Spooky Awards

The 2025 Niagara Falls spooky awards

The Niagara Falls Spooky Awards is our free, outdoor Halloween display competition. We would like to thank all of the 69 officially entered properties in the competition for making 2025 the most spooktacular event ever!  Altogether, nine awards were issued to our spookiest residents across three categories: Judges' Favourite, Best Effects, and People's Choice. Thanks to all for joining in the fun and showcasing your incredible talent and enthusiasm. We look forward to seeing all the spook-tacular displays!

Congratulations to the 2025 Spooky Award winners!

• People's Choice Award
  
  • First Place | 8393 Feren Drive
  • Second Place |  4120 Campbell Avenue
  • Third Place | 7833 Dockweed Drive
• Judges Choice Award
  • First Place | 5394 Twidale Ave 
  • Second Place | 6486 Hawkins Street 
  • Third Place | 4120 Campbell Avenue
• Best Effects Award
  • First Place | 5394 Twidale Avenue
  • Second Place | 6486 Hawkins Street
  • Third Place | 7833 Dockweed Drive

For more information on the program, please email or call Recreation and Culture at 905-356-7521 ext. 3341 during regular business hours.

Get spooky! There are lots of ways to participate:

1. Create an outdoor Halloween display at your home or business. See Official Entry Rules below. Registration for the 2025 edition of the Spooky Awards is now closed.
2. Tour the displays across the city with the Spooky map! Displays will be lit right up to Halloween night, so hop in the car with your family and friends to see all the creepy decorations!
3. Cast your vote in the People's Choice Awards. Voting is closed for 2025.
4. Follow the competition on Facebook! Competitors campaign for visits and votes by sharing photos and videos

Spooky entries list 

There's no perfect route, but if you follow our list in order, it will take you around to each house as efficiently as possible!  Check back in 2026 for the next address list, then get out there and see all the Spooky fun!

Official entry rules

• Open to residential and commercial properties in Niagara Falls, Ontario only (no exceptions)
• Competition dates are Friday, October 24, through Sunday, October 26, between the hours of 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm
• Contest is limited to exterior decorations, which must be visible from the curbside
• Decorations must not cover/interfere with fire safety equipment, roads, sidewalks or walkways
• Keep everything PG-13
• Special effects, lighting, and inflatables must be on each night during the competition dates and times (October 24 to 26, between 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm)
• Voting/Judging may take place anytime during the competition dates/times
• Photos and media: Participants must agree to have photos of their displays and their addresses posted online, including, at the sole discretion of the City of Niagara Falls: the Spooky Map, voting forms, and our social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook and Twitter)
• Official spooky awards entry lawn signs must be placed in your yard and easily visible from the curbside. Free of charge, pick yours up at the MacBain Centre starting Wednesday, October 1. If you have one from last year, you can save yourself a trip: they're the same. (MacBain is open 7:00 am to 9:00 pm Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday and Sunday).

Rules for judges and the voting public

• Assessments to be conducted from the curbside (sidewalk) only
• Do not block traffic and be courteous to others
• Voting for the People's Choice is closed for 2025

Assessment criteria

Judges Favorite:

• Originality (20 marks)
• Overall theme (20 marks)
• Creative use of lights and special effects (20 marks)
• Detail/placement of decorations (20 marks)
• Overall Presentation (20 marks)

Best Effects: (20 marks)

Prizes

• Prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each of the three categories: Judges' Favourite, Best Effects, and People's Choice
• 1st place winners will receive a Spooky Awards trophy
• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will receive a commemorative lawn sign acknowledging their spooky display and the category they placed in