Scotch Plains Resident Wins NJ Finalist for Patch's Best Halloween Costume

The New Jersey finalist for Patch's Annual Best Halloween Costume Contest in America was the inflatable roadside Skydancer costume worn by Sean Vlkovic of Scotch Plains. 

The 11-year-old was very excited about his win and his 250 dollar prize, which will be used for a family trip to see Wicked in New York City.

The idea came from when Sean and his father were driving around and noticed an inflatable Skydancer outside of a car wash. His father said he thought it would be a good idea for a Halloween costume.

Sean's mother Sue Vlkovic made the costume out of fluorescent yellow T-shirts from Wal-Mart and made the hair, fingers and letters out of plastic table cloths. 

Sean said his mom spent many nights watching Mad Men and sewing the costume by hand.

"They have never worn store bought costumes," Sue Vlkovic said.

Her 9-year-old daughter Ally was a raccoon in a garbage pale and won a prize for her costume at the Westfield Costume Competition.

What Sue found surprising was that Sean did not win at the Westfield Contest, when he normally wins a prize each year.

According to Sean, Halloween is usually his favorite holiday, but this year Sandy ruined it.

Sue said winning the Patch contest was exciting and made up for the lack of typical Halloween activities this year.

However, some parents did get together to have the children trick-or-treat on Coles on Nov. 5.

When trick-or-treating, Sean Vlkovic said a lot of his friends had no idea it was him under the costume.

Sean said the best part was being able to stand up and wail his arms around.

"I liked enjoying everybody laughing at it," Vlkovic said.

He also stood outside his home one day wailing his arms in the costume and cars would stop by cracking up with laughter, he said.

Some of Sean's friends did not believe the news that he actually won the contest. 

"They thought Chris Christie was the judge," he laughed.

Although Sean was excited about this year's costume idea, he said last year's costume of him riding a roller coaster was his favorite.

"It's hard to outdo yourself from the year before," Sue Vlkovic said.