By TARA OWEN
Senior Reporter
As Halloween is quickly approaching, Alva is transforming into a festive community.
Many homes around the town have been preparing their decorations for the upcoming holiday.
These impressive yard displays are located all throughout the town.
The creative homeowners said they have found these creative yard Halloween decorations primarily online.
“Some of our ideas were our own or on TikTok, Pinterest or suggestions from other people, we just go from there,” Pam Pharis, Alva homeowner said.
Pharis’s front yard has many dolls, an ambulance, and many other decorations.
However, she is not finished decorating.
“We start October 1, and never really get done decorating until Halloween night,” Pharis said. “We add odds and ends everywhere and that Halloween night we add a fog machine.
Pharis has been actively decorating for Halloween for over 30 years.
As it is a lot of work creating and decorating for the holiday. Pharis said they enjoy decorating for many reasons.
“We always do it for the kids, plus we love Halloween and to add more decorations than last year,” Pharis said.
Pharis said they have received mixed feelings about their Halloween decorations.
“We have had it all, we’ve had people stop to take photos and videos.” Pharis said “We have also had people tell us to stop decorating because it scares them.”
However, she said the neighborhood kids enjoy it, and they enjoy decorating for them and the families that love it each year.
Another Halloween decoration that has been catching many of the community members off guard can be found in the lot on the west side of the Vanilla Bean.
Lee, the homeowner to the south of the decorations’ said they have recently added more of these spooky figures to the lot.
“We found the idea on TikTok and were able to create them in about one Saturday afternoon,” Lee said.
This is their first year to be a part of the Alva community and they have enjoyed decorating for the holiday.
“The reactions have been hilarious, we love that the community is getting a kick out of the decorations,” Lee said.
In addition to the spooky decorations, Alva will also have many other upcoming events to celebrate the season.
The Bradts also have some skeleton decorations they put out each year.
They move the decorations around each day and have them posed like they are doing different activities.
These activities can be something simple like jump roping or a little more complex.
An example of something more complex is during homecoming they had the skeletons appear like they decorated their own homecoming float.
The Northwest Family Services will be hosting the annual Fall Fling on Oct. 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This is a retail shopping event located Downtown Alva.
The Cherokee Strip Museum will host the Tombstone Tour on Oct. 24 and 26 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Cost is $10 per person at the door.
On Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. the Alabaster State Park will be hosting Bat Night.
This is a free event for all ages to explore the nightlife of local Oklahoma bats.
The Bradt’s Menagerie’s scare maze will begin at 8-11 p.m. on Oct. 25 and 26
On Oct. 27 Trunk or Treat will be on College Ave. From 5:30-7 p.m.
For more information on any of the Halloween events happening in Alva this holiday season head to the Alva Chamber page.
Owners of houses around Alva decorate their yards for Halloween.
Home owners use several things including skeletons, dolls and ghouls.
Skeletons: The skeleton photo was taken at the Bradt’s house where they move their skeleton decorations everyday.
Dolls: The dolls are located in someones yard as they have several old baby dolls.
Ghouls: The Ghouls are on the Boulevard by Vanilla Bean and the owner of them moves them around and adds more.
