A New York state father took what has become a family tradition to a new level when he built a 50-foot-long pirate ship in his front yard for Halloween.
Tony DeMatteo said one of his three children initially requested a Pirates of the Caribbean themed Halloween a few years ago, leading him to build a small pirate ship in front of the house in Churchville, outside Rochester.
DeMatteo said he has since been building ships every year for Halloween, and this year’s is the biggest yet at 50 feet long and 20 feet tall.
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“I’m a big fan of Halloween,” DeMatteo told FOX TV Stations. “It’s been growing bigger and bigger each year. I always try to outdo myself.”
DeMatteo said this year’s ship cost about $3,000 to build and took about a week to assemble. It features a skeleton hanging from the bowsprit, six light-up cannons, a fog machine and fire blasters.
“I have no background in this, I just do it for fun for my kids, and that’s what makes it so great,” DeMatteo told CNN. “It’s also been a rough year for a lot of people so we decided this would be a perfect opportunity to put a smile on people’s face and just give them a sense of normalcy.”
DeMatteo said he does not charge anyone to tour the ship, but visitors are asked to bring canned goods for Open Door Mission, a Rochester food pantry.
“We got so many donations that my garage was completely full, and they’re still coming to this day,” he said.
