‘Nightmare on Main’
Published 9:07 am Thursday, October 29, 2015
A sign points the way to 124 West Main Street in Woodland where Ken and Pattie Manuel will again host a Halloween Spectacular. | Photos by Kim Bunch Hoggard
By KIM BUNCH HOGGARD
Correspondent
WOODLAND – The sequel is here!
After a soggy, but successful, “Nightmare on Main Street” in 2014, Ken and Pattie Manuel are keeping their fingers crossed for good weather by Friday and Saturday of this week when they open the doors of their historic Woodland home to the public for a “Carn-Evil” type of night.
The couple, who relocated to Woodland from New Jersey a few years ago, are hosting a Halloween Spectacular on Main Street in Woodland on October 30-31. This fantastic Carn-Evil will be a fun time for all and is located at 124 West Main Street.
Doors will open from 5:30-9 p.m. both nights. Admission is free, but the couple does welcome donations to help them offset the cost of staging such an event.
This is just one of the props used in the spooky graveyard on the Manuel’s property.
Among the many attractions will be a cemetery featuring a few favorites from the old silver screen horror movies such as Bella Lugosi and Boris Karloff.
If you dare, be sure to visit the rotten candy vendor or treat yourself to a mice cream cone.
Last year the event drew over 600 people, despite rainy weather both nights.
The Manuels not only decorate for Halloween, they roll out other yard displays throughout the year. That fact causes a lot of “neck twisting” for those passing by the beautiful old home in downtown Woodland.
“We started the displays as a way to meet our neighbors when we first arrived here,” stated Mrs. Manuel. “Besides decorating for holidays, we have done displays that promote causes, such as one that reminded people to water their pets daily.”
The couple really wants to make a difference in the Woodland community by starting a library among other things. They organized and held a community yard sale featuring 40 families back in the summer and are facilitating a craft fair in Woodland on Dec. 5.
“It’s our goal to unite the residents of this beautiful little town,” Mrs. Manuel stated. “We want to bring about positive change for our area.”
One of those changes is to convert their home into a bed and breakfast.
The couple, who are also wedding officiates, participated in annual “Zombie Walks” when they lived in New Jersey. This walk, which contributed to all types of characters flooding the streets, broke a record in 2013 where it attracted more than 11,000 participants.
Mrs. Manuel is the mastermind of the Woodland attraction and says she has always been intrigued by the supernatural. However, she’s not impressed by modern horror movies.
“They’re all phony. It’s just the same type of movies with no real plot behind them,” she says.
Mr. Manuel, a retired federal probation officer, contributes and motivates her to do what she loves.