HUBERTUS — Why'd the skeleton go to the wedding alone? Because he had nobody to go with. Ba-dum-ch!
Literal bus loads of people are coming to Hubertus, Wisconsin not for the Holy Hill Basilica, but instead for the Holy Hill Skeletons.
It's the 21st year Jimmy Zamzow has put up an extraordinary display of skeletons in his front yard, at 5256 Holy Hill Rd., also known as Highway 167. Previous displays include a Packers vs. Vikings theme, NASCAR, A Dead Man's Party and so many more.
"This year's theme is a wedding - Til Death Do Us Part, and we picked that theme because we just got married Aug. 22," Zamzow said.
He married his wife Sandi Zamzow.
"Well, it's my first year being apart of it. I’ve been watching it unfold. He kind of had to move the skeletons sort of out of the house, so I would have room to come in," Sandi said. (Talk about skeletons in the closet!)
This year features eight bridesmaids, eight groomsmen, a wedding officiant, and of course a bride and groom. In total, about 60 guests - a.k.a skeletons - were invited as well. There was a wedding band, but they forgot to bring their organ. Some of them were dressed in clothes from previous themes too, like a Donald Driver skeleton.
"It's probably my fourth year seeing it," Roberta Pratt said. She brought her nice camera to take photos and post them on her Facebook page.
Don't think these skeletons are too scary and not family-friendly. It's better to call them spooky.
"I don’t want them to be gory or anything like that. I just want skeletons having fun and not hurt anybody," Zamzow said.
Every year is a different theme. No repeats. But recently, Zamzow has been putting up a lost pet memorial. It's called Rainbow Bridge. It's named after a poem that talks about how when our beloved pets die, they wait for us on the Rainbow Bridge until we can reunite with them. Zamzow said it is popular among kids.
☠️ It takes Jimmy about 2 weeks to construct everything and 1 week to take it all down
— James Groh (@JamesGroh_) October 21, 2020
☠️ It costs around $300 to $3,000 depending on the theme
☠️ He has more skeletons than he can count
☠️ Because he says everyone asks, he has storage for all these skeletons and costumes
Zamzow does this every year because he loves it. It takes roughly two weeks to put up. Then about a week after Halloween, he takes it down. It costs anywhere from $300 to $3,000 depending on the theme and the materials/equipment he needs.
With the crowds growing every year, Zamzow decided he wanted to bring awareness to a cause too.
"Because if you look at my skeletons, none of them have any organs, and someday you’ll be a skeleton and you won’t have any organs," he said.
He hopes to raise awareness about the importance of donating organs to those who are in critical need of them.
You can visit his Facebook page to see pictures from past themes.
