North Tonawanda Announces Plans for Halloween Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
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By: Arthur Pappas
Mayor of North Tonawanda
This year presents new ideas and challenges for the holidays. Since we are still attempting to keep the rate of COVID-19 infection low there are new guidelines for Halloween from the CDC. Their recommendations are to avoid door-to-door trick or treating although Governor Cuomo did say it was allowed in NYS. However, CDC also advises against costume masks and using cloth masks instead.
It is also recommended that attending large indoor parties should be avoided as well as haunted house settings. Traditional activities of the past are considered high risk and should be replaced with low risk activities such as carving pumpkins, decorating one’s home, outdoor scavenger hunts and movie nights with the family.
With these recommendations in mind, NT will conduct a car Halloween Haunted Havoc drive thru at Pine Woods Park on Saturday, October 24, 2020 from 7 to 10 pm. Please bring a canned good donation in lieu of a fee. Cars will enter the given route and observe Halloween stations as they pass by concluding with a treat bag at the end of the drive thru. Families may dress up, decorate their cars but not exit the vehicle. We are attempting to provide a safe alternative to past activities. Please consider these suggestions, refraining from large gatherings to expose children as well as adults to further the spread of the virus and the flu.
If you do choose to go door to door in your neighborhood, please do so between the hours of 5:30pm and 7:30pm. Residents who pass out treats please wear a proper COVID mask. Participants are encouraged to stay in their respective neighborhood and attend friends and family houses. I hope that everyone will stay safe and healthy after participating in the holiday festivities.
