Trick-Or-Treat Safely In Bolingbrook Amid Pandemic

BOLINGBROOK, IL — Halloween will have a much different feel in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Trick-or-treating in large groups and hosting parties are against recommendations, but some people have found creative ways to keep the spirit of the annual Oct. 31 holiday.

Trick-or-treating is on in Bolingbrook. This year, trick-or-treating hours will be from 3-7 p.m. on Oct. 31. Safety guidelines issued by the village are:

• Turn on your porch light if you want to be visited by trick-or-treaters.
• Have one person hand out candy and wear gloves, if possible.
• Trick-or-treaters should only visit houses/apartments of people they know.
• Children should use sidewalks where available and walk, not run, between houses.
• Use caution when crossing streets and only cross at intersections when clear of traffic.
• Costumes should be light and bright, so they are clearly visible to motorists and it is suggested that trick-or-treaters carry a flashlight.
• Parents should inspect candy and goodies before allowing children to eat.
• Motorists should be vigilant and extra alert during trick-or-treat hours.
• Know which friend(s) your child is traveling with if not accompanied by an adult.
• The Bolingbrook Fire Department advises using battery operated lights (not candles) to illuminate Jack-O'lanterns to avoid any contact with flammable materials if the pumpkin gets knocked over.
• The Bolingbrook Police and Fire departments will have additional units on the streets during the posted hours.
• Homes that do not wish to participate in trick-or-treating should keep their porch lights turned off. They can also print out the flyer prepared by the village and paste it on their windows to let others know. The flyer can be found on the village website.

"We recognize everyone will make their own health and safety decisions that is best for their children and their home. Please be respectful of your neighbors decisions," the Village of Bolingbrook website states.

Traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating, where treats are handed directly to children, is considered a high-risk activity this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Unlike St. Patrick’s Day, when the pandemic was just a few days old, Halloween enthusiasts have had time to prepare for different kinds of celebrations this year.

Building a candy chute has been touted as a fast and fairly simple way to ensure trick-or-treaters can get the sweets without contact.

An Arlington, Virginia, woman told the Washington, D.C., ABC affiliate she bought a PVC pipe, had the kids paint it orange and black, decorated it and attached it to the porch.

Transforming a front yard into a candy graveyard and holding a Halloween egg hunt are among 14 other ideas for low-contact trick-or-treating shared by Fun365, a website that offers party, wedding and classroom ideas.

Lower-risk activities recommended by the CDC include carving pumpkins, decorating the house, having a Halloween-themed scavenger hunt and a virtual costume contest.

“If you may have COVID-19 or you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should not participate in in-person Halloween festivities and should not give out candy to trick-or-treaters,” the CDC states.

Before kids go out trick or treating on Halloween, it is also a good idea to take an inventory of who is living in your neighborhood. Bolingbrook currently has 49 registered sex offenders listed on the Illinois Sex Offender Registry.

Check out the map with their addresses here.