How do you follow up crashing a helicopter in your front yard for Halloween?
Of course, you bring in a monster.
Truck, that is.
Peter Raptis admits he set a pretty high bar last year when inspiration intersected serendipity, and he was able to secure the wreckage of a crashed helicopter as the centrepiece for a Halloween scene that spread across the front yards of several homes in his Crest Court neighbourhood in Coquitlam.
And while Raptis still had access to the chopper this year, he wanted to take his display in a different direction.
Several kids in the neighbourhood suggested a monster truck.
Many phone calls later, a behemoth pick-up was delivered.
In the days since then, Raptis has been busy horrifying it with a whooping menagerie of free riding skeletons, not unlike the War Boys in Mad Max: Fury Road, as well as putting the final touches on the massive display that promises a few other new surprises, including gravediggers hoisting a real coffin and an E.T. scene complete with flying bicycle.
Raptis, who built his first display in 2020 as a drive-thru experience because of COVID-19 public health restrictions, said last year’s effort raised $10,000 for the Pacific Autism Network that supports families across Metro Vancouver.
He hopes to meet or exceed that amount this time out, with the help of a concession offering treats for kids as well as doughnuts from nearby Doughnut Love.
“It’s a community event that we look forward to every year,” Raptis said. “We’re trying to make a big impact.”
The display, at 1211 Crest Crt. along with several neighbouring homes, launches Friday evening and runs from 6–9:30 p.m. through Halloween night.
