Spooky Awards

This annual outdoor Halloween display competition brings our community together to celebrate creativity. Enter your address and showcase your spooktacular display. Check the list of participating homes and businesses and submit your vote for the People's Choice Award. It’s frightfully fun!


The 2026 Niagara Falls spooky awards

The Niagara Falls Spooky Awards is our free, outdoor Halloween display competition. Let’s beat last year’s record of 69 entries, and make 2026 the most spooktacular event ever!  Altogether, 9 awards will be selected from our spookiest residents and businesses across three categories: Judges' Favourite, Best Effects, and People's Choice. We look forward to seeing all the spooktacular displays!

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. 
  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 will be open from October 23-25 only. A voting link will be provided below.
  4. Follow the competition on Facebook (Check back for the 2026 event page, available after October 1)Competitors campaign for visits and votes by sharing photos and videos.

Spooky entries list 

There's no perfect route but check out our interactive map and a list grouped by location. The location list will be posted after the October 18 deadline once all submissions have been received.

For more information on the program, please email or call Recreation and Culture at 905-356-7521 ext. 4359 during regular business hours.

Official entry rules

  • The Spooky awards will open for entries on October 1, 2026. A link to the online entry form will be posted here at that time.
  • The entries will be closed on Sunday, October 18th at 10 pm.
  • Open to residential and commercial properties in Niagara Falls, Ontario only (no exceptions)
  • Competition dates are Friday, October 23, through Sunday, October 25, between the hours of 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm
  • 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)
  • A photo of your display will be required for all entries. This photo will be used on the interactive map along with address information. All other information provided on the entry form will only be available to staff for the purposes of adjudicating the awards.
  • The 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
  • 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 Thursday, 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).

The special voting link will be available online here only between Friday, October 23, through Sunday, October 25.

Limited to one vote per person.

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 only available Friday, October 23, through Sunday, October 25

Judging assessment criteria

The Spooky Awards judges will assess based on the following criteria. Then judges scores are averaged for each property. The top three scores in each category are recognized.

Judges Favourite:

  • 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)

 

Contact Us

City of Niagara Falls
MacBain Community Centre
7150 Montrose Road
Niagara Falls, ON L2H 3N3
Canada
905-356-7521 ext.4359
recevents@niagarafalls.ca