In the United States, more than 50 million household exteriors are decorated with lights during the Christmas season. However, families such as the O’Reilly family do the same for Halloween. Kevin and Kristy O’Reilly’s spooky display is different from most.

Almost every square inch of the yard of their Islip home at 32 Bates Street is covered with bright LED lights. On the grass, there were LED spiders and arches. There were also tombstones and crosses.

On the roof were bats and the “Ghostbusters” logo. These lights would flash and change colors, showing different designs to the beat of the song playing at the moment. Projected on the garage door were TV show and movie characters that corresponded with the song. Some of the many segments included Fortnite, “Stranger Things,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” and anime.

Kevin Reilly started working on a light show in 2016, and two years later, they hosted their first Christmas Light Show. Due to the first year’s success, people suggested that they do a Halloween show, too, which he declined to do at the time.

The following year, they hosted their first Halloween Light Show, which ended up being even more popular. The O’Reilly family’s light shows had quickly become a beloved tradition in the community, attracting visitors from all over the area. Until 2022, the O’Reilly family continued the Christmas and Halloween light shows.

Kevin’s computer was hacked, deleting six years of hard work in the blink of an eye. That year, they were still able to manage a Halloween show, but had to cancel their Christmas show. After taking a break last year, this is their “comeback year.” However, there is still more to be done, and Kevin is more than up for the challenge.

Although the lights only take about a month to put up physically, the O’Reillys prepare year-round. Kevin programs the lights and refers to doing so as a second job.

“This isn’t something that you just decide to do in July. In August, you finish it up, and by mid-September, you’re ready to go,” he said.

Kevin’s goal is to keep up with what’s trending for the year, especially among the kids. Red, from the movie “Descendants: The Rise of Red,” is the most popular this year, so he included it in this year’s show.

There are 13 sequences in total, lasting about 40 minutes. The first is a custom intro and the other 12 range from classic rock to kids’ songs. Everyone in the family will find a song they recognize.

Each year, Kevin and Kristy make it a point to give back to the community. They choose a local organization to donate a portion of their proceeds. This year, Kristy chose Islip Handles-Hunger Blessings in a Backpack. They donated proceeds to a local family facing financial difficulties in the first year.

The light show will be running all month long! Showtimes are 7 to 10 p.m., Sunday to Thursday and 7 to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.