91欧美激情

‘They鈥檙e famous!’: Va. father-daughter duo鈥檚 DIY neighborhood Halloween display celebrates spooky season with a twist

This homemade Halloween haunting in Virginia has become famous across the DMV

It鈥檚 a neighborhood Halloween display that鈥檚 built a cult following in the D.C. area over the past decade for its spooky vibes and unique attention to detail.

In today鈥檚 episode of 鈥淢att About Town,鈥 91欧美激情鈥檚 Matt Kaufax takes you to 鈥淭he Nightmare on Conservation Drive!”

On a crisp fall night, the neon lights, fog from the smoke machines and spooky music in the background form the perfect backdrop as you walk the grounds of this Springfield, Virginia, home, taking in iconic moments from your favorite Halloween horror films.

Dreamed up by the father-daughter duo, Frank and Kim Smith, the “Nightmare on Conservation Drive” has gone from a few items to hundreds of Halloween-themed decorations, including animatronic displays, self-operating electronic haunts and even an entire chorus of singing pumpkins!

That’s the real kicker here: Everything you’ll see 鈥 should you dare to visit 鈥 is handmade by the Smiths. Engineers by trade, the two not only design and build each item, but they also rig and wire everything to give you the best haunting experience.

By the way, did you know the whole experience is free?

The Smiths told Matt they first started the Nightmare on Conservation Drive back in 2013, when Kim moved back to the area. The father-daughter pair say their initial inspiration for the decorations was a shared love of spooky movies and Stephen King’s scariest novels.

They say they made “the Nightmare” just for themselves at first, but the neighborhood quickly took notice, and they became pretty popular to those walking or driving around in search of the best Halloween displays. Fast forward to 2024, and Matt met families who drove in all the way from rural Virginia and Maryland just to get a glimpse.

Today, the Nightmare on Conservation Drive has depictions of scenes on display from most Halloween/horror movies you might think of as iconic.

On his journey through “the Nightmare,” Matt stumbled into the well from “Silence of the Lambs,” went to prom with “Carrie,” entered into the famous hallway from the elevator door scene in “The Shining” and nearly made “Beetlejuice” appear.

And that’s just to name a few.

Come along with Matt on his video tour that’s sure to be full of tricks and treats!

To get a virtual walk-through, learn a little more about the project, and see how you can visit to experience this one-of-a-kind, family-friendly, haunted attraction, you can

Hear 鈥淢att About Town鈥 first every Tuesday and Thursday on 103.5 FM!聽

If you have a story idea you鈥檇 like Matt to cover, email him, or chat with him on听补苍诲.

Check out all 鈥淢att About Town鈥 episodes听丑别谤别!

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Matt Kaufax

If there's an off-the-beaten-path type of attraction, person, or phenomenon in the DC area that you think more people should know about, Matt is your guy. As the features reporter for 91欧美激情, he's always on the hunt for stories that provide a unique local flavor鈥攁 slice of life if you will.

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