Communities consider ban on trick or treating due to pandemicDate: 9/23/2020 GREATER SPRINGFIELD – Another victim of the pandemic is trick or treating, at least in the city of Springfield.
Mayor Domenic Sarno has announced his administration will not allow trick or treating this year as part of the city’s efforts to restrict the spread of COVID-19.
Other mayors are not taking such a step, not at least at this time.
Other communities are allowing trick or treating but are cancelling municipally hosted Halloween events.
Westfield Mayor Donald Humason Jr. said, “We have no intention of doing that because government can’t control that even if we tried.” Humason explained there would be no city-sponsored events this year, though.
“We’ll leave it to the people to use their wisdom and judgment,” he added.
Agawam Mayor William Sapelli said he has made no decision at this point and probably would not make any such decision until at least Oct. 1. He said he would take direction from state officials, if there were any, about trick or treating. He has also consulted with the town’s Health Department about trick or treating.
Easthampton Mayor Nicolle LaChapelle told Reminder Publishing, “Last night at city council [Sept. 16], I canceled the Halloween Rag Shag Parade and the Park and Recreation Department’s Fall Festival for 2020.” Trick or treating is left up to people to decide.
Carly Carmossi, West Springfield’s outreach coordinator, said trick or treating would not be banned. “The enforcement part is hard and we want the kiddos to have some normalcy,” said Carmossi. The town will be making a push to inform and educate families ahead of the holiday. In addition to yearly safety precautions such as carrying a flashlight and not eating any homemade treats, the town will be reminding families to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines, such as making sure their children wear a mask or face covering, maintain social distancing and wash all candy packages.
The Parks and Recreation Department will not be hosting its annual Halloween Party for West Springfield children. Instead, several small group events are being arranged in which children could take part in the traditions that are usually a part of the annual party.
She added, “We want the kids to enjoy themselves but stay healthy at the same time.”
Chicopee Mayor John Vieau said he is actively considering a decision on the matter. Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse has not responded by press time.
Sarno and Health and Human Services Commissioner Caulton-Harris stated, “We have all worked so hard to continue to defeat this COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic by currently being designated a ‘green zone’, we just don’t want to go backwards. We must continue to be smart and safe in order to continue to build public, consumer, and business confidence.”
Sarno is recommending that drive by, drive through, drive in, and/or car parade events could take the place of door-to-door trick or treating.
When asked about the public’s reaction to the announcement, William Baker, the mayor’s communications director, told Reminder Publishing, “Feedback has been positive though some have been disappointed. Overall, residents understand that we are still dealing with this COVID-19 pandemic and unfortunately need to take measures out of an abundance of caution and for the betterment of public health. There have been a few who have expressed their disappointment but we’re hoping that families and organizations can get creative and do non-door to door events as was stated in the announcement by our board of public health, where the community spread potential would be less.”
In Springfield, “Door-to-door trick or treating is not allowed because it can be very difficult to maintain proper social distancing on porches and at front doors. It is also important to protect the health of the public and of persons who are isolated or quarantined,” according to guidelines sent out by the mayor’s office.
The following activities are not recommended in Springfield:
• Trick or treating events where children go from car to car instead of door to door to receive treats
• Gatherings or Parties with non-household members are not recommended even if they are conducted outdoors.
• Carnivals, festivals, live entertainments, and haunted house attractions are not recommended.
The following activities are permitted:
• Online parties/contest (e.g. costumes or pumpkin carving).
•Car parades that comply with public health guidance for vehicle based parades.
• Drive by events or contest where individuals dress up or decorate their vehicles and drive by “judges” that are appropriately physically distanced.
• Drive through events where individuals remain in their vehicles and drive through an area with Halloween displays.
• Drive in events where individuals receive a treat bag (limited to commercially packaged non-perishable treats) or take away item from an organizer while the participants remain in their vehicle.
The Hampden Board of Selectmen explained at their Sept. 21 meeting that a cancellation of the holiday wasn’t particularly enforceable.
Hampden Selectman John Flynn jokingly explained, “If someone’s walking down the street in a lion costume waiting for a Snickers, there’s not much we can do about it.”
Though the Hampden selectmen discussed Halloween at their meeting, they did not take a position. They asked interim Town Administrator Bob Markel to find out from the town counsel what legal authority they have to regulate or even cancel Halloween.
Markel explained to Reminder Publishing, “There were some who basically wondered if they did have the authority to do that, to say ‘you can’t put on a costume and walk down the street.’”
Markel said he will be in touch with the town counsel and will come back to the Board with information on what authority they have. Eventually, the Selectmen will reach a decision or review it again in early October.
The Wilbraham Board of Selectmen discussed the issue of establishing guidelines for Halloween during their meeting, but they did not make any decisions.
Wilbraham Town Administrator Nick Breault pointed out that the board intends to continue their discussion at the next meeting, scheduled for Sept. 28.
As of Sept. 22, no decision has been made in the town of Longmeadow regarding Halloween, and the Longmeadow Select Board will take this matter up again on Oct. 5.
On Halloween, East Longmeadow Town Manager Mary McNally said, “We don’t have any town-sponsored Halloween events, so we don’t have an official position about Halloween. The town doesn’t have particular events that we control or are in charge of.”
The way McNally is handling Halloween this year, she explained, is that any family which chooses to allow their children to go out and trick or treat is a personal choice.
“It’s up to them,” McNally responded. “We’re not encouraging it. The virus is still prevalent in the community. It’s still a dangerous element, but we’re not going to police the event nor forbidding it by any means or showing any sort of formal town policy prohibiting it. We would just encourage people to use common sense and hopefully keep their children safe.”
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