A Walk in Lambertville

Let's face it, on any fair-weather day or evening, Lambertville, NJ is a great urban hike.  Lambertville is home to numerous historic homes and buildings that have been meticulously restored and adaptively reused.  It also contains numerous bars, restaurants and inns overlooking the gentle flow of the Delaware River.

However, when October rolls around, Lambertville takes on an additional persona.  It becomes a Halloween city.  Private residences are bedecked with ghouls and goblins then bathed in black light in celebration of the spooky holiday.

Earlier this month I took a walk through the streets of Lambertville while many of the standout exhibits were being assembled by their creators.  Below are some examples of brilliance that I found in a few short blocks.

First up: this resident took the typical sheet ghost to the next level by creating a faceless specter.  What a cool way to imagine a ghost.  He or she also made sure the ghost was accessorized with skeletal hands clutching chains and a lantern.

This Frankenstein-green house has made the most of its structure by using the door to display a mural of the body of the revived monster.  The head is above the door; presumably trick-or-treaters will enter through the belly of the beast.

This Victorian inn has gone skeletal.  These popular, poseable, plastic skeletons have been making the rounds—not surprising considering they are weather proof and light weight.  I find brilliance here because the designer dismantled one of the skeletons and used the upper and lower sections separately for comedic effect.

Some other standouts include: a haunt based on Van Gogh’s (or is it Van Ghost’s) Starry Night (not pictured)—I would have never even thought of that as a theme; and a pirate ship on a deck (not pictured)—which is an excellent exploration of theme.

Of course, no tour of Lambertville in October would be complete without a stop at the home of Dolores Dragan on North Union Street.  This spectacular black light installation grows annually.  It was even filmed for TLC’s Four Houses in 2012.  This celebrated home does not need me to gush over its genius, but this haunt is the complete package and well worth the trip.

If you have an evening free between now and Halloween: don comfortable walking shoes, grab a flashlight, park on the edge of town, and to spend an hour or two enjoying the sights.  While you are there make a night out of it by trying one the restaurants, coffee shops or public houses. 

For more information about fun activities in Lambertville and along the Delaware River check out: http://delawarerivertowns.com/.

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