Halloween brings spooky displays, community spirit to Boston, Newton - WCVB

Greater Boston Neighborhoods Transform for Halloween 2026

As Halloween arrives across Greater Boston, historic streets and suburban neighborhoods have turned into elaborate seasonal displays, drawing crowds for evening walks and festive photography. Communities from Beacon Hill to Newton are embracing the Halloween spirit with creative displays and community-driven charitable initiatives.

On Chestnut Street in Boston, seasonal displays feature collections of witches alongside a towering skeleton and a “Frozen” house complete with artificial snow. Nearby on Mount Vernon Street, crowds gathered around butterflies featuring an eerie twist and disco ghosts spinning in the wind.

“I think they know how to do it right,” said Deirdre Pocase of Nahant, while capturing photos of the Mount Vernon Street installations.

The Kraken Rises on Pine Ridge Road

Westward in Newton, teen Ted Lahey has once again captured neighborhood attention with a handmade display on Pine Ridge Road. Following last year’s pirate ship and fort installation, Lahey expanded vertically to construct a massive Kraken.

“Had to figure out a way to make it better again, but ran out of space, so I had to go vertical,” Lahey said.

The Kraken’s tentacles required roughly 30 hours of construction in his backyard. Beyond the visual spectacle, Lahey organized his “Pirates for the Pantry” initiative to welcome hundreds of visitors while raising donations for the Newton Food Pantry.

“I started working at the food pantry with my friends, and I realized how much of a need there was,” Lahey said. The effort has raised $1,200 and collected more than 400 pounds of food so far.