As if 2020 hasn’t been scary enough already, Halloween is just around the corner and the changes might have you really screaming. All the usual festival events have found their way to the 2020 graveyard.  And the hope of the annual door-to-door march of little ghosts and goblins in search of candy is fading fast. 

The CDC is recommending that all trick-or-treating be canceled this year to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Even trunk or treat events have been classified as high-risk activities for spreading the virus, along with costume parties, and indoor haunted houses.

Moderate risk activities include:

  • leaving grab and go candy at the end of a driveway.
  • Small-group events and parties held outdoors with masks
  • Socially distanced costume parades, 
  • visiting a haunted forest or pumpkin patch
  • watching outdoor horror movies with viewers sitting at least 6 feet apart

There are some lower risk activities you might want to consider.

Carving pumpkins

The Charlotte area has some great pumpkin patches to visit! Here’s a quick quide to some Charlotte area pumpkin patches.

Decorating your home or walking around your neighborhood to see other decorations from a safe distance  

The Great Elizabeth Pumpkin wall will be on display. Community volunteers build the 60-foot wall lined with Jack O’ Lanterns every year. The Elizabeth Community Association coordinates the event.

Socially-distanced scavenger hunts

This could be fun for children or adults. While you are out and about you can stop by one of the Charlotte breweries that are now open and following CDC guidelines for a pumpkin beer! NoDa Brewing Co., Sycamore Brewing, and Catawba Brewing Co. all serve some kind of pumpkin beer.

Watching Halloween movies at home

Netflix has a new list of fitting options being released in October such as The Haunting of Bly Manor, Hubie Halloween, Social Distance, and ParaNorman.

If you are going to dress in costume the CDC warns that Halloween masks are no substitute for cloth masks. In addition, wearing a cloth mask under a costume mask could make it difficult to breathe. A Charlotte company has come up with some Halloween-themed cloth masks for the occasion. They cost between $11.99-$17.99.

You can also have a little fun checking out the strange and eccentric world of physical phenomena at the Cool Stuff exhibit in Discovery Place. According to the description on the website, you’ll “witness strange motion and weird happenings that delight the mind and senses.” That sounds spooky.  Advanced reservations are required. 

By the way, The Mint Museum, the Levine Museum are also now all open. They are opening at 50% capacity following CDC guidelines.

2020 has already brought us Zombie Tropical storms so who knows what’s next?