Trick-or-treating hours in the Village of St. Joseph will be from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, October 31. The use of face coverings, hand sanitizer, and social distancing (at least 6 feet) from others will always be required (per IDPH Guidelines), when outdoors while participating or chaperoning.
Trick-or-treating will be challenging amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic this year and may look different from previous Halloweens. However, for those who ARE welcoming trick-or-treaters to their home, leave your porch lights on to indicate you are participating. If you do not have a porch light, place a clearly marked sign welcoming trick-or treaters or indicating you are not participating. For trick-or-treaters, if you do not see a home with a porch light on or a sign posted, we ask that you respect the wishes of those homeowners by bypassing those residences.
The Village is also sponsoring a contest to see who can create the safest, imaginative, and clever way to deliver candy. Each homeowner is encouraged to create a candy-delivery system to promote social distancing while also keeping the spirit of Halloween alive.
Trick or treaters are encouraged to nominate any home with a delivery system to the Village office on Nov. 2. Nominations can be written on a piece of paper and placed in the overnight mail slot or dropped off on Monday. The winner will receive a gift card from one of our local businesses.
“I thought this would be fun to encourage social distancing while distributing candy,” Mayor Tami Fruhling-Voges said. “The village has some very creative community members that hopefully will enjoy coming up with something. The kids will love it!
COVID-19 TRICK-OR-TREATING GUIDELINES
If you and your family do decide to trick-or-treat this Halloween, here are a few guidelines to follow that will help protect our community and accommodate a safe Halloween experience for both participants and non-participants:
Trick or Treaters and Those Giving Candy:
If you have COVID-19, developed symptoms consistent with COVID-19, are under quarantine, have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, or are in a higher risk category, you should not participate in in-person Halloween festivities.
- Wear a mask – Incorporate a mask or face covering into your costume. Please remember that rubber or plastic masks do not offer any protection from the virus, so have a protective cloth mask layered into a costume’s decorative mask.
- Practice good hand hygiene – If you choose to go house to house for trick-or treating or give treats, be prepared to practice good hand hygiene. Bring along hand sanitizer to use before you move from one location to another. A suggestion for those giving treats; give to a single person to limit contact with others. Also wash your hands as frequently as possible.
- Maintain social distances – While it is fun to go trick-or-treating with friends, due to the COVID-19 risk, keep the group limited to family members who are within your protected “bubble”. Gathering in groups with people from outside your household increases the risks. When you are walking around with your child, you do not want to go into a big group of people or into crowded areas. Please remember that keeping social distance (at least 6 feet) from others is important to limiting the spread of the virus. Those passing out treats consider alternative ways to limit contact with trick or treaters. Be creative and inventive!
- Avoid “Face to Face” exposure – Interactions at any given doorway or front porch should be very brief and as limited as possible, which will help reduce the risk of exposure. Trick or Treaters and those giving candy should always wear their mask.
- Avoid eating candy while trick or treating – Encourage Trick or Treaters to be sure hands have been sanitized before opening and eating candy. Those giving out candy can consider this a diet saver. Wash Your Hands Frequently!!
- Porch light must be on – If a homeowner is participating, they will keep their porch light on. If they do not have a porch light, they will have a clearly marked sign welcoming trick-or treaters or indicating they are not participating. This is long-standing basic Halloween etiquette. If no light is on, do not go to that home. A yard light, common in many subdivisions, that usually comes on automatically at dusk is not considered a porch light and should not be an indication that it is ok to go to your door.
Those Not Participating Keep Your Porch Light Off!! If Your Porch Light Cannot Be Shut Off, clearly mark Your Porch or Front Door “NO TRICK OR TREATING”!!
AS ALWAYS DRIVE SAFELY, USE THE SIDEWALKS, BRING A FLASHLIGHT, AND LOOK BEFORE CROSSING THE STREET.
