Welcome to “Monsterville”: This New Jersey town goes all out for Halloween every year

MERCHANTVILLE, N.J. (CBS) — Every October, one New Jersey town goes out all for Halloween, including changing its name. 

For the past seven years every Oct. 1st, the tiny borough of Merchantville, New Jersey, officially transforms into the Halloween destination of “Monsterville.” The nearly 150-year-old municipality is packed with homes and businesses all decked out in all things frightful, Mayor Ted Brennan said.  

“It is like a movie because you should see some of the people that put things on their lawns. We’re talking about Hollywood-level type props, and it’s impressive,” Brennan said. 

The month-long celebration of “Monsterville,” which now includes a zombie run and pumpkin carving contest, started following a city ordinance to change the name for 31 days and lean into its Halloween-like charm. 

The tiny town only measures one square mile wide but come Halloween night, the streets will swell with trick-or-treaters — about 4,000 — doubling Monsterville’s population instantly. 

 “We have roughly 3,500 residents and we’ll see probably more than that in trick-or-treaters this year,” Rebecca Callaway, the director of community development and lifelong resident of Merchantville, said.  

“We wiped out Costco, so we have a least five or six of the giant bags that are least 200-300 pieces in them and we always run out,” Kathryn Potts, a Monsterville resident, said.  

Potts’ house is one of nearly two dozen included in the haunts of Monsterville — a guided tour of some of the most creepy and creative homes.

Potts said the best part of celebrating Halloween at Monsterville is seeing everyone come together. 

“Everybody stopping by and looking at the decorations and enjoying it and we have a lot of people that are always commenting it’s a good talking point and I get to know my neighbors and people driving by, so it’s super fun,” Potts said.