Chattanooga Ghost Tours is sponsoring a Halloween house and neighborhood decorating contest starting September 15, to ensure people still get to enjoy the season in the midst of the pandemic.
Registration is free and the address of participating locations will be listed on both their website at chattanoogaghosttours.com and their Facebook page, so Chattanooga residents and visitors alike can get their fill of the spooky atmosphere between then and October 31.
During the last week of the contest, the public can vote for their favorites by posting an original photo of the site on that location's entry on the Tour's Facebook page. Prizes will be awarded to both the winning house (which will include donations from local businesses and attractions, such as Dread Hollow, which WILL be operating this year) and the winning neighborhood.
“We did not want people to be deprived of Halloween, as they have so many celebrations this year,” says company president Amy Petulla. “We came up with the decorating contest as a way to allow people to enjoy some touch-free chills while remaining safely in their vehicles. Where I grew up, some folks decorated their yards and even whole neighborhoods in a big way, and this is the perfect year to bring that back. And it's free, so everyone who wants to can participate. This is Chattanooga Ghost Tours' gift to the community.”
Participants will register via email to chattanoogaghosttours@yahoo.com, and later notify CGTI they are ready to be viewed by sending a photo of their location, to be posted on Facebook, along with the address both there and on the website. Chattanooga Ghost Tours will maintain the listings throughout the season so that Halloween can be enjoyed for weeks, and will publicize the winners on Halloween day.
If there is interest and entrants have a way to do so safely off the street, the company is considering having an “experience” subcategory, where participants may provide a scary experience close to the vehicle, for those who really want to go all-out.
Chattanooga Ghost Tours, Inc is also continuing to offer its award-winning walking ghost tours and hunts outdoors, using social distancing and limited size to keep guests safe. They even offer a mask-mandatory option so guests can choose their level of safety precautions. More information and tickets are available on their website.
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