James Iervolino started decorating his home for Halloween when his daughter , Izzy , was 5 . Twelve years later , their sprawling display is more elaborate , and draws visitors from as far away as Pennsylvania and the Adirondacks . “ This year ’ s layout is alot like The Blaze inSleepy Hollow ,” says James , referring to the annual Westchester event featuring thousands ofcarved pumpkins . “ We have 1,100 pumpkins lit at night , and 24 train lines .” Themes exhibited have included “ The Nightmare Before Christmas ,” “ Pirates ofthe Caribbean ,” “ It ’ s the Great Pumpkin , Charlie Brown ” and the haunted mansion from Disney , he says . Growing up in Hoboken allowed him to watch floats from the Macy ’ sDay Parade as they were taken apart so construction could begin onnew ones .
“ We have aquick turnaround time , because our Christmas decorations are up by Thanksgiving ,” says his wife , Amy .
A-BLAZE IN PASSAIC COUNTY
( Clockwise from top left ) What all those pumpkins , lit up , look like ; a drone ’ s view at night ; Charlie and Snoopy welcome the Great Pumpkin ; a zombie plays the organ behind the ghost inthe cemetery ; lit pumpkins by the haunted mansion scene ; five-foot-ten-inch Izzy flanked by illuminated stacks of pumpkins ; an homage to “ Pirates of the Caribbean ,” complete with a Jolly Rogers flag and mast made of PVC pipe .
IZZY IERVOLINO
@ waynemagazine WAYNE MAGAZINE FALL 2022
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