Congratulations, winners of the West 400 Block Association’s 2026 Best Halloween Decorations Contest! The spirited, silly, spooky, sometimes ghastly and occasionally gross annual tradition draws crowds from near and far, to witness the clever, creative parts of the brains from the West 400 blocks of 21st, 22nd and 23rd Streets (btw. 9th/10th Aves.) have to offer. This year’s standouts were:

WINNER: “The Roach Motel” at 449 West 21st Street impressed with its larger-than-life (we hope!) roaches, seen crawling up and down the length of the house—and lurking in nearby trees and shrubs. “Smaller roaches all over the humans handing out candy” and “giant animatronic roaches screeching back and forth between trees” won over the hearts of judges, who deemed the whole thing “creative, original, very New York City.”

RUNNERS-UP: “Wonderful and thorough” was the work of those from 429 West 22nd Street, whose “Beetlejuice House” had arms and tentacles in the trees and coming out of the windows, along with eerie green lighting. The second Runner Up recognition went to a West 400 block abode dubbed as “The Alien House.” Said the judges, “Loved all the signs, the mini twirling spaceships, and the giant spaceship. Clearly handmade; we appreciated that.”

Also singled out for recognition, in no particular order, were:

—473 West 21st, “The Bone Yard”

—444 West 22nd,  “The Monster Mouth”

-–481 West 22nd,  “The Witches’ Brew”/ “Giant Black and White Bow”

—Tickled by the wittiness of 448 West 22nd’s “Chelsea Fears”

-–Enjoyed the inflatables of the “Giant Clown House” at 431 West 22nd

—And the “Black Crow House” at 461 West 21st, very chic

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