For a few hours, childhood dreams are brought once more to life. The clock strikes nine. Everything changes.

Castles disappear, dwarves scamper home and fairies head to sleep as the magic is locked up for yet another year. Just what kind of fantasy is this? Hufferd Halloween.

When English teacher Gabrielle Hufferd and theater teacher Joe Hufferd moved into the Old House district of downtown Fullerton in 2002, they immediately discovered that they had come upon a Halloween wonderland known for elaborate themed displays and generous handfuls of candy. Not ones to be outdone, the Hufferds amped up their own decorations and quickly gained a reputation for being the “Halloween House,” drawing thousands of trick-or-treaters to their display each year. With deep-rooted theater backgrounds, the Hufferds construct entire realms in their front yard, complete with fog machines, stage lighting, mood music, raised platforms, corresponding buildings and sets, actors in costume and character scenes based on the theme.

The Hufferds’ annual Halloween presentation is produced in collaboration with the Newells, another family with a fondness for theater, as well as with Warrior theater students. The themes are chosen based on what their sons are interested in each year, and preparation begins as early as summer and continues until the day of Halloween. Props and scenery are brought in or built gradually as the event nears, but the real attraction is set up just hours before the first wave of trick-or treaters: the Warrior theater students who truly make the theme come alive with their acting.

Forget nightmarish witches; instead, the home-turned theatrical set opts to include childhood favorites like Dorothy and Harry Potter, plus their iconic theme songs. Visitors also delight in the interactive artifacts from the Raiders of the Lost Ark and volunteer student actors giving candy to passing trick-or-treaters.

“[The students] add so much,” J. Hufferd said. “They are so good with the little kids that come up.”

Regardless of what theme they choose, their Halloween production always draws crowds of eager families. The hundreds of dollars spent on candy and days dedicated to set-up yield a uniquely family-friendly Halloween experience.

“[People] love it,” G. Hufferd said. “First of all, they love it because it’s wholesome. It’s not your typical scary Halloween; it’s a family thing.”

And truly, it isn’t an individual act. All elements are carefully woven into an elaborate night where imagination is revived, if just for a few hours.

“It is a lot of work, and it’s crazy,” G. Hufferd said. “The thing I really truly love about it is the kids from Troy that come over are having so much fun. And it’s not related to school, it’s just a bunch of kids who are really too old to trick or treat, and now they get to dress up and have fun and play.”

(Hint: This year, expect a classic favorite comprised of dwarves, elves, lovably hairy feet and overly soughtafter jewelry this year.)

One does not simply celebrate Halloween—at least not without going to the Hufferd house.