Farmington Feed: Halloween Havoc Tour
This is the Farmington Feed, bringing you information from the city of Farmington.
Caryn:Hi, and welcome back to the Farmington Feed. I'm Caryn Hojnicki, the city's communications specialist, and I'm hungry for another episode of the Feed. Since it's October, we're talking about Halloween and the Havoc tour. We're here with Emilee Schearer, Recreation Supervisor, and Mister Halloween himself, mister Jon Brimacomb. Welcome, Emilee and Jon.
Caryn:Oh, yeah. I mean, mister Halloween. Yeah. So let's get started. Let's talk about how the tour works. I get signed up and all that jazz.
Emilee:Yeah. So, the tour originally started kind of with the influence of the holiday lights tour back in 2021. So that was the winter of 2021 before I even had my position. And then in the fall of 2022, we heard from residents that they were excited about the holiday lights tour, and they were hoping to have a Halloween decoration tour as well. And so that was when I had already been started in this position.
Emilee:And so I've seen the start of the holiday havoc tour, and it's grown and and become a whole other tour that we are enthused about. So what ultimately ends up happening is that we publish a graphic with all of the addresses throughout the city of Farmington that are signed up for this Halloween Havoc tour. Mhmm. And then from there, we also have Dani, who is our GIS specialist, create a map that can actually be shown, you know, an actual map of where all the houses are located because the graphic doesn't include a map. The graphic is just the list of addresses.
Emilee:We really enjoy, you know, having all these houses sign up and and are looking forward to another good year.
Caryn:Yeah. And approximately how many houses are on the tour this year?
Emilee:So there are 26 this year.
Caryn:Oh, wow. That's way more than last year.
Emilee:Yeah. So last year, we had 16 houses, and so now we've increased up to 10 more. So 26, which is definitely gonna probably have to be a a couple night tour because,
Caryn:yeah, I was gonna say it took me like an hour and a half or 2 hours to do it to the 16 last year.
Emilee:Yep. So I'm I'm thinking, yeah, 2 to 3 night depending on, you know, if you wanna hit up different neighborhoods or whatever that may be and work for you. It's it's kind of a choose your own adventure.
Caryn:There you go. So how do you get the order of the houses like on your list? I guess
Emilee:Dani creates the in the GIS map, it will actually create the best flow if you want to call it, of where the traffic and everything is and and what sides of the streets. And and from there, it's the north end of town. It will be house number 1, the furthest north, and then the furthest south end of town will be house number 26.
Caryn:Okay.
Emilee:Yeah. Just kind of travels around and it goes, you know, obviously starts kind of near Pilot Knob and then eventually gets to Highway 3 and and things of that nature. And so, yeah,
Caryn:you can follow that map and you don't have to worry about where you're going
Emilee:exactly. And and again, like I said, it is literally like a choose your own adventure where you don't have to start at the north end of town. If you wanted to start in the south end of town because that's where you live, that's totally fine. If you wanted to start in the middle, I you know, it's it's just a a a guide, essentially.
Caryn:Yeah. Nice. Well, I definitely had fun doing it last year, and this is gonna be even a bigger year. Last year was a big year for you, mister Halloween, when you collected your food donations and decorated your lawn. So tell me a little bit how you got started decorating and collecting those food donations for the community.
Jon Mr. Halloween:My wife and I, when we got married, didn't realize that we were both into Halloween decorating. She was not quite at the level that I was.
Caryn:oh
Jon Mr. Halloween:I ended up getting befriended by lots of groups on Internet And, they taught me how to make a few things and modify a few things. And then one day I asked my wife if it would be okay if I built a guillotine.
Caryn:A guillotine.
Jon Mr. Halloween:And she looked at me like I was nuts, but but I ended up building the guillotine and then we moved on to bigger monsters. I had a 20 foot tall by 20 foot arms span swamp thing that was covered in black plastic. However, with the weather in Minnesota that didn't last.
Caryn:Yeah.
Jon Mr. Halloween:It got ripped apart and that was probably in about 99 or 2000.
Caryn:Okay.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Then when we moved down here into Farmington, my wife saw how much time and effort I would put into, getting the display up and taking it down and everything. And and she thought it would be a good idea to, look for donations from the trick or treaters. So we made a little sign and that year, I think we had about 50 cans
Caryn:Mhmm.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Which we were just overjoyed with, thought the community really pulled together and got us our 50 cans. We put them on the table and took pictures of it, and I noticed that the weight of the cans was causing to get sway back in our table. So we've decided not to do that from that point on. But, yeah, when we got down here to Farmington, we asked the the neighbors across the street how many candies would we be looking at and they told us, oh, 2 or 3 bags of candy all
Caryn:That's it. Yeah.
Jon Mr. Halloween:And I looked at my wife and I looked back at them and I says, you better buy more.
Emilee:Yeah. Because if if they're trick or treating at your house, they're just gonna hit the rest of the neighborhood.
Jon Mr. Halloween:That's that's right.
Caryn:Yep.
Jon Mr. Halloween:I think that first year, their lights went off in about 30 minutes because they ran out of food.
Caryn:Yeah. The candy.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Mhmm. Some of the other neighbors went down to the gas station and bought everything that was still available. They would come over to our house and they said, we had no idea. And I says, yeah, but it'll get bigger.
Caryn:Yeah. Yeah. Don't worry. It'll be more next year.
Emilee:Yep. Yep.
Caryn:That's awesome. So how many people approximately do you think actually visit your house on Halloween?
Jon Mr. Halloween:On Halloween, it probably runs anywhere from 250. We've had over 500.
Caryn:Wow.
Jon Mr. Halloween:But you have to realize that there's a number of different factors in it. Like, the big thing for Minnesota is the weather.
Caryn:Yeah. Of course.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Other factors are what day of the week Halloween falls on.
Caryn:Oh, true.
Jon Mr. Halloween:So, yeah, it it it all depends on those. But this year, we're probably and it's another shot in the dark, but we're hoping to have between 250-350. Mhmm. Being that it's a Thursday. So Oh,
Caryn:because Thursday is a better day.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Yes. It's close
Emilee:to the weekend.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Yeah. And when it's on the weekend, I always thought it would be better Uh-huh. Like on a Saturday. But I think what happens is a lot of people have their own parties
Caryn:Oh, true.
Jon Mr. Halloween:So that we didn't actually have the bigger numbers. We actually have bigger numbers towards the end of the week. So
Caryn:Okay.
Jon Mr. Halloween:There should be one of those good ones depending upon the weather. Right.
Caryn:Right. Okay. And so your food collection last year, how many pounds of food did you Last year did you end up donating?
Jon Mr. Halloween:Yeah. Last year, it was kind of a a special deal because we had, a lot of media coverage. We had, the first person that, called me and said, would we be interested in doing a story, was from The Sun Week. She actually wrote up an article and then I got a phone call, from both Kare11 and Fox 9 and they came out and did video stories.
Caryn:Oh yeah. It started blowing up on the face.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Yeah. Then I took a picture because I've got security cameras keeping an eye on everything. And I sent a picture over to my daughter who lives less than a mile away and I says, I could use some help and all she saw was cars everywhere. And and that was the week of Halloween.
Emilee:Was that yeah. The week prior when And
Jon Mr. Halloween:that was after the news story we just all came out. But, yeah, it was just crazy and it was a good crazy. But, yeah, we had just unbelievable coverage and then I got a phone call on Halloween and Kare 11 wanted to come out and do a follow-up story. And when they came out and did the follow-up story, they went actually down into the basement and saw how much food that I had there. And they said, before we release this follow-up story, we'd like to have you pull in with all the canned goods and unloading and stuff so that we can do a follow-up with the food shelf.
Caryn:Oh, for sure.
Jon Mr. Halloween:So that was just spectacular. I just thought it was, the perfect way to end this year that I knew I was I was hoping to get a 1,000 pounds. And when I went down to the basement after Halloween and I realized that it was way past a 1,000 pounds Mhmm. But they helped me we ended up doing 4 carloads of of canned goods and, bags and things. And the total was 3,235 pounds.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Wow. Plus we had a $160 in monetary donations.
Caryn:People donate money too. Okay. That's really nice to know.
Jon Mr. Halloween:So, yeah, it was it was spectacular.
Emilee:So do you think it was more even more than just the Farmington community coming out? Do you think
Jon Mr. Halloween:Oh, yeah.
Emilee:Surrounding communities were also coming out?
Jon Mr. Halloween:I actually had people because I would be out in the morning setting stuff up. And I had one guy, he's pulled up and he says, you know, I'm from Bloomington and normally I don't drive this far. But he said, I saw that story and I had to bring you some stuff.
Emilee:Yep. Well, Farmington. I love it.
Caryn:That's awesome. So is your goal the same this year? Is it a 1,000 pounds?
Jon Mr. Halloween:I I always try to to shoot for realistic numbers in this year without the coverage and everything, but you guys could help with that, you know, with this podcast. So Mhmm. I'm I'm still shooting for a 1,000 pounds. I've actually got a a pretty good start, down in the basement right now because I think I'm probably between a 150-200 pounds of food down there already. Oh, because
Caryn:you already started collecting.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Yep. I actually started collecting on October 1st. That's what I usually try to do. And it all depends on, once again, the Minnesota weather. Mhmm.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Yep. The weather is not good. I don't get as much stuff out.
Emilee:It has been very beautiful so far, so I will say that.
Jon Mr. Halloween:It it doesn't really quite feel like Shocktober.
Emilee:No. No. No. It does not.
Caryn:With your display, do you have or even the food donations, do you have help? How do you get it all done?
Jon Mr. Halloween:With with the display itself, I basically set it all up. And I've had neighbors offer to help and I really don't have a plan.
Caryn:You just go? So,
Jon Mr. Halloween:yeah. It makes it kinda difficult to have people wanting to help and I appreciate the offers and everything. Sure. But it it just makes it easier if I know what cords are where because I don't want them falling and tripping because with all the display that I have, I've got so many cords and black guide wires for the displays that you can't see in the dark. Mhmm.
Jon Mr. Halloween:It would just be a disaster, I think. But when I actually do the food collecting and stuff, I've got on Halloween, my daughter comes over and she's got 2 sons that one of them, is now a junior at Farmington High School.
Emilee:Mhmm.
Jon Mr. Halloween:And he found out just how much fun it was to scare people.
Caryn:Okay.
Jon Mr. Halloween:He I
Caryn:So there's some scare factor there too.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Yes. I gave I gave him the rules that you have to really listen to the people when they're coming to the door. If they're really scared, you don't really wanna go after those people. But if they're the arrogant ones that say, oh, this isn't scary and stuff, they're marked. And as soon as they they go up to the door and we don't bother them going to the door, but when they turn around to come back, we could be right there or we will get them someplace in the driveway.
Jon Mr. Halloween:So yeah, it's it's kind of a fun thing, but if the parent is egging the kid on who is scared about going up there, I basically will help that little kid up to the front door so that nothing bothers them. Yeah. And then I'll turn around and go after that parent.
Caryn:You'll get the parent. That's awesome. I love that. I'll be on the lookout.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Yeah. Yeah.
Caryn:Well, do you have any new or special items that you're gonna be putting out this this year, or do you wanna just tell people come and see?
Jon Mr. Halloween:I it's it's always good for them to come and see because it it really is changing every year.
Caryn:Mhmm.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Like this year when I was setting stuff up, I actually had 6 different props burn up. So Oh, no. They're they're done.
Caryn:Yep.
Jon Mr. Halloween:And we have to modify and I've got neighbors that see it every year and they'll say, well, where's this one? And I'll say, well, that one is in the garbage. Yeah. It's it's gone.
Emilee:It's no longer with us.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Yes. It's gone away. So yeah. It's it's funny because as I set things up, the little kids will say, well, where is this display? And I I haven't seen this one yet.
Jon Mr. Halloween:And this year, I'm trying to upgrade the the lighting so that it's a little brighter, especially for the little trick or treaters because you don't really want them scared. But, it's it's always kind of fun to, make the the different kind of modifications on things. I try to get, different sounds out there. So I I have, speakers and lights and I actually build a a facade for the front of the house that looks like a castle.
Caryn:Cool.
Jon Mr. Halloween:So that, my daughter who hands out the the candy to the trick or treaters so I can run around and scare people. Yep. And and keep the people honest when they're donating the food and things.
Caryn:Mhmm.
Jon Mr. Halloween:But, she actually sits inside of that and with the the facade up there, she's out of the wind and Oh, yeah.
Emilee:That's nice. The
Jon Mr. Halloween:brain and things like that. So and besides that, if she sees some kids that have really good costume, she'll take pictures of them.
Caryn:Oh, nice.
Emilee:Nice.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Or if they've got their dogs along, they'll hand out treats.
Caryn:Oh, and doggy costumes probably too, They're
Jon Mr. Halloween:Oh, yes.
Caryn:Yep.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Yep. So, yeah. They they basically I mean, when I I, do the the actual food donation, it's me, because normally I donate to the food shelf during the day Mhmm. So that they can get extra help
Emilee:Mhmm.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Because they've gotten used to my donations Yeah. Being a little more than 40 cans.
Emilee:Every November 1st.
Jon Mr. Halloween:So, yeah. We'll we'll, I'll basically, have to pull all that canned goods up from the basement, load it into the car and then drive. And then last year was a special year because I ended up having to do 4 different loads.
Caryn:Oh, yeah.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Instead of one car.
Emilee:Yep. With with Kare 11s van. Right?
Jon Mr. Halloween:Yes. 1 year, I actually had to stop and figure out now let's see what capacity does my car actually handle. Yeah. Right? And one can, if I weigh that, it's about a pound and how many cans?
Jon Mr. Halloween:And that year, I think I had 4 layers of canned goods. So there were probably 15, 1,600 pounds.
Emilee:Oh my goodness.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Just in that load. I kept looking at it thinking my tires look like they're okay, but I'm getting lower to the ground.
Emilee:You almost made like a heavy duty, yeah, pickup truck.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Uh-huh. Yeah.
Caryn:So Yeah. So, I I feel your pain on that because I was actually a cookie manager for my girl scout, my daughter's troop, and, like, they tell you how many boxes can fit in your car and what size car. Like, there's a I mean, and you can tell when your car's loaded down with cookies, like, how it drives way differently as I'm sure your car has been with all the food in there. So that's fantastic. We have this great, you know, opportunity for food donation and helping the community and a fun thing to do with your family.
Caryn:Grab and hot cocoa and jump in the car and go around town. Anything else that you guys wanna mention, either about your house specifically or the tour, Emilee?
Emilee:So there was and I I believe Jon also has this a similar issue with the blow ups, but there was notes on when I collected the house registrations on survey monkey, many a couple of different notes about how if it's really windy out or if it rains or, you know, snows, I'm not gonna say that word too too loudly. But if it's it's particularly if it's really windy out, people are not going to have their houses, their decorations up to the par that we're kind of expecting
Jon Mr. Halloween:for sure.
Emilee:Just because it's it's hard to keep the inflatables up and it's hard to, yeah, we don't want anything getting ruined. So that is a thing to note that if you notice it's a windy day, maybe go tomorrow or or you know, a couple days later.
Caryn:Right. For sure.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Yeah. Because I have that same problem. I've got a couple of things that are 12 feet tall. And, yeah, any kind of a wind that goes above 10 miles an hour, they get affected. And I'd rather not, you know, lose $200 on the prop and
Emilee:Mhmm. For sure.
Jon Mr. Halloween:So, I I will admit though the Minnesota weather is so diverse that one year when we had 9 inches of snow during October, I had to shovel my entire yard, not the driveway, but the entire yard because I had the props out there and I couldn't even tell where they were. Right. Mhmm.
Caryn:Yeah. So, yep, weather dependent for sure. I know, I noticed that when I did the tour, like there were certain points where there wasn't things blown up because it was so windy and that would ruin them.
Emilee:Yep. And then the other thing is that, we always make notes of who's collecting, you know, food, for example, with Mr Halloween Jon, he collects food and there's a couple others that will collect food. And then we also make notes of who wants you to turn to a particular radio station, which is 91.9. There's a couple houses
Caryn:Oh, even on the Halloween tour?
Emilee:Yes. A couple houses on the Halloween tour that, want you to tune in on to 91.9 FM. And then it it's the same thing with the holiday lights tour. We have houses that go all out and set it up to Christmas music and
Caryn:Oh, man. That's fine. Yep. Oh, so was it Halloween music on that channel?
Emilee:I actually haven't listened to it. I'm guessing it's like maybe like monster mash.
Caryn:Yeah. Maybe.
Emilee:Maybe Thriller. I don't know. I I should, like, actually turn it to 91.9. Yeah.
Caryn:Let's see what's what tunes are on. I mean, you would think for the Halloween one would be spooky stuff. Yep. And so anything else, mister Halloween?
Jon Mr. Halloween:I just wanna also say thank you to the people that have supported us through the years with the food donations. Mhmm. And thank you in advance to the people that are donating this year.
Caryn:Yeah. For sure.
Jon Mr. Halloween:Because, yeah, it the need is always great. Yes. And anytime that you have an opportunity to help others, it's wonderful. Even if it is Halloween.
Emilee:I remember reaching out to you and and we also had some other places where we like the Halloween walk where we get food donations. Okay. If you want to participate in the Halloween walk and that's this year, October 25th. But so, yeah, we we try to collect as much food as possible. So that 360s community, the food Farmington food shelf is is fully stocked.
Emilee:Yeah. Because they need it. They definitely do.
Caryn:Yep. Alright. Great. So we do wanna remind listeners about the tour, date. So Monday, October 14th is the beginning of the tour.
Emilee:That's when the list will be released. Yep.
Caryn:Yep. And then it ends, obviously, on Halloween. So grab your family and some hot cocoa and take a ride or multiple rides through Farmington.
Emilee:Yep.
Caryn:The tour could take approximately 1 and a half, 2 hours, but that was based on last year. So this year
Emilee:16, and we got 10 more.
Caryn:So So maybe longer or multiple nights. And then if it's windy, remember that some displays may not be active. To follow-up this beautiful Halloween Havoc tour, there'll be a holiday lights tour, and that registration will open on Monday, October 21st, and a deadline of Monday, November 18th to register your house. Lights will be ready to view, and a list will be posted for that on Monday, December 2nd. Correct.
Caryn:So thank you guys so much for coming on.
Emilee:Oh, yeah. Thank you.
Caryn:And you have one more thing? Yes, sir.
Jon Mr. Halloween:One more thing. I just wanna let people know that my display is already active.
Caryn:Oh, yeah.
Jon Mr. Halloween:And if they wanna visit, my address is 18657 Euclid, EUCLID, Path, and that's in Farmington, Minnesota.
Caryn:Oh, yeah. That's very important information. Yes. Get get out there and bring your donations to mister Halloween.
Emilee:And last year, I remember he was kinda slightly in the towards the middle of the list. So I'm assuming you'll be probably still in the same position. Yeah.
Caryn:Yep. So check out that list and and go on your own havoc tour. Yeah. Well, that concludes this month's episode of the Farmington Feed. Thank you for listening.
Caryn:We look forward to connecting with residents with this podcast. If you have any feedback, guest requests, or ideas, email me at Communications@FarmingtonMN.gov. Don't forget to subscribe to the Farmington Feed wherever you like to get your podcasts.
