GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The coronavirus pandemic is changing Halloween plans for some West Michigan communities this year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has labeled traditional trick-or-treating and trunk or treat events where candy is handed out as a “higher risk” activities people should avoid in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Other Halloween celebrations making the higher risk list include:
- Attending crowded costume parties held indoors
- Going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming
- Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household
- Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgement and increase risky behaviors
- Traveling to a rural fall festival that is not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID-19
While community leaders are encouraging people to follow the guidelines, many reminded News 8 that local government doesn’t have the right to restrict or dictate how people celebrate the federal holiday.
Find a Halloween event near you here, including trick-or-treat alternatives:
RECOMMENDED RESIDENTIAL TRICK-OR-TREAT TIMES
(All listings for Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, unless otherwise specified)
- Ada Township: No set times; use your discretion.
- Albion: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- Allendale Township: 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., but subject to change if state restrictions/regulations are enacted. Participants encouraged to follow county, state and national health guidelines.
- Allegan: 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.; participants encouraged to follow CDC guidelines. No organized downtown trick-or-treating events this year. | Details
- Battle Creek: No set hours or restrictions
- Bronson: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.; residents who participate encouraged to follow county health department guidelines. | Details
- Byron Township: 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.; participants encouraged to follow CDC guidelines.
- Caledonia: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- Coldwater: 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.; participants encouraged to follow health and safety tips. | Details
- Dorr Township: No recommended time; fire station trunk or treat canceled because of the pandemic.
- Douglas: 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.; participants encouraged to follow guidelines from the Allegan County Health Department and CDC. All organized downtown events canceled because of the pandemic.
- Emmett Township: 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- Georgetown Township: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.; use your own discretion.
- Grand Haven: No downtown trick-or-treating; door-to-door trick-or-treating discouraged.
- Grand Rapids: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.; participants encouraged to follow guidelines from the state and county health departments, as well as the Grand Rapids Police Department.
- Grandville: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.; participants encouraged to follow CDC guidelines.
- Hastings: 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.; Unlike previous years, Green Street will not be closed for trick-or-treating. |Details
- Holland: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.; participants asked to follow county and state health department guidelines. | Details
- Homer: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- Ionia: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.; participants encouraged to follow state and federal health guidelines. | Details
- Kalamazoo: No recommended time; participants encouraged to follow county and state health department guidelines.
- Kentwood: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- Lowell: 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. | Details
- Marshall: No set hours or restrictions; no downtown costume parade or candy checks this year.
- Muskegon: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- Muskegon Heights: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.; participants encouraged to follow CDC guidelines. No city organized events this year due to COVID-19.
- Norton Shores: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.; participants encouraged to follow state health department guidelines | Details
- Portland: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.; participants asked to consider county and state health department guidelines.
- Rockford: 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. ; participants encouraged to follow state health department recommendations. | Details
- Saugatuck: No recommended time; participants encouraged to follow Allegan County Health Department guidelines.
- Sparta: 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.; participants encouraged to follow Kent County Health Department guidelines.
- Spring Lake: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. for neighborhoods; no downtown business trick-or-treating events planned.
- St. Joseph: 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.; downtown and Benton Harbor Arts District trick-or-treating event canceled this year. | Details
- Walker: No recommended time; Participants encouraged to follow health department guidelines.
- Wayland: 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.; maintain social distancing, wear masks and be safe.
- Wyoming: No recommended hours; use your own discretion.
- Zeeland: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. for neighborhoods; participants encouraged to follow health department guidelines. Downtown trick-or-treating event canceled this year. | Details
LOCAL EVENTS
(Please check each event page for COVID-19 guidelines)
ALLEGAN
- Oct. 31, 10 a.m. – noon | Trunk or Treat at Betten Baker Chevrolet Buick GMC of Allegan | Event details
BATTLE CREEK
- Oct. 30, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Drive-thru Trunk or Treat at Bailey Park| Event details
BENTON HARBOR
- Oct. 30, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. | Drive-thru trick-or-treating and costume contest at Overflow Church| Event details
BURNIPS
- Oct. 31, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.; canceled if it rains |Trunk or Treat at Burnips United Methodist Church | Event details
BYRON CENTER
- Oct. 24, noon – 2 p.m. | Trunk or Treat in the Whistlestop Little League parking lot | Event details
- Oct. 31, 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. | Candy Walk at Everett’s Gardens | Event details
CALEDONIA
- Oct. 31, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. | American Legion Post 305 Trunk or Treat | Masks and social distancing required. | Event details
- Oct. 24, 3:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. | Pumpkin Palooza at New Ground Church. RSVP required. | Event details
COOPERSVILLE
- Oct. 24, 1 p.m., 3 p.m.| The Famous Pumpkin Train | Tickets available online only. Admission $18- $22; children younger than 2 free. Masks and social distancing required. | Event details
DORR TOWNSHIP
- Oct. 31, 5:30 p.m. | Dorr Baptist Church Trunk or Treat | Event details
GRAND RAPIDS
- Oct. 30, noon – 6 p.m. | Live pumpkin carving, Halloween festivities at Rosa Parks Circle | Event details
- Oct. 31, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. | Trunk ‘N Treat at Martin Luther King Park | Masks strongly encouraged. | Event details
GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP
- Oct. 23, 10 a.m. – noon | Hallowee-ones at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park | Costume parades and Halloween stories for kids; free with park admission | Event details
GRANT
- Oct. 24, noon – 1:30 p.m. | Trunk or Treat in Grant Middle School’s parking lot | Event details
GREENVILLE
- Oct. 30, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. | Boo in the Marketplace | Event details
- Oct. 31, 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. | Trunk ‘N Treat at Greenville Church of the Nazarene | Event details
HAMILTON
- Oct. 31, 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Tractors, Trucks, and Treats at Cultivate Community Church | Event details
HOLLAND
- Oct. 30, 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. | Trunk or Treat at the corner of Douglas and River avenues in the Family Fitness/Rails House Grill parking lot| Social distancing will be practice and candy will not be served out of bowls. |Event details
HUDSONVILLE
- Oct. 31, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Spooky Saturday Spectacular at Grand Rapids Harley-Davidson | Event details
KALAMAZOO
- Oct. 31, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Milham Park | Event details
KENTWOOD
- Oct. 24, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Drive-thru Trunk or Treat at the Richard L. Root Library. Facemasks required. | Event details
- Oct. 31, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. | Trunk or Treat at Kentwood Community Church, 1200 60th St. SE. Drive-thru if it rains. | Event details
LOWELL
- Oct. 31, 5 p.m. -7 p.m. | Trick or Treat trail at Laurels of Kent | Event details
MONTAGUE
- Oct. 23, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Halloween at the Village | Event details
MUSKEGON
- Oct. 30, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. | Trunk or Treat/ first responder meet and greet at Hot Rod Harley Davidson | First responder families can arrive at 5:30 p.m.; masks and social distancing required. Groups limited to 10 people. | Event details
- Oct. 31, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. | Trunk or Treat at Noah Project | Event details
- Oct. 31, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. | Drive-thru Trunk or Treat at The Lakes Mall | Event details
NEWAYGO
- Oct. 31, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Camp n’ Treat at Camp Henry | Event details
ROCKFORD
- Oct. 31, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Trunk or Treat | Event details
SAUGATUCK
- Oct. 31, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. | Drive-thru Trunk or Treat | Event details
- Oct. 31, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. | Kids Halloween Cruise on The Star of Saugatuck | Admission $20 for children, $30 for adults. | Event details
If you know of an event or a time that isn’t listed, please email the details and valid website link to ReportIt@woodtv.com.