The spooky transformation from home to Halloween haunt starts in early September for Mat Robinson.
The passionate Halloween haunter dresses up his Barrie abode every year as a creepy cemetery called Everest - as in "Ever Rest."
"It's the one time of the year where you can legally scare somebody and have fun with it and the community loves it," said Robinson, a married father of two kids who help build the haunt but are too terrified to actually go in it on Halloween night.
His family began decking out the house at 18 Northpark Road for Halloween about eight years ago and he says it just keeps getting bigger.
Robinson starts building his props in the summer and many are cleverly constructed with styrofoam.
"Everything is made from scratch," explains Robinson. "We use Pinterest and are also part of a group called the Canadian Haunters Association, a nationwide network of haunters."
There are three big haunts in Barrie that belong to the Association - Robinson's Everest Cemetery, Dunnetts's Dark Lair at 59 Dunnett Drive and Blackrot Asylum on 24 Saxon Road.
"We get together, see who's doing what, bounce ideas off each other and then buy materials and start going to town."
Robinson erects a corn stalk fence around his front yard, camouflages his home in burlap and builds a tunnel with hanging (plastic) body parts inside as the main entrance.
He works on a line at Fresh Mix Limited Factory and says he gets a lot of support from his boss, co-workers and local farmers, who donate corn.
"It's a huge community event now that everybody pitches in and helps," he said. "We are definitely well known. We have people that come down from Orillia every year. They make it a mission. They have to see what's new."
To ramp of the fright factor, volunteer actors are scattered around the property, roaming the grounds and jumping out from hiding places.
"I can't say what all they do but it will definitely make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Adds definitely to the creepiness of our night."
Next year Robinson says will be their biggest haunt ever when he and his wife Jennifer Aubrechtova and their kids expand to include their backyard.
"It's for the love of the season," he said.
You can check out the final of three nights at Everest Cemetery tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Robinson recommends bringing the little trick-or-treaters before dark.
