Halloween horrors bring Oak Cliff neighbors together in a spooky new tradition
What you see is definitely eye-catching and frightening, but the spirit behind Oak Cliff's elaborate Halloween displays is bringing neighbors together – and keeping cherished memories alive.
It started with a Facebook post.
Carina Arellano noticed residents complaining that trick-or-treaters weren't knocking on their doors. The Oak Cliff native saw an opportunity to resurrect a neighborhood tradition.
"So, this year I decided to go ahead and kind of create a digital platform that will allow neighbors to sign up," said Arellano, founder of Oak Cliff Concepts. Through Oak Cliff Concepts, she collaborated on the creation of Front Porch Gallery.
The result? A neighborhood-wide outdoor art gallery of Halloween horrors.
Paola Gone of Hello Oak Cliff is helping put the chills on the map, showcasing decorated homes and encouraging visitors to vote for their favorites online.
One display, featuring creepy clowns and characters from "The Exorcist," nearly stopped her in her tracks.
"I really wasn't even able to go to the porch because I was like, 'Oh my gosh,'" Gone said.
But not every display is designed to scare.
At Elvie De La Fuente's home, Halloween gives way to something sacred: Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.
Her handmade Mexican Catrinas, dressed in elaborate costumes she's been designing since January, stand in her yard. The centerpiece is an altar honoring loved ones who have died.
Some visitors come to admire the artistry. Others come to grieve.
De La Fuente recalled parents visiting to remember the girls who died in an accident two years ago. Another visitor sat crying and praying.
"It's just been very emotional," she said.
Her display invites visitors to bring a cell phone and take photos until midnight, offering a place for reflection, remembrance, and celebration.
"They have not been forgotten," De La Fuente said. "We think about them every day."
From spine-chilling spectacles to soul-stirring tributes, Oak Cliff's Halloween displays are proving that the most powerful thing knocking at the door isn't fear.
It's community.
