Celebrate Halloween Safely in Arlington
By Office of Communication
Posted on October 20, 2020, October 20, 2020
Trick-or-treat bucket with candy, hand sanitizer and mask

Halloween will certainly look different this year. But there are ways to enjoy the holiday, while protecting yourself and others from the new coronavirus, COVID-19.

Here are a few ways to celebrate safely.

  • Oct. 28: Arlington Parks & Recreation's Tiny Tots Trail: Head to the Dottie Lynn Recreation Center for an indoor adventure featuring games, treats and a costume parade. The Tiny Tots Trail is open to children 5 years old and younger. Tickets are $6 per child, and pre-registration is required. You can register by clicking here or by calling 817-277-5001. Attendees must practice social distancing, and masks are mandatory for adults. 
  • Oct. 31: River Legacy Foundation's Coffee & Creatures: Enjoy time outdoors with some truly creepy crawlers. The River Legacy Foundation is hosting guided hikes on Halloween, starting from the Living Science Center. The hikes begin at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. There will also be live animals on site plus free coffee and hot chocolate. You must pre-register online. Admission is free for children 2 and under, and $3 for everyone else. Masks are mandatory for guests ages 10 and older. Click here to learn more. 
  • Oct 31: Arlington Public Library's Drive-Thru Halloween Parade: It's spooky season at the Arlington Public Library, and the team has created a clever way to celebrate. The Southwest Branch (3311 SW Green Oaks Boulevard) is hosting a drive-thru parade on Halloween, from 10:30 a.m. until noon. Families are encouraged to wear their favorite costumes and have fun engaging in songs, puppet conversations, bubble magic and more, all from the comfort of their vehicles. But the festivities don’t stop there. Each child will receive a spook-takular take-home craft from the Library. The event is free and geared toward children 5 years old and younger. Click here to learn more. 
  • Oct. 31: Arlington Police Department's Trunk or Treat: Meet the officers keeping Arlington safe while collecting some treats, as well. The Arlington Police Department is hosting a Trunk or Treat drive-thru event at the South Patrol Service Center (1030 SW Green Oaks Boulevard) from 3-5 p.m. Guests must stay in their cars but will have the chance to wave at police and see McGruff the Crime Dog. 
  • Oct. 31: Howl-O-Ween at Arlington Animal Services: Bring your family and pets to Arlington Animal Services (1000 SE Green Oaks Boulevard) for Howl-O-Ween. The event is a partnership with Respect A Bull, a program animals to teach anti-bullying lessons. Photos will be available for a donation. Click here to learn more. 
  • Oct. 31: Halloween at Esports Stadium: It's all fun and games at Esports Stadium Arlington. The gaming center is hosting a Halloween party from 6 p.m. until midnight. Guests who come in a costume will receive half off admission and free game time. Click here to learn more. 
  • Weekends through Nov. 1: Six Flags Over Texas Presents HALLOWFEST: Six Flags, in Arlington's Entertainment District, is back with even more thrills. The park is hosting a variety of Halloween events with programs geared toward families and children during the day. By night, things get much more spooky. Guests must wear masks and reserve their space ahead of time. Click here to learn more.  

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has also created a guide to help celebrate safely. According to the agency, lower-risk activities include:

  • Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them
  • Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends
  • Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
  • Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance
  • Having a virtual Halloween costume contest
  • Having a Halloween movie night with people you live with
  • Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house

Moderate risk activities include:

  • Participating in one-way trick-or-treating where individually wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go while continuing to social distance (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard)
    • If you are preparing goodie bags, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 second before and after preparing the bags.
  • Having a small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade where people are distanced more than 6 feet apart
  • Attending a costume party held outdoors where protective masks are used and people can remain more than 6 feet apart
    • A costume mask (such as for Halloween) is not a substitute for a cloth mask. A costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around the face.
    • Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.
  • Going to an open-air, one-way, walk-through haunted forest where appropriate mask use is enforced, and people can remain more than 6 feet apart
    • If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
  • Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing
  • Having an outdoor Halloween movie night with local family friends with people spaced at least 6 feet apart
    • If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
    • Lower your risk by following CDC’s recommendations on hosting gatherings or cook-outs.

The CDC advises against higher risk activities, including:

  • Participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door
  • Having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots
  • Attending crowded costume parties held indoors
  • Going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming
  • Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household
  • Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgement and increase risky behaviors
  • Traveling to a rural fall festival that is not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID-19

Click here to learn more about the CDC's Halloween guidelines.

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