Phoenixville Boro Issues Alternatives To Trick-Or-Treating

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — Phoenixville mayor Pete Urscheler has issued a list of low-risk activities that can replace trick-or-treating in the borough this Halloween, as he recommended against the traditional activity.

"Halloween, like all of our annual traditions, will be very different this year," the mayor began his announcement, released earlier this week.

"For your safety and that of your neighbors, we are Not Recommending trick-or-treating take place this year and we will not issue traditional guidance on trick-or-treating hours," Urscheler said.

The borough is holding a virtual costume contest, virtual coloring contest, and a "Spookily Distant Drive-Thru Halloween Display" on Oct. 31. These events are posted here.

Based on Center for Disease Control guidance, Phoenixville is not recommending door-to-door or "trunk-or-treat" events where kids pick up candy in parking lots. Parties with people not in one's own household are also on the not-recommended list, as are haunted houses, which include indoor groups and screaming.

The list also recommends against travel to fall festivals, and reminds residents the using alcohol and drugs tends to cloud judgment and "increase risky behaviors."

On the low-risk activity list are pumpkin carving with your own household, decorating at a distance outdoors, no-touch scavenger hunts that can be a form a trick-or-treating at home, Halloween movie night with your household, and virtual costume contests.

The mayor noted that Halloween is not an official borough holiday, and trick-or-treating has not been an official borough-sponsored event.

The Civic Alert can be read in full here.