Dress the kids in costumes and get ready to trick-or-treat in your neighborhood or have some fun at a community Halloween celebration.
It’s safer this year for children to go trick-or-treat, according to the Centers for Disease Control, but it still recommends avoiding large, indoor parties with unvaccinated people because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Trick-or-treat Nights
Because Halloween falls on Sunday, the city of Madison has moved trick-or-treat night to Saturday night.
“The city of Madison is recognizing Saturday, Oct. 30 as Halloween,” said Capt. Kevin Newman of the city of Madison Police Department.
“Individual neighborhood associations can decide if they want to do trick-or-treat on Oct. 31, but we ask them to let us know so we can have extra patrols there.”
Drivers should be mindful that there will be individuals on foot in many neighborhoods on Oct. 30 and possibly in some on Oct. 31, he said.
“We ask that trick-or-treaters try to curtail activities by 10 or 10:30 p.m.,” Newman said.
The city of Ridgeland is sticking with the traditional date of Oct. 31 for trick-or-treat.
The city of Jackson has not announced plans to change the date Halloween is celebrated, but the Belhaven Garden Club is making it easier to know homes that welcome trick-or-treaters.
In Belhaven, the garden club is coordinating “The Belhaven Boo” effort to mark each home friendly to trick-or-treaters. It plans to produce a map of the neighborhood that will show participating homes and post it online on the Nextdoor social networking service and in the Greater Belhaven Neighborhood Foundation newsletter.
Community Events
The city of Ridgeland plans to celebrate with its annual Trunk or Treat event on Oct. 28 from 6-8 p.m. at Freedom Ridge Park. The cost is $5 per child ages 10 and younger.
At the Barnett Reservoir, the Rez Life Sunset Concert Series will offer a Halloween edition on Oct. 28 from 5- p.m. with Dr. Zarr’s Amazing Funk Monster at Lakeshore Park.
Trick or treaters are welcome, and individuals are invited to dress in costumes and bring candy for others. The event is child- and pet-friendly and individuals are welcome to bring chairs and blankets on which to sit. No outside food or drink is allowed; vendors will be on site.
Tickets are available only the day of the event at the gate. The concert will not be live streamed.
Admission is $1 for walk-ins; $5 per carload; and children 12 and younger, free. Anyone with a Rez tag will be admitted for free.
The Madison Public Library plans to have fun with Fright Night Friday on Oct. 29 from 6-9 p.m. at the library.
A Halloween costume contest is scheduled from 6-6:30 p.m. with a prize for the top three winners. A movie will be shown starting at 7 p.m. in the rear parking lot of the library. The program is for ages 18 and older. Snacks will be provided but individuals can bring their own if they like.
The Mississippi Children’s Museum and the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science are teaming up to present Park After Dark on Oct. 29 from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.
Children are welcome to wear costumes and will be able to trick-or-treat at both museums and enjoy creepy-crawly arts and crafts. Prizes will be given for the best costumes.
Both museum members and nonmembers must purchase tickets in advance for Park After Dark. Tickets may be purchased at mschildrensmuseum.org. The cost is $10 per ticket.
Face masks are encouraged. A shuttle will be available for free transportation between museums.
The Madison Public Library plans to celebrate Fright Night Friday on Oct. 29 from 6-9 p.m.
A Halloween costume contest is planned from 6-6:30 p.m. with a prize for the top three winners. A movie will be shown starting at 7 p.m.
Fright Night partygoers should bring their own seating so they can enjoy the movie that will be shown in the rear parking lot. The program is for ages 18 and older. Snacks will be provided but individuals can bring their own if they like.
The St. Society of St. Andrew-Mississippi and Northpark mall are teaming up on Oct. 30 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. for the second Fall Fest, which will feature a chalk walk and pet costume contest.
The Howlin’ and Growlin’ Pet Costume Contest is scheduled from noon until 1 p.m. A $5 donation is suggested. The Best in Show pet will receive prize and all pets will get a medal. “Funniest Costume,” “Most Glam Costume” and “Best Pet and Owner Duo Costume” will be named.
Teens can enjoy an afternoon of crafts, trivia, a spooky gallery talk, trick-or-treat and door prizes as part of HallowTEEN on Oct. 30 from 2-4 p.m. outdoors in the Art Garden of the Mississippi Museum of Art.
Sponsored by the Mississippi Museum of Art Teen Council, HallowTEEN will include activities inspired by the Mississippi Invitational and the Museum’s permanent collection exhibition, New Symphony of Time. Costumes are welcome.
Because of COVID-19, registration is required, and space is limited. Face masks are required, and the event will be socially distanced. For more information, go to msmuseumart.org.
Colonial Heights Baptist Church has scheduled Fall Festival 2021 from 4-7 p.m. on Oct. 31 at the church in Ridgeland. The festival is a night of fun for the entire family and promises hamburgers, hotdogs, hayrides, trunk-or-treat, door prizes and candy.
