Haunted high schools, houses and other elaborate N.L. Halloween celebrations

Halloween-lovers in Newfoundland and Labrador are showing off their spooky sides today, with haunted houses and elaborate costumes in abundance across the province.

The epicentre of celebrations might just be Holy Spirit High School in Conception Bay South, whoseannual Halloween extravaganza got underway before the bell even rang Thursday morning as teachers arrived in elaborate costumes.

In a schoolwide competition for best costumes that pits department against department, faculty filled the gymnasium with jaw-dropping efforts from life-sizespecialty Barbies complete in boxes to a Dumbledore-drivenHogwarts Express.

"It's very competitive," said vice-principal Denise Oldford in an understatement.

Oldforddressed as a referee,with the rest of the head administration staff in wrestling garb, complete with Mexican luchadormasks.

"Kinda fits with our role and responsibilities sometimes," said principal-turned-wrestler David Locke.

The student council judges the winner. In 2018, the math department won with their Transformers tribute that actually transformed.

"Every department wants to takedown the math department today, and we're hoping somebody does," said Locke.

The math department, whichcreated a carousel for this year's competition, is certainly not slouching. But as council surveyed the costumes, they were stumped on who to pick.

"This year, I honestly don't know, " said Wayne Walsh, student council vice-president and a Grade 12 student, dressed along with the rest of council as a Holy Spirit version of Cards Against Humanity.

"This is definitely the most effort that went into all the costumes for all the teachers."

Eastport creep-tacular

Holy Spirit isn't the onlyannual Halloween event on the island going over the top for 2019.

A haunted house in Eastport is celebrating its third year in the scaring business, the brainchild of one woman whose efforts to transform her house top to bottomhas taken weeks to complete.

"The only part that I have blocked off is my bedroom, so just a place for me to sleep. And then the rest of it is turned into different themes throughout the house," said Hilary Turner-Parsons.

Turner-Parsons has crammed the house full of creepy props, and gotten the community on board, as well;one work colleague donateda handmade casket this year and others have volunteeredto dress up and scare people on Halloween night.

"I build on every year. This is the biggest it's been, for sure," she said.

There's no charge to visit the house, she said, motivated more out of her love for Halloween than any desire to make money. But she does accept donations for a local school breakfast program.

She had about 200 people come through her house last year, not only from Eastport but from all around the area, she said.Shehopes for more this year, and will run it from Halloween through the weekend.

Read morefrom CBC Newfoundland and Labrador