How To Trick-Or-Treat Safely In Falls Church

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.

The City of Falls Church did not cancel trick-or-treat but provided guidance on which activities are higher risk. In accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, activities considered higher risk are traditional door-to-door trick or treating, trunk-or-treat events and crowded events, especially indoor gatherings. Low or no-touch trick-or-treating and handing out goodie bags from a distance are considered medium risk activities.

“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.

Unlike some spring holidays when the pandemic was new, 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.

Other ideas shared in a Virginia Patch survey on trick-or-treating included socially-distant parties with neighbors, drive-thru trunk-or-treat, a Halloween piñata and crafts. Residents who plan to hand out candy suggested using a reacher stick, tossing bags to kids from the porch, or leaving candy outside.

Falls Church families can also participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt at a safe distance from others. Between Oct. 23 and Nov. 1, six signs will be hidden in City of Falls Church parks. Each sign will have a letter. Find all the signs and unscramble the letters to reveal the Hallow-Scream code word, and you'll win a free Hallow-Scream Scavenger Hunt t-shirt.

The Hallow-Scream Scavenger Hunt is geared more towards younger children. Download an official form and the list of clues to track the code word, or make your own form. Send completed forms with the letters and unscrambled code word, contact information and t-shirt sizes to events@fallschurchva.gov by Nov. 1 to win a t-shirt.

The locations for the scavenger hunt are:

• Cavalier Trail Park (600 South Maple Avenue)
• Cherry Hill Park (312 Park Avenue)
• Crossman Park (535 North Van Buren Street)
• Howard E Herman Stream Valley Park (601 West Broad Street)
• Lincoln Park (507 Great Falls Street)
• West End Park (1048 West Broad Street)