STERLING — If you dare, take a journey through Sunset Manor this Halloween. The walk-through spooktacular display is a labor of love for one town resident.
Jason Calaway Rickman said he has “always loved Halloween and dreamed of having a place to express that.” After living in his family’s home at the end of Sunset Drive since moving there a decade ago, he decided several years ago that “it was time to up the Halloween game,” and Sunset Manor was born.
The popular destination features animated Halloween creatures, skeletons, lights, and so much more. People of all ages come by to enjoy the fruits of Rickman’s labors on Halloween and check out the display that takes him weeks to put together.
“When I was a child, I had a few strings of lights and would carve out a few pumpkins,” he recalled.
“A couple decades ago I started to grow the collection. Now I use over 3,000 feet of caution tape, fog machines, strobe lights, inflatables, animatronics, sound systems, spiders, skeletons, and endless amounts of ghouls, ghosts, and Halloween knick knacks, in addition to the live actors. I actually built a shed just to hold it all.”
For years the display was just his thing, he said, but in recent years his wife, Kim, and their two sons, Ryan, 12, and Travis, 10, have joined in on the fun.
“Now the boys help out quite a bit with the setup, and my wife never complains about the time I put into it,” Rickman said. “On Halloween we all get involved, though, and ensure all our guests have a great time.”
He said he thoroughly enjoys the entire process of setting up Sunset Manor each year and sharing progress photos on social media – including recent snapshots of a literal skeleton crew helping him.
“The best part is expressing myself and coming up with unique ways to display it,” Rickman said. “Knowing that the smallest detail could make someone’s night just drives me to make the display better every year.”
When asked what kind of challenges he faces, he didn’t hesitate to say weather and “my passion for Halloween.”
“Trying to set up in the cold, rain, wind or snow can be difficult, to say the least, but the biggest obstacle is myself. I often get caught up with minor details or trying to create a whole new scene on Oct. 29.”
Despite those sometimes self-imposed hiccups, Rickman said being able to share his hard work with the greater community and donning his now traditional jacko’- lantern patterned blazer come Halloween night is well worth the effort.
“It’s truly exhilarating and humbling,” he said. “Watching people enjoy my crazy sense of humor or shrieking in fear — it’s just plain fun. The community makes it worth it though. Everyone is thankful and cheerful once they get through the haunted walk.”
Some of the most memorable reactions and outcomes from the display include “the one or two people who need to change their clothing after going through the spider cave or being surprised by one of the wandering actors. Seems to happen every year,” Rickman said. “It is also awesome to see kids and adults venture through multiple times.”
Rickman’s grand plans to open Sunset Manor for a longer period than just Halloween night are finally coming true. He recently finished a partial walkthrough section that is now open for people to enjoy, helping him achieve his mission of giving “everyone and anyone the opportunity to experience a Sunset Manor Halloween.”
In addition, each year he ups his game a little more, and now has a friendly rival up north with whom he competes.
“Earlier this year I found out my wife’s cousin has a big display, mostly skeletons, up in Maine,” Rickman said. “We haven’t stopped messaging each other since, comparing skeletons and different scenes to put them in and discussing the various types of trick or treaters and what kind of candy to give out. He’s not as much as a rival as a confidante and enabler.”
