GILBERT, AZ — Strong winds swept through Gilbert on Friday, leaving some homeowners scrambling to keep their Halloween decorations from blowing away.
With Halloween just two weeks away, residents who spent hours setting up elaborate displays are now dealing with fallen inflatables and damaged decorations.
For Gilbert homeowner Leah Nuckolls, decorating for Halloween has been a tradition for nearly two decades. But the weather has made keeping everything standing a challenge.
“We literally don’t get weather here until after October 1st when the decorations start, and then you get weather all month and every day you just walk up to see like, oh, what’s destroyed today,” Nuckolls said.
In Gilbert’s Morrison Ranch neighborhood, homeowner Mike Barnhart is dealing with similar frustrations.
Barnhart said he and his wife have been decorating for years, adding more to their Halloween display as neighborhood children continue to enjoy it.
“We’ve had things break. The rains broke stuff. We’ve had metal things. We stake everything down pretty good, but stuff snapped,” Barnhart said.
Despite the setbacks, both homeowners say they aren’t letting the weather ruin their Halloween spirit.
Nuckolls said she plans to get her inflatables back up once the winds die down.
For Barnhart, the effort is worth it because of the joy the decorations bring to his family and neighbors.
