Wicked Pirate Town Invades New York Lawn with Cannons & Fire for Final Time

Ahoy Matey! The pirates have taken over for Halloween in New York for the final season.

Tony DeMatteo started by building a half ship on his front lawn in Rochester, New York for Halloween. The next year it was a 60-foot ship. Then it was 2 ships. With no idea how to top that, DeMatteo found himself with a full pirate town called Port Royal that rivals anything you'd see at Disney. This year is bigger and better than ever.

“I have everything from 2022, plus a massive shipwreck at ‘Shipwreck Cove’. I have more lights, more special effects and some new music."

One Man Job

In between his full-time job, the father of three has spent countless hours every Halloween season building the epic 100-foot movie-quality display that includes a pirate ship, trading store, gold reserve, and Fort Charles to protect the town from pirates who steal the gold.

We definitely struggled a little bit this year.  Maybe because we are old, or because the pirate ship masts are more than 400 pounds

Disney Quality

If you think the display is cool, wait until you see the special effects. DeMatteo says the details and lighting are off the charts.

It's like being at Disney World. And once I get the music, effects, and synced light show going, it brings it to a whole new rock concert level.

See Pirates in Person For Final Time

You can see the Disney quality display in person. It's free but donations to the Dream Factory are encouraged. And this is the last year for the wicked display on Ambush Lane. It's outgrown its location.

“The unfortunate reality is that my display and its draw has outgrown my neighborhood. We get several thousand visitors each day at the end of October, so many in fact that it can easily become a safety concern.”

Location: 15 Ambush Lane Churchville, NY 14428

Community Support

Port Royal will be open on select nights through Halloween, and thousands are expected to stop by and see the massive display.

The excitement and support from the community and the kids are what drive me to continue. Plus we can give back to such great causes and help children from our community who need it most.

Visit HalloweenOnAmbush.com/visit before heading out for important information, neighborhood rules, and safety considerations.

Halloween on Etsy

DeMatteo may be retiring his elaborate Halloween display but he's still making all the pieces so you can put together your own seasonal celebration. Check out all his creations on Etsy.