This is the 6th year of the Halloween in Burbank Map. I started it in the height of Covid, kids weren’t trick or treating, families were stuck in their houses, and the whole world was bummed out. Burbank has always gone big when it comes to Halloween decorations. I like to say Burbank is where creative people move once they have kids. The studios are here, the schools are great, and half the parents you meet work in some corner of the entertainment world. So of course the houses are insanely good.

My family would drive around every night just to see the decorations, it made us feel normal and happy when the world was falling apart. I figured other families might want to do the same, so I started a Facebook group. That little group turned into a map almost overnight. Locals began uploading their houses, posting photos, and even marking themselves as “safe” trick-or-treat spots if they were handing out candy with one of those long tubes.

Each year, the map got bigger, and the houses got even more over the top. The map evolved into an event map too, people were adding pumpkin patches, Halloween markets, and family friendly spooky events all over Southern California. It also expanded into a Holiday Map in December featuring decorated homes, where to meet Santa, and all the holiday events.

The map is completely crowdsourced, which means anyone can add their house or event. It’s not curated. I don’t go through and pick the “best” ones (though I do highlight some favorites on Instagram @halloweeninburbankmap).

That’s what I love most about it. The whole point is that the maps are for everyone and anyone who loves Halloween. It’s free to be on the map and it’s free to follow the map. It’s totally community-driven and it’s something that brings people together. Nothing makes me happier than seeing people out and about looking at the houses, laughing, meeting new people, having fun, and putting all of their differences aside.. It’s pretty damn cool.

The people in the Burbank community are incredible. They spend months of their time, their own money, and a ton of effort just to bring joy to others. It’s one of the most special things about Burbank, that the houses build entire worlds in their front yards, all so strangers can drive by and smile.

The map now gets close to 1.7 million views in October alone, which still blows my mind. I don’t have a team, I don’t get paid, and I do it because I really really love Halloween and I love this community.

On a personal note, I live right here in Burbank. I work in HR for creative and production agencies, and I’m married to Josh, the most patient man on earth who somehow tolerates all my last-minute, ADHD-fueled ideas. We have a nine-year-old named Jax who’s fully committed to Roblox life and a demon dog named Elvis who keeps things interesting.

I’ve been into spooky stuff since I was about six. Ghosts, haunted houses, the weird and the unexplained.. if it’s strange, I’m in. When I’m not doing this, I’m usually out ghost hunting, going to theme parks, or finding something new to get excited about.

And if you made it this far.. thanks for reading! If you see me out and about looking at houses please say hi!