Elaborate haunted yard draws Orcutt trick-or-treaters for 28th year

We all remember that one neighborhood growing up that passed out the best candy.

Families in Orcutt have been buzzing about “the house” for years.

Trick-or-treating may be winding down but one man is likely already thinking about how to top this year next October.

Like a ghost story told around a camp fire, there’s a house in Orcutt.

“To me it’s like painting a picture with different things you find in the stores and I’m always an avid wanderer through the thrift stores,” said Ronald Stewart, Master of “Stewart Hollow”

For the past 28 years, families have been having a scream at the Rice Ranch Road trick-or-treat destination.

“We come to this house every year,” said Laura Weiting.

“We take a picture every year, it started with just us and then her daughter was in it,” said another Central Coast couple.

“It’s cool being able to bring my kids to something I went to as a kid,” said Clayton Campbell.

It takes a month and a half to execute the happy haunts of Stewart Hollow

“I put a lot of effort into it, my mother and the other family members do. It’s fun, it’s now a tradition. It makes me feel good to give back to the community with the spirit,” said Stewart.

The haunted yard contains thousands of dollars of devilish delights but for Stewart, it’s not about the money.

“Every time a kid comes up with a big smile on their face and says hey this place is cool or the parents. I do this a lot for the parents because they get a chance to look around because they’re always running after their children,” said Stewart.

Those parents say it’s a spooky and safe trip down memory lane.

“I remember when I went trick-or-treating when I was a kid, we’d go for two to three hours in our neighborhood and it’s just unfortunate that a lot of people don’t do that anymore so it’s nice to know that someone is still doing that,” said Jacqueline Toole.

Stewart will soon transform the yard into a Christmas-themed motif.