Halloween is one of the most fun annual events for both children and parents. There are costumes, candy, house decorations and, unlike Christmas or Easter, there’s “tricking” to go along with the treats. Halloween 2020 will be a bit different this year given public health measures. The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control has released official guidelines on how to have a safe and spooky Halloween this season, encouraging physical distancing, wearing masks and limiting the amount of people in each trick or treating group. Here are a few more of its guidelines:
- Skip Halloween parties this year
- Turn off your porch light and stay at home if you are sick or self-isolating
- Try including a non-medical mask or face covering as part of your costume
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often
Following the above protocols will ensure everyone stays safe but there are still plenty of ways to enjoy the day, and the spoooooky evening, in Castlegar. Here are five ways to enjoy Halloween in Castlegar this year in a safe way.
5 Ways To Enjoy Halloween in Castlegar This Year
#1. Visit The Castlegar Halloween Outdoor Market
The Castlegar Station Museum will be the site of a Halloween Market on Saturday, October 31 between 1-5pm. It’s hosted by the Castlegar Craft and Farmers Market and there will be vendors on site as well as candy bags for the kids. The organizers will be adhering to all physical distancing protocols making it a safe and fun experience for parents and kids alike on Halloween. More information can be found on the Facebook event page here.
#2. Walk Your Neighbourhood
After you’ve driven to the Halloween Outdoor Market and seen some of the decorated houses along the way, return home and walk your own neighbourhood. It’s never a good idea to walk busy streets but this year it’s even more important to stay closer to home. Show off your costumes in your neighbourhood and see all the nearby decorated homes at your own pace.
#3. Wear A Mask
Halloween allows you the opportunity to replace your daily mask with something a bit spookier, funnier, or cute. The BCCDC guidelines stipulate that Halloween masks are a good replacement but don’t wear a costume mask on top of a non-medical face mask as it could be difficult to breathe and thus pose a safety risk.
#4. Get Creative When Handing Out Treats
Unlike other years, those tasked with staying at home to dole out candy are going to have to be creative in the way it’s delivered. Firstly, ensure you’re wearing a mask that covers your mouth and nose and, if possible, stay outside so kids don’t have to ring your doorbell. If that’s not an option, be sure to clean and disinfect your doorbells, handrails, doorknobs and any other surface prone to being touched a lot. Here are a few other ideas for handing out candy:
- Rather than leaving out a bowl of candy for kids to rummage through, hand out individual pre-packaged and sealed goods.
- Use tongs or a baking sheet when offering candy.
- Better yet, use a fun, homemade tube or chute to deliver the candy.
- Or place candy around your yard for kids to find.
There are plenty of fun ideas for handing out treats this year. See video below for some more.
#5. Start Early & Respect Dark Houses
It’s always a good idea to trick or treat with young children while it’s still light out. And this year it’s even more important to ignore those houses without lights on as it could mean that the people inside are self-isolating. Also, trick or treaters should stick to group sizes no larger than six and to leave space for other children on stairs and sidewalks.