{"id":309846,"date":"2026-10-19T13:36:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T13:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/309846\/"},"modified":"2026-10-19T13:36:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T13:36:09","slug":"2026-creepin-for-critters-halloween-house-decorating-tour-expanded-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/309846\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Creepin\u2019 for Critters Halloween house decorating tour expanded"},"content":{"rendered":"

Creepin\u2019 for Critters, the Berks Halloween outdoor decorating tour, is back for a second year with even more homes on the route raising funds and collecting supplies for the Animal Rescue League of Berks County.<\/p>\n

This year there are 16 spots on the tour map, which can be accessed at www.frightmaps.com<\/a>. Each site has a sign with a QR code visitors can scan to make a donation to the ARL from their phones. Or, supplies from the ARL\u2019s online wish list, berksarl.org\/wishlist\/<\/a>, can be dropped off. The list includes canned kitten, cat and dog food, soft dog treats such as Beggin\u2019 Strips, Pup-Peroni, Bil-Jac, Zukes, spray cheese, pellet cat litter, cat toys and durable dog toys.<\/p>\n

Creepin\u2019 for Critters was started by Daron and David O\u2019Donald II<\/a> of Exeter Township and featured 12 homes in 2025. The O\u2019Donalds were inspired to turn their love of the Halloween season into a fundraiser and collection for the ARL by their dog Willow, who was adopted from the shelter.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn its inaugural season, Creepin\u2019 for Critters raised nearly $2,000 in monetary donations and collected an entire truckload of much-needed supplies for the ARL, thanks to the generosity of local families, neighbors and Halloween enthusiasts,\u201d a statement from the organizers said.<\/p>\n

For anyone who visited last year, be ready for new additions this time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have added several new giants, a moving spider and several professional-level static props,\u201d David O\u2019Donald said. \u201cWe also redo the layout every year, so it\u2019s always a little bit different.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Zombies<\/p>\n

Zombies romp at David and Daron O\u2019Donald\u2019s home in the 1000 block of Hartman Road in Exeter Township that are part of the Creepin\u2019 For Critters tour to benefit the Animal Rescue League. (BILL UHRICH\/READING EAGLE)\n<\/p>\n

\"David<\/p>\n

David and Daron O\u2019Donald sit among their Halloween decorations at their home in the 1000 block of Hartman Road in Exeter Township that are part of the Creepin\u2019 For Critters tour to benefit the Animal Rescue League. (BILL UHRICH\/READING EAGLE)\n<\/p>\n

\"Part<\/p>\n

Part of the Halloween decorations at the home of David and Daron O\u2019Donald in the 1000 block of Hartman Road in Exeter Township are part of the Creepin\u2019 For Critters tour to benefit the Animal Rescue League. (BILL UHRICH\/READING EAGLE) (BILL UHRICH\/READING EAGLE)\n<\/p>\n

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1 of 3<\/p>\n

Zombies romp at David and Daron O\u2019Donald\u2019s home in the 1000 block of Hartman Road in Exeter Township that are part of the Creepin\u2019 For Critters tour to benefit the Animal Rescue League. (BILL UHRICH\/READING EAGLE)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

He said his favorite new addition is a zombie being electrocuted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s something we don\u2019t put out every night, it\u2019s a professional-level prop,\u201d David said. \u201cIt\u2019s all latex and the sun destroys it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daron\u2019s new favorite is a 15-foot-tall worry crow.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt kind of looks like a scarecrow, but has a crow\u2019s head,\u201d David explained.<\/p>\n

The O\u2019Donalds have added more fog machines and additional lighting to enhance the creepiness.<\/p>\n

Their 7-year-old son, David III, is back as the lead tour guide and is joined by his younger sister, Marietta, 4, and several other neighborhood children who lead visitors along the haunting pathway.<\/p>\n

\"Steve<\/p>\n

Steve and Cindy Shingle\u2019s home at 178 Mountain Blvd., Wernersville, is a popular destination on the Creepin\u2019 for Critters tour. (BILL UHRICH\/READINGEAGLE)\n<\/p>\n

\"Steve<\/p>\n

Steve and Cindy Shingle\u2019s home at 178 Mountain Blvd., Wernersville, is a popular destination on the Creepin\u2019 for Critters tour. (BILL UHRICH\/READINGEAGLE)\n<\/p>\n

\"Steve<\/p>\n

Steve and Cindy Shingle\u2019s home at 178 Mountain Blvd., Wernersville, is a popular destination on the Creepin\u2019 for Critters tour. (BILL UHRICH\/READINGEAGLE)\n<\/p>\n

\"Steve<\/p>\n

Steve and Cindy Shingle\u2019s home at 178 Mountain Blvd., Wernersville, is a popular destination on the Creepin\u2019 for Critters tour. (BILL UHRICH\/READINGEAGLE)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 4<\/p>\n

Steve and Cindy Shingle\u2019s home at 178 Mountain Blvd., Wernersville, is a popular destination on the Creepin\u2019 for Critters tour. (BILL UHRICH\/READINGEAGLE)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

Cindy and Steve Shingle\u2019s Mountain Boulevard home in Wernersville is on the tour once again.<\/p>\n

Of course, they\u2019ve added some things since last year: a talking parrot, a big spider, pumpkin and cat archways. And Steve has crafted some props.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe always thought it was a fun holiday,\u201d Cindy Shingle said. \u201cThe decorations are just fun. It\u2019s different than Christmas. There\u2019s definitely more you can do. It\u2019s just a wider range of things you can put out.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were always talking about doing something for a charity to raise money and then I saw the post on Facebook<\/a> about Creepin\u2019 for Critters, I thought oh my gosh this is perfect. It\u2019s something we can just join and we don\u2019t have to lead it ourselves, we really don\u2019t have time. We can just help the animals and that\u2019s what it is all about.\u201d<\/p>\n

They get a steady stream of visitors from the neighborhood and beyond.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have people that drive by all day long, all night long,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have people that stop in their cars. We prefer people to stay on the sidewalks.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have regular families from our neighborhood who come every single night, which is really neat to see. When the lights go on Oct. 1, the families come every single night to the house. It\u2019s a real community. It\u2019s nice to see that parents do that with their kids.\u201d<\/p>\n

The O\u2019Donalds said their yard has become a hangout for kids each night.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe probably see 10 to 15 kids that spend their evening here,\u201d David said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom when school lets out until it gets dark,\u201d Daron added.<\/p>\n

This year, David O\u2019Donald said they hope to raise $2,500 and collect even more supplies for the ARL.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Creepin\u2019 for Critters, the Berks Halloween outdoor decorating tour, is back for a second year with even more…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":309847,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[349,1681,1411,16424,182,21027,973,139,28,3138,128,130,129,16420,289],"class_list":["post-309846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-reading","tag-berks-county","tag-entertainment","tag-exeter-township","tag-leesport","tag-local-news","tag-maidencreek-township","tag-muhlenberg-township","tag-news","tag-pennsylvania","tag-pets-and-animals","tag-reading-city","tag-reading-city-headlines","tag-reading-city-news","tag-sinking-spring","tag-things-to-do"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309846","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=309846"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309846\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/309847"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=309846"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=309846"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=309846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}