On 'Scary Perry,' The Real Treat Is Neighborliness

"This is the first year we've had no publicity at all. I think it's definitely word of mouth," she said. "We have people come, and next year they bring their friends. People on a couple of streets near here plan adult Halloween parties and then meander over here, too."

Eriksen says Halloween has helped foster yearlong camaraderie among neighbors. Perry Avenue has its own newsletter. Residents have picnics a couple of times a year. One year, neighbors constructed a Scary Perry float for Kensington's annual Labor Day parade.

"People say it's hard to find community. If you walk out on Perry Avenue, it won't be more than a few minutes before someone else is outside striking up a conversation," she said. "I give credit to Halloween for that."

That's not to say there haven't been some holdouts over the years who have not gotten into the spirit of Halloween. In those cases, Button, Eriksen and others would decorate their yards for them. Eriksen says that now, nearly everyone takes part.

The planning can be daunting. Residents begin meeting weekly in early September to discuss displays, many of which are used for several years.

Jodi Westrum and her family had an Alice in Wonderland theme for several years, with five-foot-high playing cards and a sewer drain doing double duty as the rabbit's hole, along with a fog machine and disco lights. An endless loop of the efferson Airplane song "White Rabbit" played in the background.

"When we moved in four years ago, we bought from the original owners, who said, 'There's a really fun Halloween Party.' Little did we know."

She said her children, Selma Stearns, 7, and Kemper Stearns, 5, brag about living on Perry Avenue to others at school. "They talk it up. It's kind of a status symbol," she said.

The party wraps up by 9 p.m. each Halloween to discourage teenagers and revelers from bars from descending on the usually quiet street, Westrum said. In the past, there have been costumed performers from the Renaissance Fair in Anne Arundel County. The Discovery Channel even taped the event one year but never aired the show.

Residents don't run over to CVS on Oct. 30 for a couple of bags of candy. Instead, they head to Costco or another discount store to buy in bulk the 1,000 pieces or so their home will need. Eriksen said that residents pay $200 to $300 each to mount Scary Perry each year.

As the years have gone by, more young families have moved onto the street, bringing children and a greater enthusiasm for the event.

New construction has also changed the face of the street to some extent. Four years ago, a small rambler on a large lot was razed, and three large houses went up in its place. Last summer, one of the bungalows was torn down, and construction is pending on a new home.

Over the past year, three small bungalows in a row have popped up their roofs and added major additions in the back, more than doubling their original size.

Button added a room to the back of his house. "People all of a sudden have all this equity and little houses on a street they love," he said. "They'd much rather add on than move away."