THE GOOD LIFE
TK TK TK
S E A S O NAL F U N
A (Socially Distanced) Fall Activity Guide From patches to scenic paths BY ANDY SMITH
The Great Elizabeth Pumpkin Wall Returns THE 60-FOOT HALLOWEEN DECORATION in Elizabeth returns for its 16th birthday. Each year, residents line a towering shelf with gourds and typically add a positive, illuminated phrase like “Love” or “Earth.” Especially this year, organizers say, people need seasonal cheer. “(We) feel like as an entirely outdoor event it gives us a chance to safely pull off an event for our community that everyone can look forward to,” says John Short, coorganizer of Elizabeth Community Association and occasional Charlotte magazine contributor. “Plus, the first one was during an election year, so we want to uphold that tradition.”
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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020
The wall debuted in 2004 as a private effort at 537 Lamar Ave., with the word “Kerry” lit to show support for that year’s Democratic Presidential nominee. In 2005, then-N.C. Senator and future Mayor Dan Clodfelter hosted the decoration in his front yard. Since the neighborhood association took over in 2013, the wall’s become less overtly partisan—although it can be fun to see the messages and faces that adorn the hundreds of jack o’lanterns that line the shelves. This year’s word or phrase? Undetermined, but here’s a suggestion with a double meaning for Halloween 2020: “Mask Up.”
COURTESY
Come see the jack-o’-lanterns again—but keep it movin’
