It is that magical and frightful time when the little ghouls and goblins dwell among us to celebrate the Halloween season. There are various Halloween-themed activities that these Halloweeners can participate in. Trick-or-Treat hours are also set for various area municipalities.

Locally, some areas are holding trick-or-treating on Halloween, others have chosen to move it to Saturday. Here is the rundown:

Saturday, October 30th:
• Loyalsock – 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
• Montgomery – 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. (Parade begins at 6:00 p.m.)
• Muncy – 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
• South Williamsport –6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
• Watsontown –6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 31st:
• Hughesville – 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
• Jersey Shore – 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
• Lock Haven – 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
• Montoursville – 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
• Milton – 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
• Williamsport – 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
• Old Lycoming Twp. – 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

Here are some Halloween-themed activities that will be taking place locally. In Williamsport, there will be a special Downtown Trick-or-Treat session held from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 27.

On Friday, October 29, Williamsport Crosscutters, in association with the City of Williamsport, have announced the return of Boomer’s Drive-Thru Trick or Treat, a free trick or treating experience for children and their families. The event will take place in the Muncy Bank Ballpark parking lot on Friday, October 29, from 6:00 p.m.-8 p.m., and is sponsored by UPMC and Backyard Broadcasting.

The event will be hosted by Boomer, the Cutters’ popular mascot, and give children ages 14 and under in costume, the opportunity for a fun, safe, trick or treating experience. Over twenty area businesses and some of Boomer’s mascot buddies will be giving out treats at the event.

There will be several Trunk-or-Treat activities going throughout the area as well.

Other activities include: The Haunted Barn of Tallman Hollow will take place Thursday, October 28 to October 31 from 5:00 p.m. to 10 p.m.

A Halloween Children’s Festival will be held at Basil’s Wood Fired Kitchen and Lounge at 213 Main Street, Muncy, on October 31, beginning at 1 p.m.

We are also presenting some Halloween safety tips, particularly for trick-or-treating; some of them involve precautions involving COVID, which still stalks and threatens us.

If you do plan to welcome trick-or-treaters to your home, place the candy outside on a table for a contactless handoff. If you’re taking your kids trick or treating, take them only to the homes of the people you know. Make sure you’re using hand sanitizer while out and washing hands with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds when possible.

Look through all candy to make sure it’s fully sealed before letting your kids dig in. You may disinfect the outside packaging if it makes you feel comfortable, but make sure it’s food safe and wash your hands between opening the packaging and eating the candy.

When it comes to the costumes, you need to make sure they’re safe too.
– Do not use costume masks in place of cloth masks.
– Do not use a costume mask (such as for Halloween) as a substitute for a cloth mask unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers your mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around your face.
– Do not wear a costume mask over a cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.
– If you plan to be outside when it’s dark, make sure kids are visible by giving them glowsticks, flashlights, or reflective tape to put on their treat bags or onto their clothing.
– Avoid baggy clothing and flowing cloaks. These can become tripping hazards or catch fire near an open flame.
– Don’t use a decorative costume mask as a replacement for a protective face covering. Use animal print masks for an animal-themed costume, maybe camo or plain white or a solid color. You can decorate the mask to match the costume.
– Wear shoes that fit.
– Use face paint, not a mask.
– Wear a costume short enough and easy to walk in.
– Walk-in a group – the bigger the cluster, the easier it is to be seen.
– Stop at the curb or edge of the road. Cross at corners.
– Look LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT before crossing.
– Walk-don’t run-across the street; and
– Under age ten, always cross with someone older, preferably an adult.
– Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street.
– Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
– Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
– Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.
– Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
– When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls. Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
– As the person who is distributing the Halloween treats, you “make your house trick-or-treat friendly.” Be sure cars are parked in the driveway and not blocking sidewalks and that the walkway to your house is well-lighted and free of obstacles.