Haunted Depot & Downtown Costume Contest Canceled In Benicia

BENICIA, CA — Two of Benicia's most popular Halloween events — the Haunted Railroad Depot and downtown's Costume Contest & Sidewalk Stroll — are canceled for 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Another "Main Street" tradition, however, the Annual Scarecrow Display, will go proceed this year, according to organizers.

Planning complications stemming from COVID-19 mandates "unfortunately" led to the cancellations, said Nancy Martinez of Benicia Main Street, downtown's non-profit organization.

Sure to be particularly missed this year will be the Haunted Depot — an annual, multi-weekend extravaganza that typically transformed the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot on First Street into a festive, family-friendly attraction melding sweet and frightful. Tentative dates for 2020 were Oct. 23-24 and Oct. 30-31.

This year's Halloween Costume Contest and Sidewalk Stroll was planned for Saturday, Oct. 24. First Street merchants set the tone for this event for little trick-or-treaters and shoppers — one that often included a costume contest for pups, too.

Still on the 2020 agenda, the Downtown Scarecrow Display kicks off Oct. 1 and runs through the month, as shop owners show off their farm-influenced creativity. No contest or voting on top displays will be held this year, but, so far, more than 40 businesses are slated to participate for 2020. See the list here.

Benicia Main Street organizers are not alone in scrapping large-scale, Halloween events due to the pandemic. The world-renowned Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival also canceled this year, as did Livermore's crowd-drawing, G&M Farms corn maze and Fremont's 50-year Candle Lighters Ghost House.

Other organizations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, meanwhile, are revamping to operate this year, including Pleasanton's legendary "Pirates of Emerson" haunt (swiveling to a drive-thru format) and Dixon's Cool Patch Pumpkins, which will run its corn maze with widened paths.

Follow this link for the latest updates and goings-on from Benicia Main Street.

• ALSO SEE: Cool Patch Pumpkins & Corn Maze 2020 Opens This Weekend In Dixon