UPDATE (October 1): In a press conference Thursday afternoon, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot shed some additional light on how Halloween will look within city limits this year. Groups of trick-or-treaters should be limited to six people or fewer and keep moving to avoid congregating on the street. If you're planning to give out candy this year, make sure to post a sign or leave a light on to indicate you're participating, and maintain social distancing when distributing goodies ("I'm sure people will come up with some very inventive ways to hand out candy and maintain social distancing," Lightfoot joked at the conference.) You should also have hand sanitizer at the ready. Finally, Lightfoot also announced the city's plans for "Halloweek," a week's worth of holiday programming from orgs like the Chicago Park District and Chicago Public Library.
With Halloween just over a month away, the Illinois Department of Health has released guidance on how to properly socially distance while celebrating the holiday. Top on the list of priorities, unsurprisingly, is trick-or-treating. Though the agency still recommends at-home or virtual celebrations as the safest course of action, the guide is careful to stress that any trick-or-treating should be done with social distancing practices in mind. So how do you make a bunch of excited kids in costume stay 6 feet away from each other?
First and foremost, trick-or-treating should only be done with family pods; big groups of friends are highly discouraged. Each pod will have to stay at least 6 feet away from other groups of trick-or-treaters and have plenty of alcohol-based hand sanitizer on hand to use before consuming candy. And of course, parents and kids alike will have to wear proper face coverings (no, the spooky Scream mask doesn't count).
Another big change: Folks at home distributing treats should leave candy on their front porch or doorstep rather than coming to the door to greet trick-or-treaters. Even then, candy shouldn't be placed in a big communal bowl; instead, leave individually wrapped candies spaced out on a flat surface.
Ultimately, social distancing can only go so far—the health department still deems door-to-door trick-or-treating a "high risk activity." As a slightly lower-risk alternative to going house to house to collect candy, the agency recommends organizing a small trick-or-treating event in a parking lot or similar outdoor setting where designated table sponsors provided candy and other pre-packaged treats in goodie bags. That way, kids can parade through a set route in timed increments.
Aside from trick-or-treating, the Halloween guide also touches on other holiday-related best practices, like haunted houses (technically not allowed, though several are still operating in the Chicago area) and pumpkin patches (wear a mask when you're there). If all these rules leave you feeling far from festive, just remember—there's no harm in staying in on Halloween with a scary movie and plenty of candy.
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