With a pandemic still very present, many are figuring out how to celebrate Halloween safely. It is impossible to safely take your child trick-or-treating or to go to a get together without being at high risk of contracting the virus.
The CDC released information regarding how to handle the celebration of Halloween in this pandemic. The CDC recommends that if you do plan on participating in traditional trick-or-treating to “avoid direct contact with trick-or-treaters, give out treats outdoors, if possible, set up a station with individually bagged treats for kids to take, wash hands before handling treats, and of course, wear a mask.”
Instead of trick or treating, the CDC provided numerous alternatives in order to reduce the risk of contracting the virus, those 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, and having a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house.”
There are many alternatives you can do to celebrate Halloween, but local communities in Kern County have planned festivities to celebrate Halloween.
Some residents plan to not celebrate at all but most do. When accessing the Neighborhood app, many residents of Bakersfield claim they will continue to hand out candy in the traditional manner. Some residents in Rosedale even claim that they will not be wearing a mask or practice social distancing.
Delano usually celebrates with its annual trunk-or-treat event. It is an event in which the community gives candy from the trunk of their car at a specified location and the children and adolescents of the community trick or treat from trunk to trunk.
The event is run by Delano Police Department and Delano Recreation Department, and this year they have altered the event to prevent further spread of COVID-19 by staying in compliance with the Governor’s orders in regard to the virus. Intend of coming together, the organizations have planned to have a drive-thru event through the Delano Police Department’s parking lot.
They will be giving out candy while playing music, and having the area decorated and the community will stay in their vehicles, wears a face mask, and follow the traffic laws to receive a bag of candy per child.
The city of McFarland holds an annual Cops and Candy Event. In this event, the McFarland Police Department and other sponsors block off the street of the police department and provide games, food, contests, raffles, and prizes for the community.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the McFarland Police Department had decided to withdraw from the event and any possible alternative this year. Although the McFarland Police department is not celebrating Halloween this year with the community, McFarland Parks and Recreation and McFarland High School are.
McFarland Parks and Recreation intends on creating a drive-thru Halloween event. They are giving out bags of candy to those driving in their vehicles and wear their mask. The community is invited to wear their costumes and follow the rules and regulations and they will receive a bag of treats.
McFarland High School Associated Student Body is also planning an event referred to as Fall Festival. They plan on holding an event similar to a pumpkin patch for their student body. Activities, such as costume contests and pumpkin carving contests, are to be expected at this event.
Masks will be required, social distancing will be enforced, and the capacity will be limited to create the safest environment for the students to enjoy themselves at their first school event.
Although the global pandemic has ruined many exciting plans for everyone, Kern County residents still found alternatives to safely celebrate Halloween this year.