Halloween 2020: Submit Your Haunt For Patch's Tour o' Scary Yards

ILLINOIS — Like many things, Halloween is going to be a little weird this year. As communities decide whether to allow trick or treating during the pandemic, that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun driving around looking at Halloween decorations.

This year, Patch will be compiling its TENTH ANNUAL Scary Yard Tour. Short of goblins, crazy clowns, butchered bodies and zombies wearing face masks, we can’t think of anything more horrifying than putting a giant “2020” on the front lawn.

Shoot us an email if your yard is worth a drive-by this Halloween. Emails have gone out to last year’s participants. We'll keep adding to the 2020 tour o' scary yards leading up to Halloween, which this year falls on Saturday, Oct. 31.

We’ve already heard from some of our favorite gore decorators who’ve told us they are taking a break this year. For those of you who are decorating, please practice social distancing and be safe.

Please include the following information:

- We prefer that the homeowner submit his or her own yard, or at least an immediate neighbor or close relative.

- Include the exact address of the yard haunt.

- Have we featured your house before? May we use photos from prior years? (If you're changing up your display, we can insert the new ones later.)

- Let us know the dates and hours when your display will be available for viewing, so people aren't ringing your doorbell or bothering your neighbors in the middle of the night.

- Does your yard haunt have a name? Be sure to include it, or we can help you make one up.

- Are you making any modifications to your display due to the pandemic, such as eliminating walk-throughs and live actors? If it's business as usual, we won't judge. Please practice social distancing if you get a lot of foot traffic, and ask visitors to wear face masks.

- Tell us what makes your yard haunt special.

- Does your display have a Facebook page or website? Be sure to include the links.

- Are you collecting donations for a charity, food pantry or pet shelter? Let us know.

- Include a phone number (not for publication) in case Patch needs to contact you.

IMPORTANT STUFF: Only submit photos you have taken yourself or are authorized to post on Patch. By submitting a photo, you’re giving Patch permission to publish it for this feature and future stories.

Send your photos and videos to [email protected], and feel free to reach out with any questions. Emails have gone out to last year’s participants, but if you didn’t get one, let us know if you’re decorating this year. #SaveHalloween2020.