Hoboken Cancels Popular Halloween Parade, Offers Alternatives

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla delivered on Tuesday a much anticipated update on Halloween activities in the mile-square city, announcing that the city's traditional Ragamuffin Parade has been canceled, but saying he won't cancel trick-or-treating entirely. Still, he encouraged people to consider alternatives, and said he'd crack down on parties amid coronavirus.

The Ragamuffin Parade has been a tradition since 1964, usually including a costume contest after the march. The city has come up with other activities for families this year.

The city will hold the following Halloween-themed events:

• A Halloween-based drive-in Movies Under the Stars on Thursday, Oct. 29, Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31. The times and movies to be shown will be announced in the near future.
• A virtual costume contest for children, where photos of costumes can be submitted electronically, with winning costumes to be announced on or around Halloween on the city of Hoboken Facebook page.

Parties canceled; trick-or-treat guidance

Bhalla said, "The CDC recently came out with guidelines regarding trick-or-treating and other Halloween related activities. ... I believe this is a choice parents and families will be making with the most up to date information on the pandemic and infection rates available that we provide on a weekly basis, among other factors."

He said no block parties will be permitted, and cautioned against indoor house parties. He said people attending indoor parties should quarantine for two weeks.

He encouraged alternatives to trick-or-treating:

• Pumpkin carving and decorating
• Halloween-themed movie night
• A Halloween-themed scavenger hunt in the home
• Decorating the house with a Halloween theme
• Virtual costume contest with friends or relatives
• Coordinating with schools to wear costumes during designated days

Bhalla said his recommendations were in consultation with the Hoboken Health Department, Hoboken Police Department, and Office of Emergency Management.

He said for those trick-or-treating, he recommends:

• Wear a face mask, which can be incorporated into a costume or outfit
• Trick-or-treat with family members or household contacts only
• Trick-or-treat only in your local block or neighborhood – please avoid areas there that traditionally get crowded during Halloween if you do not live there
• Wait for others to complete gathering candy at a door or stoop before asking for candy, to maintain appropriate social distancing
• Coordinate with members of your block or building to host trick-or-treating during off-peak hours for children on the block, such as early in the morning on Saturday

He said that those who don't want to hand out candy should shut the lights and leave a note on the gate or door (similar tactics were undertaken after the Tylenol scare of 1982: READ MORE: I Survived The Sugarless Halloween Of 1982 in NJ).

Or are you looking for a pumpkin patch? You can always check out these locations around North and Central Jersey.

What do you think about the city's Halloween announcement? Comment below or email caren.lissner@patch.com.

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