Halloween in Elmwood Park

While Halloween in the historic Elmwood Park neighborhood is not cancelled, the Elmwood Park Neighborhood Association (EPNA) is asking residents and visitors to practice social distancing, wear COVID-appropriate masks, and to be safe when crossing popular streets in the neighborhood if they plan to participate in Halloween festivities on Saturday, October 31st.

In recent years, Elmwood Park has seen anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 trick-or-treaters on Halloween evening. Residents from Main Street to Gadsden Street and Confederate Avenue to Elmwood Avenue trim their homes in spooky decorations to welcome neighbors and visitors from beyond the boundaries of the neighborhood, some going as far as setting up haunted-house type displays in their yards.

With this year’s COVID-19 pandemic, celebrations for the frightful night have been slow to ramp up. That’s mainly because households are unsure on how to proceed. The EPNA Board polled residents regarding the traffic barricades traditionally erected in the neighborhood on Halloween and will honor the results, which favored forgoing the barricades this year to discourage trick-or-treating. Residents who do not wish to give out candy have also been asked to leave their porch lights off as a sign to any trick-or-treaters present that they are not participating.  Trick-or-treaters are encouraged to respect the wishes of residents and refrain from approaching homes that do not have their lights on.

“The City of Columbia has left the decision on how to handle Halloween this year up to individual neighborhoods,” said Aaron West, EPNA Board President. “Many of our residents have indicated that they will not be participating in Halloween to the level that has been done in the past in an effort to discourage trick-or-treating and do their part to decrease the spread of COVID-19..  We hate that such a beloved annual tradition won’t be happening this year, but due to the severity of the COVID virus, we feel it’s the best decision for all involved.”

West noted that any residents or visitors who trick-or-treat or give out candy in Elmwood Park do so at their own risk. For those who decide to participate in Halloween festivities, the EPNA suggests adhering to the CDC’s public health guidelines.

To keep the spirit of Halloween alive in Elmwood Park, the EPNA Board has deemed October 26-31 “Halloweek” and will share Halloween-inspired activities in which neighbors can participate on its social media pages. Residents are encouraged to follow the EPNA’s profiles on Facebook and Instagram for updates about Halloweek and other neighborhood happenings.