Early Halloween Display Sparks Neighborhood Dispute—but There’s a Heartbreaking Reason Behind It

A woman has turned her neighborhood into a nightmare after putting up an ornate Halloween display in August—sparking horror from her fellow residents.

Marianne Peters, a resident of Fairfield, OH, has been visited twice by city officials after neighbors complained about her gory-themed “Nightmare on Bibury Street” decorations, according to Fox19.

“Halloween’s always been my favorite,” she tells Realtor.com. “You can dress up, do what you want, and not be yourself.”

Peters, who has been dubbed the “Queen of Halloween” by local radio station B105, estimates that she spends at least 100 hours a year setting up and taking down her spooky scene. She even has live actors in her yard on Halloween.

And this year, she had a much more personal reason to begin unboxing her werewolves and spiders early—her husband, who usually helps her, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in July and is completing chemotherapy.

“I put such a high-level display up because I like seeing the reaction from the kids that come by to see it,” Peters explains. “I do it for the enjoyment of others, and I’ve never had any complaints up until this year.”

Peters believes the complaints are likely from someone new to the neighborhood.

But those grumbling neighbors may not be alone in thinking Peters was too hasty in putting up the display. A 2023 poll of more than 4,600 Martha Stewart magazine readers found that 63% believe you shouldn’t start decorating for Halloween until October 1. However, 20% said it’s never too early to start breaking out the witches and goblins.

In light of Peters’ husband’s diagnosis, she agrees it’s never too early, but she wishes the complaining residents had been more neighborly and knocked on her door instead.

“You could’ve come to me and said something like, ‘Hey, why?’ and I would’ve explained to them why I did it so early,” Peters told ABC13.

But not everybody in Peters’ neighborhood is protesting; some residents even helped her tackle the project.

A community Facebook post looking for neighbors to assist her with the Halloween display received dozens of offers of support. (In fact, elaborate Halloween displays seem to be a bit of a Fairfield thing: Another homeowner has a “Lost Souls Cemetery” in their yard.)

“I’m so happy so many people are helping them out,” one Facebook user wrote. “Halloween is a special time to a lot of us who love it. Her neighbors need to help this couple out or simply mind their own business. They aren’t hurting anyone, and I’m sure more people love it than not. And if not, well, too bad, it’s not their yard.”

Another commenter wrote, “My kids LOVE seeing her display every year … She’s the absolute sweetest lady. ”