Salem Halloween Trick-Or-Treat Hours Set For Neighborhoods

SALEM, MA — Salem has set its official Halloween trick-or-treating hours for neighborhoods.

Residents are asked to conduct and expect trick-or-treating between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Halloween night.

Last year, the city called the decision to take part in the traditional Halloween activity "one that individual families must make on their own" despite rising coronavirus numbers in the city and a surge in cases statewide.

With coronavirus concerns waning this year, the city has not issued any additional guidelines pertaining to distancing and indoor activities.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky late last month endorsed outdoor trick-or-treating this Halloween season.

"I wouldn't necessarily go to a crowded Halloween party, but I think that we should be able to let our kids go trick-or-treating in small groups," Walensky said on CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sept. 20. "I hope that we can do that this year."

Salem did issue an extensive list of safety precautions all families should take around Halloween in general so that everyone can enjoy the holiday. Those can be found here.

Among the advisories is that children walk — not run — from house to house, stay on sidewalks and staff off lawns. Drivers out during that night are reminded to be very cautious of children in unexpected places on the road — especially once it starts to get dark.

"Halloween is a cherished tradition in Salem and sometimes the excitement of Haunted Happenings can cause us to forget to be careful," Salem Police Chief Lucas Miller said. "There is no real ‘trick’ to making Halloween a real treat for the entire family. The major dangers are not from ghosts or goblins but from pedestrian-vehicle accidents and trips and falls."

Last year, officials advised those homes who are not comfortable with trick-or-treating — or simply don't want to take part in it — to shut off their porch lights during official trick-or-treating hours.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)