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How to celebrate a safe Halloween in Portsmouth

Three special events planned Friday and Saturday

By Jim McGaw
Posted 10/29/20

PORTSMOUTH — Yes, Virginia, there is a Halloween this year. It’ll just be a little different.

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How to celebrate a safe Halloween in Portsmouth

Three special events planned Friday and Saturday

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — Yes, Virginia, there is a Halloween this year. It’ll just be a little different.

Although Gov. Gina Raimondo and the R.I. Department of Health (RIDOH) are asking Rhode Islanders to avoid Halloween parties and not go trick-or-treating after dark, that doesn’t mean you can’t dress up as a ghoul and still have some frightful fun.

Kids can throw on a costume and get their fill of candy at three upcoming special events.

Drive-by at Glen Farm

On Friday, Oct. 30, the Portsmouth Recreation Department is hosting an “All Treats, No Tricks” drive-through Halloween event at the Leonard Brown House, 121 Linden Lane (Glen Farm), from 4-6 p.m.

The town’s Halloween helpers will deliver a candy bag to each child in a car. (Please wear your masks when receiving the candy.)

For more information, e-mail wbulk@portsmouthri.com.

Pop-Up Halloween

From 4-8 p.m. on Friday, Be Great For Nate will host its first BG4N Halloween House on the Schultyz's Snack Shack lot at 346 Park Ave.

There will be themed pop-up tents with members of Every Student Initiative volunteering in costume and handing out candy.

Wear your costume and a required face covering and enjoy a family-fun experience with music and dancing.

A $5 donation per entry is recommended.

'Quarantine-o-ween' at police station

Finally, from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, the Portsmouth Police Department is hosting a Halloween Trick-or-Treat Drive-by Event at the police station, 2270 East Main Road.

Come by and get some candy during the Police Department’s “Quarantine-o-ween.”

A-Mazing Halloween at Escobar's

In addition to those special events, Escobar Farm on Middle Road will be having an A-Mazing Halloween Party from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Everyone is invited to this old-fashioned Halloween costume party featuring fun and games for the entire family. Come in costume and receive $1 off admission (discounts cannot be combined).

No parties, please

During Monday night’s Town Council meeting, Town Administrator Richard Rainer, Jr. reminded residents about Gov. Raimondo’s direction to cancel all Halloween parties this year. 

“Trick-or-treating is permissible with small groups with face masks. It is encouraged that trick-or treating is competed before dark,” Mr. Rainer said.

According to guidelines posted by RIDOH, the go-before-dark rule is recommended because it’s easier to socially distance when trick-or-treaters can clearly see each other.

According to RIDOH, people with COVID-19 symptoms should stay home and not hand out candy. If you are leaving candy out, make sure they’re individually wrapped goodie bags lined up at least six

feet from your door for kids to grab and go. Do not hand out candy from a bowl, RIDOH says.

RIDOH also recommended the following Halloween activities:

• Take part in an online pumpkin-carving or costume contest.

• Display Halloween-themed decorations in your home or yard.

• Organize a neighborhood contest for outdoor Halloween-themed decorations.

• Plan a Halloween scavenger hunt for people you live with.

• Decorate your own Halloween or fall-themed face masks.

• Prepare a Halloween-themed meal or bake Halloween treats for people you live with.

Other recommendations can be found at health.ri.gov.

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Matt Hayes, Portsmouth Times Publisher

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Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.