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Sierra Madre Halloween 2004 - Alegria Ave.
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Halloween Main Page
Back to Halloween 2004 main page
Click
here
for photos from the window
decorating, and a list of contest winners
Click
here
for photos
and video from Sierra Madre Elementary School Parade
Click
here for photos from the Merchant's
Trick or Treat downtown
Click
here
for photos from the City costume parade
Click here
for photos and video from the City/Kiwanis sponsored Costume Contest
Click
here for photos of
pumpkins and decorated homes on Alegria, Halloween Night
Alegria
Halloween Decorations and Pumpkins
Alegria Avenue on Halloween has taken on a life of its own lately, and has
become a major attraction. People come from all over to see the
wonderful displays put on by the residents on Alegria. Traffic is
blocked off and the street is barricaded, and thousands show up during the
course of the night. Kudos to the Sierra Madre Police Dept.
for maintaining order and keeping things running smoothly. One of
the initial draws to Alegria was the annual Switzer pumpkin extravaganza,
with anywhere from dozens to hundreds of pumpkins. This year, Bud
Switzer once again spent several hundred dollars on pumpkins, and
carved dozens to place in his front yard. Bud didn't have help from
son Kevin this year, as he has in the past, so thanks Bud for working so
hard to get it done. Bud told me this year that I had to be sure to
check out Doug Parker's house, as "Doug has taken pumpkin carving
to a whole new level." Bud was absolutely right, with dozens
(hundreds?) of beautifully carved pumpkins, including, among many others,
highlights such as the 700lb. "Rupert", an amazing serpent head jack
o'lantern, and a multiple pumpkin "spider" structure set up on the front
lawn. But there's more to Alegria than pumpkins. Most of the
houses on the block have intricate and elaborate decorations, with
recreations of graveyards, flying ghosts, skeletons, giant scrolls with
the story of Halloween, a photo op with a witch, and much, much more. Many of the homes even
set up little "gatehouses" down on the sidewalk, to dispense candy to the
thousands who now come by each year. Congratulations, and a hearty
thank you, to all of you on Allegria, who take the time and make the
effort to make each year special on Halloween. Click on the
thumbnail to see the picture full size.
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Candy
distribution |
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Flying ghost |
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Candy
distribution |
There's a witch for photo-ops |
The
story of Halloween |
Between sittings |
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Some
of the Switzer pumpkins |
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End
of the Switzer pumpkin pictures |
My,
what friendly ghosts |
If I
remember correctly, the Doug Parker pumpkins start here. Look closely,
that's a side view of a serpent's head |
A
jack o'lantern fireplace |
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A
front view of the serpent |
A
closer look |
Totem
pole jacks |
700
pound Rupert was a "big" hit |
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Front
view of the spider, look close you can see his legs |
Boo! |
Side
view of the spider |
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Witchy Woman |
Another shot of the flying ghost |
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