156th and Oak Park Avenue, Oak Forest, IL
year: 2013
Moe's Graveyard is one of those yard displays that definitely falls into the "too much to see in one visit" category. Located on a large property in Oak Forest, Moe's is a yard display that takes great advantage of the space available, and crams lots of props, large and small, animated and static, into the setup.
There are props of all types ,for all kinds of haunt fans. There are inflatable props for the kids, funny props for those who don't like to be scared, talking props with funny sayings, and creepy props like the specter of death hanging over an open coffin. In between there are tombstones, bats, ghosts, skulls, skeletons, and even large light up vultures on the roof. There's so much to see that visitors can easily miss something if they go too quickly, so it's wide to take your time and soak it all in. From the moment visitors arrive their ears are assaulted by various scream,s laughs, and other sounds, while their eyes feast on many dozens of props illuminated by lots of colored lights, with some fog effects thrown in for good measure. The props continue on the porch, as visitors pass a talking pirate, a huge fuzzy spider on top of an unfortunate victim, a mad scientist, a vampire, and more. There's even a cutout of Elvira in an upstairs window! One of the highlights of the display is the living room setup. Last year when we visited, the living room featured blood spattered walls and couches, and a live actor in a skull mask holding a machete. He stood very still as visitors approached and looked in, but then came to life, scaring many a passerby. This year the living room setup was different. There was no live actor, but there were several creepy props, including a jester sitting on the couch holding a sword, a shrieking ghoul, what looked like a little kid in a pumpkin costume, and, perhaps strangest of all, a character in an astronaut's costume but with a jack-o-lantern head. It was suitably odd and certainly creative! The entire inside display was also quite creepy, as various strobe lights made it difficult to determine if the props were live actors or not. Very well done!
Overall, Moe's is definitely a haunt for the whole family. People of all ages will find something to like here, and it's no surprise that the crowds are often quite large, especially on the weekends. It's the only yard display we've been to where we've had to wait in line to see things, so that should tell you something about the quality! Our advice? Go early and go often, just like voting in Chicago elections! |
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