In the small city of La Verkin, Utah, Witch Hazel has quickly made a name for herself. This year marked the 3rd year she has returned to the quaint town for the fall season.
Starting every September 1st, she first enthralls the public with her Facebook page which brings Halloween spirit to the community including posts of holiday treats, quotes and jokes. This fictional character brings a charm that radiates through her quirky sense of humor, sarcasm and friendly online banter.
During the month of October, La Verkin residents prepare for the Annual Halloween Decoration Contest. Residents who choose to participate decorate their homes with giant spiders, graveyards, skeletons, lights and fog machines. Many include sound effects to add an extra flare to the spookiness. A judging date is set, and residents are asked to keep their lights and decorations aglow on judging night to be considered for the contest.
Winners of the contest are notified and their addresses are posted online as part of Witch Hazel’s “Witch Hunt” route. Winning homes can expect a visit from Witch Hazel herself on awards night as she flies around delivering contest winnings. This is when the Witch Hunt ensues! Children of all ages search the city in hopes of catching a glimpse of her; knowing she’ll be at one of the winning homes helps narrow down their search.
If a child is lucky enough to spot her and yell out her name from their vehicle, she will owe the child a treat from her cauldron. On rare occasions, she’ll try to make a getaway and swiftly fly to her next destination with children and families pursuing to receive a treat.
All residents are asked to keep their decorations lit on the awards night during La Verkin’s Awards Night & Witch Hunt to help create the spookiest town in southern Utah. In previous years, 3 houses were selected as winners of the contest. With growing community interest and an outpouring of support from our local businesses, we are thrilled to announce we will be awarding 6 lucky winners this year!
How was Witch Hazel started?
In 2020, Witch Hazel made her debut in the small town of LaVerkin, Utah. With her true identity unknown, Witch Hazel is a whimsical character created by a La Verkin resident who donates her time to amusing the community. In the height of Covid, things were rapidly closing and Halloween activities were quickly shutting down. This is when the idea of Witch Hazel was born. With approval from city officials, the idea was quickly supported and a safe and Covid-friendly event was created.
The event had become a way of providing the children in the area a fun Halloween event without the need to leave the safety of their vehicles! Over the past 2 years the event has doubled in interest and Witch Hazel is becoming a household name. This year she is preparing to be sought out by hundreds of children in the community and surrounding areas.
We invite the public to join us in roaming the streets of La Verkin in search of the spookiest house displays of 2022! Be on the lookout for Witch Hazel and refer to her Facebook page for the addresses where she can found.
Judging Night: Friday, October 21st 7-9pm
Halloween Decoration Awards Night & Witch Hunt: Monday, October 24th 7-9pm
For more information visit Witch Hazel’s Facebook @ www.facebook.com/hazel.laverkin.5