One last hurrah: After 29 years, Rhode Island man marks final year of homemade Halloween display

COVENTRY, R.I. (WJAR) — All good things must come to an end.

For Ken Lynch, 2023 marks the last year for his massive homemade Halloween display outside his house at 21 Albro Lane in Coventry, Rhode Island.

He's been inviting guests to visit all 2.5 acres of his "Dead End Cemetery" for 29 years. But this Halloween will be his final hurrah.

I'm going to miss doing it -- sure I'm going to miss doing it, but in a way, it's going to be nice to go and look at everyone else's houses, " Lynch told The National Desk. "My wife and I never got to see anybody's (display.)"

Lynch is one of several Rhode Islanders who go all out with homemade displays each October. They deck out their yards with decorations and welcome guests to enjoy their "haunted" houses.

Lynch started his display in 1994. His wife, Gail, used to always help him set up, as she created tombstones, painted tapestries, and more.

But Gail died suddenly on March 27, 2021. She had a heart attack and collapsed in Ken’s arms one month after she retired.

My wife and I loved doing this," he said. "She felt sorry for the people who couldn't afford to go out and spend money on Halloween trying to see this stuff. That's why she wanted to start this. So, I did it with her and this is what it turned into."

The display features a walk-through path throughout a graveyard that's filled with creepy ghouls. There are at least 500 tombstones, with many of them hand-crafted out of Styrofoam and then spray-painted.

A lot of the ideas were hers," he said of his wife. "We worked on Halloween all year round. We were always together."

There used to be a variety of animatronics, with characters such as Michael Myers from the movie "Halloween," as well as Freddy Krueger from "Nightmare on Elm Street." But Lynch recently started selling the props, noting that the animatronics were among the first items to go.

"They're all gone already," he said.

Other props, he said,are falling apart because they're so old. Some have been damaged due to the weather over the years.

The rain has literally dampened his spirits, as he said it presents many challenges. He continuously has to put tarp over the props because he doesn't want them to get ruined.

"I'm getting too old for this," he said.

But some props have stood the test of time, including the fence he built that surrounds the cemetery. Still, setting it up has been a labor of love.

He begins by setting up the fence in July. in August, he erects "houses" that encase the animatronics in August. He starts then setting up the tombstones in September and finishes in time for October.

"I take my time so it looks right," he said.

Guests have noticed his attention to detail.

Crystal Langlais was there Wednesday night with her 9-year-old daughter, Charlotte, and their friend, Raeleen McManus.

McManus lives in Vermont but grew up in Rhode Island. Each year, she visits her loved ones in the Ocean State and they go out to see homemade displays in the area.

"Rhode Island does Halloween better," she said. "The displays are outstanding."

McManus said Lynch's display has always been one of her favorites.

"It's creative," she said. "I love creativity. Store-bought is cool and impressive -- don't get me wrong -- but when someone puts their work into it, it's different."

Langlais and Charlotte shared similar sentiments.

"It's great for the kids," Langlais said. "And she looks forward to it every year," she said of her daughter.

Charlotte agreed.

"I love art and I love Halloween," she said.

Lynched thanked them -- and everyone else -- for visiting year after year. He said he loves when people share their memories of the display with him.

"People come here and say, 'My father and mother brought me here when I was a kid,' and now they are bringing their kids back here," he said. "It's been great. I'm going to miss it. But I can't do it forever. Even my wife said it before she died. But I'm glad I did it. It was really great doing it. My wife and I loved doing it. But like anything else, all good things have to come to an end."

The display is lit nightly starting at dusk until at least 10 p.m. ET.

"I keep the lights on a little later on Halloween," Lynch said.