Get ready, Fort Irwin! Festival of Frights returns for the fifth year. Our annual Halloween house decorating contest and resident judging are a spooky good time for all! Decorators routinely pull out all the stops, some even dressing up for judges and visitors, handing out treats and more haunting surprises.

Please remember, it’s best to plan and build now, but winds can and do ruin the best displays. As excited as you are for Halloween, it’s often best to build now but wait a while to set out decorations. Decorating can commence a month before the contest and should be removed two weeks after. We realize sometimes the rotational schedule may have you in the box the week of teardown, so please do your best to remove big displays by the following week.

Happy haunting!

Rules and Instructions

1. Participation is open to all The Villages at Fort Irwin residents.

2. Entry is free; no cost or fees apply.

3. Employees of The Villages or the Army Housing Office are not eligible to participate.

4. Entries must be received no later than 3 p.m. on Friday, October 11, 2024.

5. Participants agree to follow all rules outlined in the Resident Responsibility Guidelines.

6. The contest is for exterior decorations only, including decorations in windows visible from the exterior.

7. Judging will be done from outside the residence only. 

8. Participants are allowed to dress up or offer treats to visitors and judges as a part of their display.

9. Judging will be based on "curb appeal" as viewed from the street only. Therefore, only those decorations located on the street side of the property will be judged (corner lots will be considered from both streets). Judges will not enter the property to view back or side yards.

8. Participants agree to have one or more photos of their decorated residence exterior posted on The Village's Website and/or published in The Village's newsletter. Participant agrees there will be no compensation for said posting or publication.

9. Judging criteria will include [a] Unique design and creative use of decorations; [b] Storyline or theme; [c] Display and placement of decorations, animated objects, etc.; [d] additional use of sound; and [e] Overall presentation.

10. Judging will start at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, 10/17/24, and Friday, 10/18/24. All judging will be completed no later than 11:55 p.m. on 10/18/24. Judges will comprise The Villages Employees and Residents of all ages.

11. Participants should ensure that all lights, animations, sounds, and decorations are in place and activate their assigned official judging night.

12. Participants agree to allow their address to be listed on the visitation map for other residents to view.

13. Winners are determined by dividing the total points by the votes cast. Tie result winners will each be awarded the entire prize, and combination entries will share the total prize.

14. The prizes awarded are a cleaning voucher good towards any optional move-out cleaning charges. They are not transferable, redeemable for cash, or applicable to any home damages.

Judging Rules

Official judging is Oct 17-18 from 6-11 pm each night.

Judges can rate each entrant at their leisure, casting a rating of 1 star to 5 stars. The total score will be divided by the number of raters to get the home’s overall rating.

Each home will receive a unique QR code to be scanned by other residents visiting the house. Residents must be at the home's location to rate a home. No paper ballots will be used this year.

Haunters, you can also give out treats and dress up for the judges during voting. Have fun with it!!

1st - Free “Pay & Go” Move out Cleaning Voucher
2nd - $350 Move-out Cleaning Voucher
3rd $200 Move-out Cleaning Voucher
Runners-Up (5 ea) $100 Move-out Cleaning Voucher