Banning To Host Beloved 'Trunk-Or-Treat' Oct. 25

BANNING, CA — The annual Spooktacular Trunk-or-Treat is returning to Banning on Oct. 25, offering a free, family-friendly opportunity for children to celebrate Halloween.

The event kicks off at 4 p.m. at the Banning Community Center, located at 789 North San Gorgonio Ave., where trunks of all shapes and sizes will be decked out with spooky, Halloween decor.

"Come out and trick or treat in a fun, friendly, and safe environment," the city said.

Trunk-or-treating originated as a way to make the candy-filled Halloween tradition safer for children. By moving the holiday from the uncertainty of door-to-door collecting to the security of a church or school parking lot, it’s often seen as a safer alternative to traditional trick-or-treating, with fewer risks from cars, strangers handing out candy, and children wandering off.

The alternative also allowed families to take their children out for candy collecting while observing social distancing guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It also became an answer to the conundrum of housing spread far apart across rural areas like the Inland Empire. The tradition appears to have originated sometime in the 1990s, according to multiple reports. In a 2006 article, the New York Times called it "Halloween tailgating."