Mike and Lori Kurinsky are at it again! Last year they had a Jurassic theme and this year it’s a circus theme, inspired by Cedar Point’s Carnevil display from a couple years ago! Every year for the past twelve years Mike and Lori have spent a good portion of their late summer/early Fall by planning, prepping, and building props for their annual Halloween display located at 8794 Smokerise, Macedonia, OH 44056. This year is no different!
Click here to read what Mike and Lori did last year
This year’s Halloween theme is a circus, which is sure to entertain and impress people of all ages with the sightseeing, carnival music, and death-defying acts. You will feel like you just entered the circus arena as it will thoroughly entertain and engross the senses. On Halloween night you will find Lori dressed up as a clown, and Mike dressed up as the circus ringmaster, coordinating all of the circus acts, except his participants are well- a bit deceased, and lacking any skin in the game! (Ha ha) This circus act features skeletons in various acts such as being laid upon a magician’s table having their torsos cut in half, nailed to a death wheel, and a human cannonball (look for a skeleton wearing a helmet and safety goggles who landed in a tree nearby). No circus is complete without a bed of nails, Strongman, Sword Swallower, Bearded Lady, and a ticket booth of course, only this circus will not be charging admission!
During the past couple years Mike and Lori have enjoyed haunted movies and shows like Nope and Last Night in Soho, Wednesday, American Horror Story, What We Do in the Shadows, Stranger Things, and the Last of Us, as well as looking forward to Five Nights at Freddy’s. They really get into Halloween and haunted themed entertainment.
Mike says in regards to this year’s Halloween display, “Everything was built by hand. Lots of trial and error. We start with a plan and measurements then adjust as needed. There were many trips to Home Depot and Lowe’s and just when we think we have everything and then we are getting in the car to go back to the store. Most of the builds are made with wood and some with foam. There are a lot of thrift store clothes and wigs and we’ve repurposed old Halloween costumes for our skeletons. This year, we wanted to mimic old time sideshow posters by having stations throughout the yard. Each station is labeled in the same style as the posters.”
Some Halloween favorites of years’ past have been their UFO spaceship landing in their front yard, life-life, large, and full of lights. Adults often ask when that will return. Kids ask if they will put on a Minecraft display. Mike and Lori love putting up the Halloween display and when they hear passersby remarking about the display or trying to guess what the theme will be as they are creating it, it just makes their day!
This Halloween take a drive by or take a stroll on Smokerise Drive to check out the Circus death-defying acts. Buy a ticket at the ticket booth if you dare. Some have entered where others don’t dare. Nobody really knows what goes on behind the scenes of those circuses. There have been rumors. Perhaps you can safely just grab your trick or treats and dash before the magician offers you to be his next victim!
Author Notes: This Halloween, the clown alone will keep me away! “It” was one of the scariest Halloween movies (in my opinion) followed by “Poltergeist”, which believe it or not also had clowns in it! Ask any of my relatives- I don’t do clowns!
