Cinderella is the theme this Halloween at the Frederickson’s in Menlo Park

Calling all Cinderellas! This year the Frederickson’s on Santa Monica Avenue between Nash and Gilbert in Menlo Park are doing a beautiful life-sized Cinderella theme. It features:

• A 22-foot tall hand-built Cinderella castle compound consisting of three buildings with conical blue roofs and pearl-covered walls
• A life-sized wrought iron Cinderella carriage with royal blue curtains that guests will be able to enter to take photos of themselves
• A lit-up pink and white and gold ceramic pumpkin garden
• An antique throne with a huge back-lit painted night sky scene above
• A six-foot, round clock about to strike midnight
• A 10-foot tall hearth with a rocking chair, broom, and more
• Over-sized hand-made and painted blue birds flying through the sky holding ribbons.

This Cinderella extravaganza has been a team effort with Valerie Frederickson gaining inspiration from the real Cinderella castle, Schloss Neuschwanstein in Schwangau, Germany. The family’s 15-year old twins Hermione and Dashiell helped build and decorate the scene along with many of their teen friends, their French bro pair Tom, Valerie’s friend Cathy, their gardener Enrique, two handymen German and Elmer, their neighbors Mahitha, Sam and Lauren, and the family’s Colombian friends Yeraldin and Manuela.

“It’s been a blast having so many people buy into my joyously over-the-top Halloween vision and help make it a reality,” Valerie says. “I’ve loved watching everyone have fun and put their own marks on it. Halloween’s my favorite day because you can make your own rules and nothing is expected of you.”

Valerie says that the family expects over 3,500 trick or treaters on Halloween evening.

Photos courtesy of Frederickson family (c) 2024