As the days grow shorter, the trees brightly turn color before shedding their leaves, and the morning dew begins to become frost, a ritual of autumn has returned to delight trick-or-treaters of all ages: the Halloween lawn display. Throughout Southington, many residents are erecting mock gravestones, hanging ghouls and ghosts from fences, blowing up inflatable pumpkins, draping cobwebs from eaves, and even letting a “rotting corpse or two” take up residence in the front yard to the delight of children of all ages.

These fun displays of All Hallow’s Eve are also works of art touching upon and representing several styles of contemporary art.

Though many of the ghouls, ghosts and grave markers found in these lawn displays are manufactured and store bought, the installation of these ready-made or pre-manufactured pieces becomes art through the choices made by the designing artist on how and where the pieces will be placed in relation to each other. These choices are what creates the “art installation.”

By combining the installation with the existing landscaping and architecture of the home, the Halloween display maker creates a new form of “environmental art,” sometimes referred to as “land art.” Ready-made art is often combined with arts and crafts pieces made at home, like hand-painted wooden grave markers, along with tradition folk art, like jack o’ lanterns, to design installations with great care in order to bring a smile or just a bit of fright to trick-or-treaters of all sizes.

David Belas Jr. has been setting up Halloween displays in the front yard of his parents’ house for four years now. A student at Western Connecticut State University, he has worked for the past four years at the Haunted Graveyard at Lake Compounce first as a volunteer and now as an employee. Belas works as a character at the Haunted Graveyard but tries to be involved in every aspect so he can learn what goes into the Lake Compounce display and what insight and ideas he can glean for his own graveyard at home.

His home display is a combination of store bought “ready made” items, store-bought items he has altered like the zombie he made from a scarecrow, and items he has made himself like some of the gravestones adorning the yard. The display allows him to work on developing his interests: costume and display or set design inspired by horror films. His work reflects his enjoyment of scary movies and his “favorite holiday,” All Hallow’s Eve. Belas said he hopes his homage to Halloween will spur others to put their creative inspiration to work making their own Halloween displays and enjoying the holiday.

It is the enjoyment and delight of kids that drives Bert Dorr and his wife, Eleana, to create the Halloween display adorning their front yard. The Dorrs have been erecting the displays for five years since moving to Southington. Though they skipped decorating last year due to the rain, Bert said he is glad to see the neighborhood kids appreciating this year’s display.

Bert is always on the lookout for a good piece to add to his annual display. Using the overhang of his roof to protect the more vulnerable pieces from the harshness of New England weather, especially those cold fall rains, with the help of his wife he organizes the placement of the various gravestones, ghouls, and other symbols of the holiday on the front stoop and along the house while a large blow-up Halloween globe sits in his front yard for the season of ghosts and goblins.

Possibly one of the best-known displays in Southington is that of the Burke family who create “Spooky Kingdom” for the benefit of the Alzheimer’s Association of Connecticut. It will be open at 14 Lovley Drive in Plantsville, Oct. 29, 30 and 31, from 7 until 9 p.m. The event is free, however, donations will be accepted. This haunted walk offers more than 15 motion activated animatronic attractions and other eerie themes including a fire breathing gargoyle, a scythe-swinging Grim Reaper and a horse-drawn hearse only for the dead and of course, a proper graveyard where some can't rest, a fortune teller and a backyard chef.

The Burkes said weather offered a frustrating challenge to last year’s event as did the struggling economy but despite these obstacles, more than 600 Spooky Kingdom supporters came out and generously donated $1,000 to a very worthwhile cause. This year they have a goal of $1,500.

For more information on this attraction, including photos from previous years and a video clip, visit the website www.spookykingdom.com . “It's a sight that you must see for yourself so come and join us ... or else,” according to the website. The event is also on Facebook and Twitter.

So while pint-sized mummies, werewolves, witches and other assorted monsters roam Southington, escorted by their adult crypt-keepers of the night in search of trick or treats, take a moment to enjoy the ghost and goblins of the Halloween lawn displays that have risen for the season because they will soon be gone like the fading colors of the fall foliage to be replaced by the cold and snow and a jolly old fellow and his reindeer.