BILLINGS- For more than a quarter century, residents on Clark Avenue in Billings have turned their neighborhood into a big Halloween street party.
One family’s home has become an icon, with its “Bates Motel” sign on the balcony.
Edna Dempster has decorated her home since 1993, though she said. someone else may have started the celebration before she arrived.
Her daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren help.
“The setup is may favorite,” said Cooper Tocco, Dempster’s grandson. “Just putting everything up.”
“Our community, I think, depends on it every year,” said Stacy Schumer, Dempster’s daughter. “Hav(ing) families come and have that tradition is really wonderful.”
“It’s like Disneyland,” said Piper Tocco, Dempster’s daughter. “People will come down just to watch that don’t even have kids.”
“To have them be a part if of it is pretty amazing,” Jarrod Tocco, Dempster’s son-in-law said about his family. “Like Edna said, It’s a family affair.”
“It’s a lot of work and expense but I’ll tell you what, when families and kids start showing up, it’s all worth it,” Dempster said. “Yeaj wonderful.”
Dempster says her favorite holiday is Christmas, and she will have a good time decorating the inside of her home.
Dempster and her family are prepared to pass out 4,000 pieces of candy.
She says the trick or treating usually shuts down by 9:30 p.m.
