The Covid-19 pandemic has affected Halloween activities tremendously this year, with many things being closed or limited to a reduced capacity, but the options are more than 2020.
Last year, in the midst of the pandemic most places were nearly completely closed and were imposing strict safety protocols.
While Covid-19 remains ever present, events are happening in new ways to celebrate spooky season.
Dell’Osso Family Farm in Lathrop is operating smaller haunted houses, with fewer people moving through at any time.
Dell’Osso staff are also required to wear masks, socially distance themselves from others and maintain a clean and sanitary workstation. Although staff must follow these safety protocols, customers are not required to wear masks to enter the farm.
The Centers for Diseases Control (CDC) in Atlanta issued revised holiday guidance in mid October, encouraging mask wearing, encouraging vaccinations for those eligible, avoiding crowds in non-ventilated areas, and avoiding hosting gatherings.
“By working together, we can enjoy safer holidays, travel, and protect our own health as well as the health of our family and friends,” said the CDC communication.
Other notable variations to classic Halloween events include:
- The Children’s Museum of Stockton is doing a goody bag distribution of candy from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 24 where staying in the car is required.
- The City of Stockton will host a “Spooktacular” showing of Cruella beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 29. The movie showing is at 6:30 p.m. In year’s past, there have been candy stations for attendees to trick or treat. Instead, children will receive a bag of candy and a ticket for a free popcorn.
- University of the Pacific has no information regarding its popular “Safe Trick or Treat” event for the second year. The Stockton main campus was typically flooded with children trick or treating in campus buildings on a Wednesday evening before Halloween. The event was also canceled in 2020.
Not only have activities like these been affected by the pandemic but so have parties. Halloween parties used to be huge and a big deal for young people, but that has changed greatly due to the pandemic.
Last year there were very few Halloween parties, and the ones that did happen were very small. This year many people are throwing Halloween parties as if everything is back to normal.
Anabelle Yang, a dual enrollment student at Delta said she is going to attend a smaller party but knows “a lot of people that are doing bigger Halloween parties.”
Students such as first-year Delta College student Kevin Hernandez, agreed the pandemic has negatively impacted their Halloween plans for the past two years.
The pandemic has even affected younger children’s Halloween experience. Last year very few houses left out anything for trick or treaters and if they did it was just a bowl left out at the end of the driveway.
This year many places are coming up with better ways to ensure that kids are getting a good Halloween experience, while also being safe.
Some communities like churches and schools are setting up smaller trick or treating for younger children where they make sure to social distance and wear masks.
This ensures that children still get to dress up and have a Halloween all the while staying safe.
With CDC encouraging fewer people at gatherings, it’s recommended that an earlier approach to taking advantage of regular Halloween haunts happens.
Dell’Osso Family Farms has fewer people during weekdays than on weekends, plus tickets are cheaper.
Other ways to celebrate small:
- Invite a few friends over to have a horror movie night
- Celebrate Halloween on a different day to avoid big crowds
- Drive around and look at Halloween decorations with friends