TREMONTON – By Cari Doutre – October 27, 2020
Leading up the steep driveway at Stephen and Peggy Dansie’s house in Tremonton, Halloween decorations of all sorts set the tone for what’s to come.
Saving their scariest, and biggest Halloween decorations and attractions for their backyard, the Dansie family spends months preparing for their favorite holiday. Every year the couple, along with the help of their five adult children (and spouses, friends, etc.) put on a spook alley for the community to enjoy – and every year it gets bigger and better.
“I love to scare adults more than kids because adults turn into kids when you scare them,” Stephen said.
It started in 2012 but their love of Halloween, especially Stephen, goes back decades. Stephen spent years participating in Halloween events, learning the tricks of the trade – all that has now led up to their well-known spook alley.
In fact, Stephen and Peggy are known for what they do every Halloween in Tremonton -and they love it.
“People know us from the Halloween house,” Stephen said.
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Pieces of the décor in the Dansie’s spook alley are collected year by year. As the years go on, they have acquired an extensive collection of decorations including a doll graveyard, a larger than life spider, plenty of skeletons, and much, much more.
This year the family was able to find a 12-foot tall skeleton – their newest and grandest addition this year.
“Every year I try to put something different in the yard,” Stephen said.
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Not to be forgotten is the Dansie’s most famous attraction – a fire breathing dragon named Elliott. Peggy and one of her daughter’s painted the dragon and Stephen controls the pyrotechnics with a hand-held remote. Thanks to a generous donation from Miller Gas in Tremonton each year, Elliott is able to breathe as much fire as he can on Halloween night.
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This year the Dansie family is asking each guest to bring a non-perishable (and unexpired) food item to be donated to the Tremonton Food Pantry. This is the second year that they’ve been collecting food donations.
The safety of their visitors, and the community, is extremely important to the Dansie family. Masks or facial coverings over the mouth and nose are required. Social distancing guidelines will also be met. All those participating in the hauntings this year will also be wearing masks – including Stephen and Peggy.
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None of this would be possible if it weren’t for Stephen and Peggy’s adult children and their enthusiasm each year to put on the event. They not only help set up the spook alley each year, they also personally haunt the place on Halloween night.
It’s also because of their children, and the community, that Stephen and Peggy still set up their spook alley year after year.
“We totally do it for all the smiles,” Peggy said.
More information on this year’s Dansie Family Halloween event can be found below these photo galleries.
Photos by The Valley Headliner – BRVNEWS.com
Photos courtesy of Stephanie Dansie
