With the notable exception of Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, the last “trick” that prevented Halloween festivities, the spooky holiday has gone on in Pelham annually. This year in the face of COVID-19, some worried that, not unlike the Grinch who stole Christmas, Mayor Chance Mullen would put a stop to the holiday. Luckily that was not the case.

Mullen said, “I am not restricting Halloween. We will not be enforcing any extra rules, but try to be creative in the ways that we celebrate.” 

And though, in the end, Governor Andrew Cuomo’s edicts trump any local decisions on the holiday,  the governor too has not nullified Halloween. He has suggested that parents follow CDC recommendations and, as for how kids celebrate, the Governor said, “I will leave this decision up to the parents.”

The holiday has been a favorite of children and teens who enjoy scampering around the neighborhood collecting candy. Although still allowed, traditional trick or treating may still carry a risk, but there are other ways to celebrate Halloween. 

For example, decorating pumpkins or your house. These activities pose little risk to people and are still a way to celebrate Halloween. 

Some events scheduled to happen locally are “Halloween- a Haunted History” on October 24. This is a ZOOM event that examines some of the history and traditions of the scary holiday. To get a link for this event, contact [email protected]. For younger kids, Heidi Carey, an architectural educator, will be leading an event called“Boo-chitechure” which teaches lessons on  how to create your own model Haunted House on October 21. This event will take place at the Gazebo on 5th avenue. The class is limited to ten people, and is on a first come first serve basis. Signups can be found at  www.pelhamrecreation.com. 

The most important part of the holiday is to have fun and to stay safe. For more information on safe seasonal events check the Pelham Community Calendar, or look a look at the CDC guidelines for Halloween, which you can find at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/halloween.html