Location: 22408 Cantara St. West Hills, CA 91304.

Description: We first heard of this one in Halloween 2012, but too late to do anything about it. This year, it has moved to a new location, but we understand that the basic theme remains the same. The proprietor tells us he is offering a “spooky and gory yard haunt that will give you chills down your spines…literally!”

There will be man-eating zombies and monsters roaming the area. Those brave enough to circumvent them and survive long enough to reach the front door will be rewarded with treats.

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Finally, we hear tell of a front yard haunt a couple blocks away from the Hezby Cemetery in Valley Village. An avid haunt-chaser informs us that it features “some nice animated skeletons (like Boney Island) and other spooky yard apparitions, very nicely done.” The address is 4900 Gentry Avenue, at the corner of Houston.