Here's The Deal With Whether Or Not Trick-Or-Treating Is Even Allowed This Year

It has all the makings of a perfect Halloween. This year, not only does the hauntingly good holiday fall on a Saturday (woot), but there’s even going to be a big ol’ Blue Moon shining high in the sky as kids go door to door dressed in their ghoulishly best gear to score candy from neighbors. Or can they? Before you start stocking up on mini candy bars, you might ask yourself: is there trick or treating this year? Because frankly, up until now, 2020 has been a witch... and you never know what's going to happen next.

On the one hand, it seems like this particular pandemic shouldn't be a problem on Halloween, considering kids will theoretically be outside and wearing masks. It's a socially distanced holiday by nature. But like so much of the mayhem occurring this year, what happens on Halloween will really all depend on where you live. In North Canton, OH, for example, Mayor Stephan Wilder says that it will be all treats come Halloween. “For such a traditional experience of Halloween, I have all the confidence that our community will watch out for each other and maintain that families and children can have a safe activity,” Mayor Wilder told WKYC News, adding that people don’t have to participate if they don’t want to.

And then, there are the many communities that are canceling beloved Halloween events because they’re concerned about the crowds that they might attract.

In Highwood, IL, for example, the annual Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival has been halted, the Detroit News reported. Even Disney has determined that some of its most spooktacular events won’t be happening this year, like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, and Halloween Horror Nights has been canceled in both the California and Florida locations of Universal Studios, People reported (though Universal Orlando will be opening two haunted houses).

As little monsters everywhere howl for Halloween, cities go back-and-forth on the best way to handle the holiday. While the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health originally put a ban on trick-or-treating in place for fear that kids wouldn't be able to properly maintain social distancing, they're now just advising against the activity, CNN reported.

So how do you know if you can take your little ghoul out on the town, plastic pumpkin in tow? If you go to Halloween2020.org, you can see where your state (and, more specifically, your community) ranks in terms of COVID-19 risk levels. (Green means you can trick or treat with some safety precautions, and red means that you should most likely stay home.) The site also has lots of ideas on how to make Halloween fun for your fam, no matter your state or circumstances.

Going trick-or-treating is synonymous with Halloween. But as coronavirus cases continue to rise, be cautious when it comes to your caped crusader’s safety. That way, you can make the most of Halloween safely and stay healthy, which, all things considered, is a definitely a treat.