HOLY HILL — Skeletons catching killer waves, deadly wipeouts, and Donald Driver enjoying retirement. That and more is everything you will see at this year's Holy Hill Skeletons display.
It is the 22nd year in a row Jimmy Zamzow has put up his now infamous Holy Hill Skeletons in his front yard. This year the theme is Surfin' USA.
The display featured skeletons surfing, being chased by sharks, tanning, playing in the sand, and watching the waves crash. He has tried to find a way to incorporate a skeleton in a Donald Driver jersey for the past few years as well.
“Just so many people enjoy it, and their faces light up, and they love it," Zamzow said.
A steady stream of cars come to see the roughly 60-skeleton display throughout the day.
“I would say that this is one of the best places I have ever been to," Hunter Green said.
“If they’re big Halloween fans and they want to see something they can’t create themselves, come here," Alexis Schilthelm said.
“When people think of Holy Hill this is definitely a must come," Ebby Szczerbinksi said.
Seeing the Holy Hill Skeletons has almost become as big of a tradition for some as it is to see the fall colors in the area. Zamzow recognizes that, and he wants to keep building bigger and better displays.
"The themes I can come up with are endless. It's just like I can pick any sport. I can pick anything that people do I can have my skeletons do."
Previous themes include: NASCAR, Packers vs. Vikings, weightlifting, a dead man's party, 'til death do us part, and many more you can view here.
It takes him about 40 to 50 hours to put it together each year. He has a tip donation box out, but he hopes that just helps him recoup some of the expenses it costs to put up the display every year. He isn't trying to make money off this. In fact, he hopes this can help promote organ donations instead.
"You’re going to be a skeleton someday," he said about the importance of donating your organs.
Zamzow doesn't do a Christmas decorations. He said he feels like there is less of an opportunity to do new displays each year.
"Most people who put up a Christmas display, they actually put up the same thing every year."
Plus, he gets more visitors in October than he would in December.
"If I would have put up a Christmas display hardly anybody would see it because nobody comes out here at Christmas. The fall - this road is just packed on the weekends with people coming to look at the fall colors."
Given that he comes up with a new theme every year, he actually is already in the process of getting next year's display together.
"Like I’ve been already buying stuff for next year’s theme already."
Along with the themed display, Zamzow puts up the Rainbow Bridge. It's literal bridge with animal skeletons on it. It's named after a poem about how when our pets die, they wait for us on the Rainbow Bridge until we can reunite with them. Zamzow said it is popular among kids.
You can see Surfin' USA until jut after Halloween, and then it is coming down.
