Community Corner

Prep for 'Haunted Garden' Temporarily Halted by County

A popular haunted attraction set up for the past few years at a private residence in Silver Spring has been called off by the county.

For the past few years, a home on Worth Avenue near Sligo Creek Parkway has been a Halloween destination for many residents of Silver Spring and elsewhere in the DC region.

The Haunted Garden started as a charity event in 2010, Patch reported in 2011, and has been held at Pure Energy Real Estate founder Donna Kerr's house ever since. Each year, Pure Energy's former creative director Rania Peet comes up with fantastic Halloween sets that scare and shock visitors to this free Halloween extravaganza.

But possibly not this year. "Due to a temporary restraining order issued by the District Court of Montgomery County, MD, [last Friday,] The Haunted Garden has been cancelled and will not be open to the public in 2013. Stay tuned for more information," The Haunted Garden's website reported.

A hearing will be held on Oct. 15—four days before the first scheduled Haunted Garden night—to determine whether or not The Haunted Garden may continue to be held, The Washington Post reported this week.

"We were totally blindsided by the County. We will need the support of everyone to get this show open on October 19," The Haunted Garden posted on its Facebook page.

Some residents have said that the event brings too many strangers and traffic into the neighborhood, The Post reported in 2011, shortly after county inspectors took issue with signs in the yard during the event advertising Kerr's real estate business. Kerr took the signs down, The Post reported.

On Tuesday, The Post reported that "[residents] and Montgomery officials ... contend that Kerr is operating a blatantly commercial venture in the middle of their residential neighborhood, using fliers and social media to promote her real estate business."

The county also expressed concern about visitors crossing Sligo Creek Parkway at night to get to Kerr’s home, The Post added.

With the restraining order in effect, Kerr and Peet must halt preparations for this year's Haunted Garden. According to the event's Facebook page, many decorations are already up, including giant mushrooms and a giant spider.

>>>Read more about The Haunted Garden's temporary restraining order on The Washington Post's website.

Many fans of The Haunted Garden have spoken up in support of the event on its Facebook page.

And, Patch reader lilkunta posted on Patch about the restraining order, asking the judge to cancel it. 

Do you think The Haunted Garden should be allowed to continue? Will you or your family be disappointed if it's not open this year? Tell us in the comments.


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