Ladies and gentlemen, boys and ghouls, it’s time once again to dust off those skeletons, drape the spiderwebs and power up the fog machines. Mysterious Mansion Mayhem, Maricopa’s beloved Halloween house decorating contest, is presented by InMaricopa for the third straight year. 

Whether you’re crafting a chilling front-yard graveyard to compete for cash and prizes or simply mapping out a spooky neighborhood tour to take the little goblins trick-or-treating, the festivities are right around the corner. 

The City of Maricopa launched Mysterious Mansion Mayhem back in 2007, hosting it through 2022 as the community grew. In 2023, city officials passed the torch to InMaricopa, and the contest has grown more spirited since. 

That year, more than 5,500 readers cast over 30,000 votes to crown Shaun Martin’s Cradle Bay Children’s Sanitarium as the top haunt.

Last year’s second edition drew 46 haunted homes across town. When the votes were tallied last Halloween, Joseph and Sabrina Sanchez of the Maricopa Meadows emerged victorious with their terrifyingly detailed yard display, The Graveyard, at 45571 W. Long Way.

“I can’t believe that we won,” Joseph said after learning they’d taken the top prize. “I wasn’t expecting us to win because there’s many other badass homes here in the town … It’s to get the community’s response and see people driving all around town.” 

Voters get their share of the fun, too. Sebastian Fortin, who entered his own haunted yard dubbed Graveyard of the Forgotten, was randomly selected as last year’s lucky voter, which yielded a cash prize. 

“It’s my favorite holiday — it’s kind of my Christmas,” Fortin said. “So I always go all out and add to our yard each year.”

Local judges and sponsors add their own flair each year, too. Brandi Homan of Be Awesome Youth Coalition trick-or-treated her way through the entire 2024 contest map, ultimately naming Charles Wergin’s Return of Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein on Reinbold Drive as her favorite fright, with Martin’s previous winner Cradle Bay Children’s Sanitarium as her runner-up.

Be Awesome Youth Coalition returns this year as a sponsor, joined by civic leader Vincent Manfredi in helping keep the community’s spooky spirit alive. 

Want your house to be the talk (and shriek) of the town? Sign up your haunted home display below from now through Oct. 10. Once the map of participating homes goes live, tour the town and vote for your favorite haunts Oct. 25–31.  

As always, last year’s winner is not eligible for the top prize — so The Graveyard will be cheering (and booing) from the sidelines this year. 

Winners will be announced Nov. 1 with a special award ceremony and photo op. First prize is over $300 in cash and prizes; second place gets $200-plus and third place will receive at least $100 in cash and goodies. As usual, one random voter will be selected for a special prize. 

So get your pumpkins carved, your skeletons posed and your cobwebs strung — and get ready to make this Halloween Maricopa’s spookiest yet.