Halloween is not completely canceled this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but like many other holidays and events, it won’t be the same.
At this point, Seymour plans to allow residential trick-or-treating from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31, but officials are asking people to take precautions to stay safe.
Those measures include maintaining social distance, using a face mask that covers the nose and mouth and keeping hands sanitized throughout the night.
"We encourage everyone to follow the guidelines, and we’ll be working with the county health department to determine how to do that," Mayor Matt Nicholson said.
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Town councils in Medora and Crothersville also have approved trick-or-treating from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31. The Brownstown Town Council has not yet discussed its plans.
Those who have symptoms of COVID-19 or have recently been exposed to the virus should not go trick-or-treating, and people should not hand out candy if there is a positive case in their household. Also, trick-or-treaters should only go to homes of people they know and trust.
Councilman Bret Cunningham said families need to make their own decision about trick-or-treating and whether they want their children to participate.
"It’s not mandatory," he said.
Seymour’s plans could change, Nicholson added, depending on any updates later this month from Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb.
Nicholson recently brought up the topic at a city council meeting, asking members what they thought about the issue.
"There’s been a lot of questions coming in about what are we doing with trick-or-treating," he said. "If you believe everything you read on the internet, we’ve obviously already canceled it and taken away Christmas, too."
That isn’t the case, he added, but said this is the first time they’ve talked about it since February.
Clerk-Treasurer Darrin Boas said from what he has heard, most municipalities are participating in Halloween in some way.
The Seymour Evening Lions Club also at this time is planning on having its annual Halloween parade the last week of October, said event chairman Jerry Roberts.
That event attracts 400 to 500 children and families, many in costumes, who line the downtown parade route. The parade is led by the Seymour High School Marching Owls.
"We’re just waiting to see if the governor issues new guidelines," Roberts said. "We really want to try to have something, even if we have to modify it some."
Seymour Main Street has not announced if its annual Downtown Trick or Treat event will take place.
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Community trick-or-treating hours
Seymour: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31
Crothersville: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31
Medora: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31
Brownstown: TBD
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