While their children hit the streets for Halloween treats, their parents gathered at many house parties including here at the Rogers’ home on Delaware Avenue.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The Hussey’s Delaware Avenue home, better known as the clown house, was very busy all night long.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
WEST PITTSTON – A group of West Pittston residents wanted to capitalize on the popularity of Halloween in the borough, specifically the 200 and 300 blocks of Delaware Avenue by unofficially calling West Pittston, Halloweentown. Judging by the massive response, the effort was a huge success.
Over the years, Delaware Avenue has been a popular spot for Halloween going back decades anchored by what local residents called, the Mansion.
Today, owners Tom and Elaine Pugliese have upped the game in recent years by lavishly decorating the house with glowing skeletons, tombstones, animated ghouls and a 30-foot black tent filled with scary clowns, witches and more.
Enter John Phillips, he moved across the street from the Puglieses and he got in the act with fog machines, eerie music, and a casket with an animated skeleton sitting up and other ghoulish creatures.
Soon enough, the nearby neighbors caught on and a few months ago, a small committee got together and came up with the Halloweentown campaign. It not only caught on, but the idea went through the roof.
Even though not every resident was keen on the idea, plans went forward and the Wyoming Area Regional Police blocked off Delaware Avenue, food trucks were brought in and area businessman, Rob Bresnahan, provided an insurance policy to cover the event.
Lines formed with children and adults by the thousands starting as early as 4:30 p.m. Halloween night and ended as late as 9:30 p.m. or until residents ran out of treats.
Carmen Ambrosino, Jr., who lives adjacent to the Mansion at the 300-block, called it quits after handing out candy to the 2,410th person through the line.
At the 200 block, Megan and Eric Rogers hosted a Halloween party inside while the party went on outside. Megan, one of the initial people behind Halloweentown was thrilled at the response to the inaugural Halloweentown.
“It’s amazing,” Megan Rogers said. “There are smiles on everybody’s faces between adults, kids, and caretakers. I heard it has spread out that Montgomery and Luzerne (Avenues) is busy, so we are hoping those side streets are seeing it as well.”
Now that Halloween 2023 is in the books, Rogers is hoping next year can see improvements with additional safety precautions as well as a map to navigate throughout the borough.
“Hopefully we can get more of the streets shut down between Montgomery and Luzerne Avenues and make it as safe as possible for the kids; safety is the biggest priority,” Rogers said. “We are going to do a scavenger hunt to get those side streets involved as well. There is a guy down the street that will build a map to see what houses are accepting trick or treaters and who is not.”
Brittany Botteon, a new resident to West Pittston, pushed the stroller of her 11-month old son, Julian, walking the streets of the borough and taking in the sights with her sister Olivia Garbush.
“I love it, I thing it’s great especially for the new generation coming up,” Botteon said. “Being a new resident in West Pittston I look forward to our family traditions.”
Botteon said not many decorate for Halloween on her block in the borough but she has been bitten by the Halloween bug and plans on decorating her home for next year.
Michael Bugelholl, a 300-block resident, got in the holiday spirit a few years ago and has some oversized Halloween décor, lighting, and cutout Halloween board to place your face in it for photos.
Bugelholl and his entire family dress in costume for the occasion and was excited to see so many people attracted to West Pittston.
“This is by far the craziest it’s ever been,” Bugelholl said. “The most we gave out in the past was 1,200 bags, this year we prepared 6,800 pieces of candy for this year and we even had people donate candy to us to give out. I’m very grateful someone stepped up and closed the road for us; it would have been way too much foot traffic and I appreciate whoever did what.”
Bugelholl said at last count before the night ended over he handed out candy to a little over 3,000 people.
Jonathan Davis drove his family from Harding to take in the Halloween scene at West Pittston with wife Stephanie and children Isaac, Micah, and Hanna.
“We come here for the last five to seven-years,” Davis said. “We are having a great time and the food trucks are a new touch; a lot happening.”
There were pockets of active neighborhoods spread throughout West Pittston including Wyoming Avenue near the corner of Luzerne and Wyoming Avenues.
At one point in time, there was a fireworks display set off behind one of the homes on the avenue.
Tori Viccica and her band The Karma, played live at her parents home across the street from the decorated houses. The local artist and the band played a mix of original tunes as well as cover songs.
Wyoming Avenue was a beehive of activity looking more like Times Square on New Years Eve then normal.
John Phillips was happy to take in his last Halloween at Delaware Ave.
“I’m glad that we were able to partake in this in West Pittston and be a part of one of the houses that essentially started this as far as what its turned into,” Phillips said. “I give a lot of props and the respect to the Puglieses across the street for setting the standard for establishing a family community for the holidays and I hope we did justice for the community for making people happy as well.”
The Phillips recently sold their home but before the closing, was able to participating in Halloween one last time… maybe.
“Who knows, maybe next year I’ll ask one of the neighbors if I can come back and help out with decorating.”
