Will US Halloween 2020 be celebrated or is it cancelled?
It’s not cancelled of course; but some activities will have to change. Keep yourself and others safe while getting your fright-fix this year.
The great news is that no, Halloween is not cancelled. But it will definitely be different this year. Traditional-style trick-or-treating is out, pumpkin carving, scavenger hunts and scary movies are in.
This year in the US;
Covid-19 has done a pretty good job of scaring away a lot of great things this year, but is Halloween one of them? Not if you follow the guidelines and get a bit creative; after all, the kids could do with having a bit of fun.
What is it safe to do this Halloween?
Here are the covid-19 transmission risk categories for events, according to the CDC:
With the CDC's guidelines in mind, it's safe to say that some Halloween traditions aren't at all safe during the pandemic, and could be restricted moving forward. Halloween parties or events, like those at schools or community centers, will look vastly different this year, if they're held at all. And given that some states have travel restrictions to keep new cases at bay (CNN has published a full list of restrictions), any sort of long-distance travel for Halloween tours in spooky locales will be more difficult, as well as risky.
What covid-safe Halloween events are on?
The New York Times has compiled a list of six drive-through movies and events all over the country. If there’s one near you, it’s relatively safe and super spooky.
Lehighton, Pennsylvania
On the menu here is a double feature of “The Thing From Another World” (1951) and “The Thing” (1982) and a screening of “Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master” with cast members making an appearance, including Lisa Wilcox, who played the final girl and the Freddy Krueger opponent Alice Johnson.
Pilsen, Chicago
Music Box of Horrors at the Drive-In
Celebrating this scare season with a 31-night run of drive in movies. Horror theme nights include Grindhouse Fridays (“Evilspeak” and “Black Christmas”) and Sequel Sundays (“Psycho 3,” “Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night 2”).
Splendora, Texas
Not a move night, but guaranteed to give you a fright. Taking it slow at two to three miles an hour, cars drive round the 10 installations, with while costumed actors and vivid animatronics, making up scenes such as a haunted carnival and a killer gas station.
Costa Mesa, California
The NY Times reports that on this drive, cars take paths to four outdoor spaces featuring elaborately designed, creepy set pieces where stories based on Southern California urban legends come to life. Expect to see supernatural cave dwellers inspired by the nearby Blackstar Canyon and a “warehouse rave disco queen” update of the Bloody Mary myth.
Los Angeles
An open-air drive along Legg Lake, with a “creature safari,” where you can search forcostumed monsters among the trees, haunted tableaus, where masked characters deliver pre-packed bites, including cinnamon-sugar doughnut churros, and fall-inspired drinks like hot apple cider and a virtual campfire consisting of 3-D projections of flickering flames and ghost stories that come to life.
Roseville, Minnesota
As camp as it is creepy, this show takes place at a parking lot at the Rosedale Center mall outside Minneapolis. You’ll watch a short film on your phone about a murderer on the loose, then hand in your phone and your car keys. The rest remains a mystery, but safe to say your car might need a clean from the blood and gore by the end...
If you're hoping to go to an event and aren't sure if it's going ahead, USA today has compiled a list of the 37 announced events that are cancelled across the country.
If you do go out this Halloween, avoid passing candies or other items person-to-person, follow social distancing guidelines and stay in the open air, wear a good mask properly (two or three layers of fabric, and over your mouth and nose) and bring hand sanitiser.
Find out all about why we celebrate Halloween.