Halloween Festivities on Sperl Street: Skeletons!

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Every October, a neighborhood of skeletons come out to play along a strip of Sperl Street in West St. Paul. Each day they can be seen doing something new, from setting up Halloween decorations to tailgating.

How it started: Nancy and Richard Michaelsen launched the trend in 2020. Nancy Michaelsen said the skeletons began as a way to fight boredom during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Team effort: Now neighbors on Sperl Street between Arion and Bernard have started setting up skeleton scenes of their own.

“I think the involvement is awesome,” said Nancy Michaelsen. “We’ve been able to team up to build bigger scenes, like the marathon race across the block.”

Backstory: Each skeleton has its own name and story, but most are just visiting for the season. It started with Timothy in 2020, a Louisianian who angered the wrong people and was cursed to be made of bones. Since then, the family has only expanded.

Favorites: Some of Michaelsen’s favorite scenes include a wrestling match (which one of the skeletons, Darell, still has injuries from) and a skiing adventure.

What’s next: Michaelsen is excited to crack out the winter scenes again once the snow comes.

Oct. 27, 2023 Update: For more skeleton fun, MPR has a story on 12-foot skeletons, including comments from West St. Paul City Council Member Lisa Eng-Sarne about her 12-foot skeleton:

“As I get older, I see other adults not as willing to participate in the magic of Halloween. I love to connect with my neighbors and other people in the community and I think Halloween is just a beautiful example of that, especially where I live.”
Lisa Eng-Sarne