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From COVID car ride to community tradition: Orangeville Halloween Haunt Patrol returns

October 9, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Hallowe’en is fast approaching, and an Orangeville-based house-decorating contest is returning for its sixth year.

The Orangeville Hallowe’en Haunt Patrol (OHHP) has become a well-known event in the community, where homeowners are encouraged to compete in a friendly competition, with community judges scoring the scariest houses in town.

OHHP was started in 2020 by Orangeville resident Michelle Hartley when the global COVID-19 pandemic prevented trick-or-treating. To still celebrate Hallowe’en with her young child, Hartley did what she always does on Hallowe’en, hopped in her car, and drove through Orangeville to enjoy decorated houses.

From her drive around town, she developed a list of the best-decorated houses and uploaded it to her personal Facebook page. From there, she was encouraged by friends to make it into a bigger, more formal event.

Shortly thereafter, OHHP was launched, and it’s been building every year since.

The OHHP Facebook page now has over 2,000 followers, who eagerly wait for the annual Top 10 List of best decorated homes to be posted each year.

“What started out as a way to still enjoy [Hallowe’en] from the car in 2020, has turned into, dare I say, a new community tradition,” said Hartley. “Every year, I receive emails and photos of families, several in full Hallowe’en costumes, telling me that this is their first, second, third family tradition of enjoyment. [It] starts with dinner out in our town and then laughs, screams, and photos galore. And not to forget – lifetime memories.”

The OHHP will select the Top 10 List for home and yard displays for this year’s contest on Friday, Oct. 24, from 7 to 10 p.m., and announce the list on its Facebook page around 11 p.m.

The top 10 homes will be scored by community judges on Saturday, Oct. 25, between 7 and 10 p.m.

The winners will be announced around midnight, once all the judges’ score cards are tallied.

The houses are judged on 10 categories: creativity, personal workmanship, sound, lighting, special effects, attention to detail, animation or live action (dressed up), storyline or theme, arrangement/display/placement, and overall presentation.

All of the judges scoring the top 10 homes are residents of Orangeville, and dignitaries, such as Mayor Lisa Post, Deputy Mayor Todd Taylor, and Councillor Debbie Sherwood.

The top 10 homes will be asked by OHHP to join the group in promoting a “daylight fright” on judging day (Oct. 25), from 2 to 4 p.m., for young kids and people with accessibility limitations. The daylight fright is less scary, since it takes place during the daytime.

Prizes will be given to the homes that place first, second, and third. There will also be an honourable mention, people’s choice, and the president’s pick.

New this year is the addition of a donation box to the top 10 homes for Oct. 25 in support of the Orangeville Food Bank.

“I’m truly excited to see how much food donations we can bring to our local food bank,” Hartley enthused. “Last year, on judging night, there was 2,000 attendees, even if each family donates one food item to one home, our community benefits twice – first with the fun, and second with the pay-it-forward food.”

Also new this year is a Child-Friendly Rating for houses decorated without blood and gore. OHHP’s Facebook page will post child-friendly homes for young families to enjoy.

Déjà vu Diner is again sponsoring OHHP, providing the prize for the People’s Choice Award, which is selected via community vote, after the contest.

In August, OHHP had a booth for the second year at the Orangeville Fall Fair’s Kids Zone area, with a “Carn-evil” theme.

Home Depot sponsored OHHP’s booth with an animated witch prize, while Debbie Van Wkyk – Family Tree Real Estate donated candy to hand out.

The OHHP looks forward to being back at the fall fair in 2026.

“In the last two years while at the Fall Fair, I have spoken to many outside of Dufferin County who come to enjoy our OHHP event,” said Hartley.

She noted that people travelled from as far as Newmarket, Alliston, Guelph, Arthur, Shelburne, Dundalk, Brampton, and Mississauga to enjoy Orangeville’s Hallowe’en display last year.

Hartley looks forward to bringing the community and visitors together again for another season of frightful fun.

The OHHP Facebook page can be found online at facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070080250955.

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