Capon’s Halloween Spooktacular: An interview with the Masters Family!

We often get asked by guests what goes on at Capon during Halloween. In thinking how to answer that question, we thought it would be fun to ask a family who knows the traditions well to share their experience.

Tim Masters and his wife Lori McFarling of Bethesda, MD made their first Halloween trip back in 1992 (pre-kids!).  They returned again in 2001 and haven’t missed a year since.   

Your family has a well-established tradition (over 60 years!) of visiting Capon every year in August. What made you decide to give Capon’s Halloween a try?

We used to come to Capon Springs in the Fall for the spectacular palette of colors that the change of season brings, but when we had kids who were old enough to appreciate what Halloween was, we shifted our stay to the “Halloween weekend” and we haven’t looked back since. 

We asked each of the kids what makes Halloween at Capon so special and the unanimous first answer from everyone was: “It’s CAPON SPRINGS!!!” After that, the answers ranged from “the pumpkin carving and crafts” to “the trick or treating” to “the decorations” to “the pumpkin lighting” to “wearing costumes in the dining room” to “the costume parade in the Meeting House” to “seeing everyone in the Capon family dressed up for Halloween” to — of course — “Atta Boy, Luther!” and “The Ghost & Mr. Chicken” movie. While we all patiently await the long-heralded return of Don Knotts’ co-star Joan Staley — yes, we were there for her first visit — we return each year in hopes of another chance to mingle with “Ghost & Mr. Chicken” royalty*. We love guessing the giant pumpkin on the front porch’s weight, we love guessing (and always guessing wrong) the number of candy corns in the glass jar, and we love all things Fall and Halloween that Capon is to us each year at this time.

Yes, it’s different than our August experience at Capon…and that, too…makes it special. Our family — kids, adults…and Grandma, too — love the whole experience. Everyone is in the spirit and everything is not just green and white…but green and white and orange and black.

Our fondest memory of Halloween at Capon is the unusual and untimely snowstorm that we experienced a few years ago…complete with blackout, hanging out by the fireplace in the living rooms to stay warm, and lots of extra blankets in the rooms. What an adventure that was! Capon roughing it…with lots of stories to tell and pictures to remember it by. We also love how Jonathan knows all the words to “The Ghost & Mr. Chicken” and recites them along with the film every year. Oh, and all the creative and incredibly detailed pumpkin carving that takes place…what a treat to participate and then to take in all of the unique masterpieces. 

Favorite costumes?

As for costumes…our most inspired one was a family effort, with Mom & Dad and the two older kids dressed as convicts (complete with handcuffs and shackles)…and our youngest — little Joe — dressed as law enforcement (a police officer). That…and the time Grandma came dressed as a Rastafari. Yah, man.