SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — Brandi Smith and her family are so passionate about Halloween that they created a platform to help other people get in the spooky spirit.
“We all had to get creative when the pandemic started and that’s when I just started to make a list of attractions and things people could just drive to and at least experience,” Smith said.
Smith and her family installed a tube to deliver candy hands-free during the height of the pandemic. Social distancing created obvious challenges and her family's solution was to get creative and post a map that identified local houses decorated for Halloween and other attractions that were viewable from the car.
The map now features more than just the neighborhood haunts. Pumpkin patches, haunted houses and a curated list of residences giving out treats are all included.
“When I started, it was just Arlington but then I was getting messages from people wanting me to add them to the map,” said Smith.
Stanwood, Marysville and many other cities wanted to join the list and that’s when Smith decided to make the Halloween map include all of Snohomish County.
“We only had maybe a couple hundred listings when it started in 2020 but this year, we already have more than 700 listings on the map,” she said.
Even people outside of Snohomish County have added their listing and Brandi said, like a Halloween movie monster, “it can’t be stopped.”
Snohomish County Holiday Maps is now a booming Facebook page where Brandi shares attractions and accepts new submissions for the map.
A short form includes details that customize the listing with icons like candy corn for houses handing out treats, pumpkins for events and ghosts for decorated locations.
Smith has taken the extra step of adding filters so people can even search for homes that offer candy alternatives or that are allergy sensitive. Smith said the most popular feature is a filter that allows people to search for just the houses offering king-size candy.
The family said they’re thrilled to provide a free resource for people to share some smiles and they hope the list will keep growing each year.
People can submit their house to be on the map until Oct. 30 at midnight.