FRANKLIN COUNTY – Halloween is bound to look a bit different this year with parents concerned about observing social distancing boundaries and other Covid preventative measures. Though the CDC has determined that door-to-door trick or treating is “high risk”, communities are trying to find ways to still celebrate Halloween in lower risk ways. In response to this, the towns of Franklin County are each hosting different events for families to celebrate the holiday in enjoyable and safe ways.
The town of Wilton will be hosting a modified Trunk or Treat event on Oct. 31 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The event will begin with a parade that can feature anyone wanting to join. Kids of all ages are encouraged to dress up in their best costumes and ride inside their vehicles. To ensure that the children participating in the parade get a taste of their door-to-door traditions, Wilton is arranging for “treaters” to hand out candy to the passing cars. They’ll approach wearing gloves and masks to adhere to guidelines. The parade will begin at Food City and end at The New Great Wall. The sidewalks will be closed to all other pedestrians.
The Farmington Parks and Recreation Department has partnered with local businesses to arrange a Drive-Through Trunk or Treat Spooktacular at the community center parking lot on Oct. 30.
“We started contacting local businesses to see if they would be interested in participating in a community event and we received enough positive responses that we knew we could put the event on. After that it was just a matter of getting things organized,” Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation, Michael Muise said on involving the community to develop a safe and fun way to celebrate.
Parents can bring their children to the drive-through event from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., but pre-registration for the event is required, as organizers will need to assign parents a time to come through. Groups will get 15 minutes to view the decorated trucks and trailers that local businesses have put on for display and get their annual Halloween treats. Candy bags will be given to every child in 8th grade and younger, curtesy of Walmart and United Way.
Titcomb Mountain will also be hosting its Third Annual Trail of Terror. For two nights, on Oct. 30 and Oct 31, community members can see Titcomb Mountain in a scarier light. This year, tickets must be purchased ahead of time for specific time slots and those in attendance are expected to be mindful of Covid safety standards.
The University of Maine Farmington is modifying their Halloween activities as well, encouraging students to take part in a virtual Halloween costume contest. In previous years, the University has opened its residence halls to local trick-or-treaters, but this tradition will not take place this year to observe the safety of the community’s youngest members as well as the University’s students.
