In early 1999, Lemax decided to start a new village line for Halloween and asked their design artists to produce sketches and present ideas of what a Lemax Halloween village might look like. Many ideas and design concepts were proposed detailing a haunted house, costume shop, funeral parlor, mad-scientist laboratory, and a pumpkin patch. Eventually, these concepts were further explored to create a Halloween Village diorama— it was here that life was given to the dead in the Lemax "Spooky Town" village.

TWENTY YEARS LATER

Over 1,000 Spooky Town pieces from animated village and lighted buildings to scary figurines and unique accessories have become a family tradition of Halloween. Many things have been learned and perfected since Spooky Town's first debut, including manufacturing, shipping, and storage. A new customer service portal was launched to assist with product support, and new blogging websites and retailers have been added.

Now, for the next 20 years, only the mad scientists at Lemax know what design tricks and engineering magic will be put into each hair-raising piece of Spooky Town.

2000 to 2005

In 2004, Dr. Stretch N. Pull's Torture Factory was released along with the Isle of Doom Lighthouse and Witch's Lair. However, it was Dr. Stretch N. Pull's Torture Factory and the Isle of Doom Lighthouse that has created the fan fair that exists today. Both pieces featured blinking lights, sound effects, with animated features such as a guillotine, and real fog. It was these two pieces that launched Lemax into modern times of sounds and animation.

2006 to 2010

Between 2006 and 2010, Spooky Town village really took off. Designers and engineers began to explore the limits and creativity of building animated pieces with multiple moving parts, interior and exterior illumination, and the increase of electricity from 3.0 volts to 4.5 volts. In 2006, Spooky Town Sugar 'N Spice came to fruition and showed what would happen if all your Halloween candy came to life. Animated Buildings such as the Rest In Pieces Mausoleum, Monsters Ball, and My Boo!-Tiful Balloon were also released in 2006, all selling out quickly. In 2008, the highly collectible "Oct-O-Squeeze" was released. (Notice anything different in the photo?) It was the time to explore the limits and push new ideas and try new things.

2011 to 2015

During this time, additional features such as lights and sound synchronized together with new motors, gears, and speakers were added. Buildings from prior years were still very much sought after, and the demand for accessories such as table and figurines grew substantially. It was also when social media contests started, and in 2013, Cassie Hancock won the first-ever "You Name It. We Create It" Halloween design contest. Her winning entry of "Banshee's Boo-B-Traps" allowed collectors to come up with their own names and concepts and to have them manufactured and available worldwide in the following years.

2016 to 2020

During this time, the popularity of Lemax Spooky Town soared, and the demand has never been higher. Pieces such as Dead Fraternity, The Mad Pumpkin Patch, and Graveyard Party have kept the dead busy in Spooky Town. Two winners were selected for the Halloween Contest "You Name It. We Create It". In 2017, Mark Cheever won with his winning entry of The Cursed Cuckoo Haus. And in 2019, Gretchen Lindlaau won with her entry, the Evil Spirits Whiskey Distillery, which is scheduled to be released in 2021. New sound and lighting effects were added, along with glow in the dark paints and accessories.

Cheers to 20 years

From all of us here at Lemax, thank you for being a Lemax Fan.
The last 20 years have been amazing and our fans and collectors have made this possible.
Thank you.
Lemax Inc.

Happy 20th Anniversary to Lemax Spooky Town

Spooky Town 20th Anniversary

TWENTY YEARS LATER

Cheers to 20 years