Trick-or-treating goes on — with safety measures advised

City of Edwardsville announces healthy Halloween events

Edwardsville has announced trick-or-treating days and times along with new events for the community to celebrate a healthy Halloween.

The Department of Parks and Recreation will host a Virtual Costume Contest from Oct. 15 to 30 on the department’s Facebook page.  Participants may enter in one of the following categories – age 0-3, ague 4-6, age 7-9, age 10-12, family/group, or pets.

The city is also teaming up with the Edwardsville YMCA to host a safe and fun Trick or Treat Drive-Thru on Friday, Oct. 30 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Plummer Family Park, located at 3501 Sports Park Drive in Edwardsville.  Vendors will have vehicles decorated and will hand candy to vehicles that drive through the event.  Vendors will wear masks and gloves and will practice safe social distancing.

The Downtown Trick-or-Treating Event will take place on Saturday, Oct 31 from noon to 2:30 p.m..  There will be no costume contest this year but the Parks and Recreation Department is looking forward to a bigger event next year.

“We are planning to bring the costume contest back as part of an even bigger event next year to kick off Downtown Trick-or-Treating.  2021 will be a great year,” said Trina Vetter, special event coordinator for the city Department of Parks and Recreation.  “We are asking people to still be conscientious of the health concerns and wear a mask that covers their nose and mouth as they trick-or-treat downtown.  It is a great time to pull out some creativity and decorate those coverings – but still a chance to come out and enjoy our wonderful downtown businesses.”

With the cancellation of the Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce Annual Halloween Parade, the city of Edwardsville has planned for trick-or-treating to be held only on Oct. 31, from 4 to 9 p.m.  “It is our priority to keep everyone healthy this Halloween. We feel that limiting trick-or-treating to the traditional Oct. 31 is the right move for our community,” said Parks and Recreation Director Nate Tingley. “We encourage everyone to celebrate with their families, trick-or-treat safely in their own neighborhoods using social distancing guidelines and sanitizing hands frequently, and have a Healthy Halloween.”

The city of Edwardsville also released the following guidelines for trick-or-treating.

– Keep your group size limited to those in your immediate household.
– Remain 6 feet away from anyone outside of your group.
– Wipe down candy or leave in your bucket for 48 hours after trick-or-treating
– Whether handing out candy or trick-or-treating, be courteous to others by wearing a mask that covers your nose and mouth. Carry hand sanitizer and use regularly.
– For those handing out candy, wear gloves or sanitize your hands frequently, drop candy into awaiting trick-or-treaters’ bags, and avoid allowing kids to reach into the candy bowl on their own.
– Mark 6-foot lines on the sidewalk in front of your home and leading to your driveway/front door to help small visitors know how far apart to stand.
– Place a table or some other barrier between yourself and visiting trick-or-treaters to ensure they remain 6 feet away.  Consider placing candy on the table for trick-or-treaters to choose themselves.
– As driveways are usually wider and provide more room, consider setting a table on your driveway.
– If you are not participating, remember to turn off your outdoor lights to signal to others that your house is not handing out candy this year.
– If you or anyone in your home are exhibiting symptoms or if you have had contact with anyone potentially exposed to the COVID-19 virus, please stay home, do not hand out candy, and enjoy the Halloween remotely this year.

The city of Edwardsville will release more information regarding the Trick or Treat Drive-Thru as on its website, www.cityofedwardsville.com, and their Facebook page.

“We have some fun ideas to help families make this Halloween an even more memorable one,” said Vetter.  “I personally love some of these ideas enough that I think they will become part of my new tradition.”