A Community Staple Worth Saving
What started two decades ago as a front-yard hobby has grown into a full-blown neighbourhood phenomenon, drawing as many as 3,000 visitors each October. Along the way, the Albert family has raised more than $100,000 for CHEO, turning trick-or-treating into something that gives back.
Earlier this year, questions arose about whether the attraction could continue in its current form due to residential zoning rules around permanent structures like the Halloween House’s signature plywood castle. After hearing from the community just how much the house meant to them, Patrick Albert made the call to keep the tradition alive, just with some changes.
What’s Changing Next Year
Starting in 2027, the Halloween House will go back to its roots, focusing on the front lawn and the castle while retiring the backyard portion of the attraction, which has featured a different design each year for the past 15 years. This year’s backyard offering is a twisting maze full of sharp turns built for maximum jump-scare potential in the dark.
The castle itself will also shrink from its current 18-by-20-foot footprint down to 6-by-20 feet, and it will come down after Halloween each year rather than staying up through the seasons. Essentially, the house is returning to the scale it had about 20 years ago, before the backyard additions took over.
A Bittersweet Kind of Excitement
Albert, who juggles the Halloween House alongside his day job, admits the shift hasn’t fully sunk in yet after so many years of the bigger setup. Still, he’s found a silver lining: with a smaller build, his team of 10 to 15 volunteers can start construction in September instead of July, giving him an actual summer for the first time in years.
He’s already looking forward to checking out other Halloween happenings around the city once his own schedule frees up a bit, including Pumpkinferno at Upper Canada Village.
Giving Back, One Decoration at a Time
Once this year’s display comes down at the end of October, the thousands of decorations collected over the years will get a second life. Albert plans to sell as many as possible at the Orléans garage sale next spring, with proceeds going straight to CHEO.
This season is already shaping up to be a strong one for donations, with Albert reporting a $600 night on a recent Wednesday and $1,300 raised the following Saturday.
Plan Your Visit
The Albert Halloween House is open Wednesday through Sunday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. throughout October on Pintail Terrace in Orléans. Saturdays are jump-scare nights starting at 7:30 p.m., so bring a friend to hold onto. Next year’s downsized version is expected to run on weekends only, so if you want to see the castle and backyard maze in their full glory, this October is the month to do it.