For as long as many people can remember, Judy Wenquist has had a Halloween display in her garage. In fact, Wenquist has been collecting miniature Halloween buildings and accessories for her display for long enough that she has lost track of exactly how many pieces she has.
“I think at one time I kind of counted the houses,” said Wenquist . “But it’s a little hard to, because some are houses and some are just like little extras, and so it’s really hard to count. And plus I really don’t wanna know.”
Every year, in a full-day process, an entire lilliputian town town begins to emerge in Wenquist’s garage. She and her family place and rearrange the buildings with whimsical holiday-themed names until they are finally satisfied.
“We have a Blood Bank,” noted Wenquist. “We have Zelda’s Tattoo Parlor. We have a haunted school. There’s a little school for new witches. We have to have the Dead-In Motel. And of course the Witch’s Brew Pub.”
Once everything is set, Wenquist invites the community in to enjoy her collection. The display is meant to be kid-friendly, and even includes a scavenger hunt checklist allowing observers to explore and find the small details of the miniature haunted town.
“We have a broom that roams around in cackles, and I have a surprise in my suitcase that you push a button and a guy comes out. The kids like to play with that after they figure out how to do it, they like that. I have a hand that walks on the floor, all kinds of stuff, and I don’t worry about, I have never really ever had anything break, and if a little kid wants to touch something, that if I’m standing there, I let them look at it, because this is for them,” explained Wenquist.
Judy Wenquist ‘sHalloween Village Display will be open at 335 N 18th Ave in Broken Bow through the evening on October 31 for kids of all ages.
“I enjoy showing it off,” said Wenquist. “It’s fun. The kids like it. The older people like it. And I just welcome everyone.”
