Halloween In Brookline: Some Neighborhoods Plan To Skip

BROOKLINE, MA — At least one neighborhood once known as a destination in Brookline on Halloween is not planning to participate this year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

If you head to Brook Street in Brookline village on Halloween night, porch lights will be off, and no one will be answering doors should goblins or princesses or dinosaurs come knocking, according to those who live there.

"We have a street listserve where it was proposed that we cancel and neighbors have unanimously agreed that we will not be trick or treating, as much as we love the holiday and tradition," Michelle Kalowski told Patch. "We’d really like to avoid an unsafe/uncomfortable situation, especially because there are so many kids on the street (who also love the holiday and the tradition) so hope people will chose not to come."

Kalowski said the decision is bittersweet, but the neighborhood is looking forward to next Halloween.

In years past, the town has sent police officers to help close off certain streets — including Brook Street and the famous Beals Street— to ensure cars don't try to go down the streets while the hoards of Halloween marauders are having a go.

Although the Town of Brookline hasn't canceled or reschedule Halloween in recent memory and in the past officials have told Patch they don't make a call for inclement weather, the town does have the authority to make orders during a health emergency, including a restriction on trick-or-treating.

Brookline's health director Dr. Swanni Jett has not given specific recommendations for this holiday season yet. For now, the Health Department has linked to the Centers for Disease Control recommendations, which encourage people, if they are going to participate in the holiday, to wear a cloth mask and consider ways to minimize contact — from handing out pre-packaged bags of candy to visitors rather than letting them stick their hands into a bowl, to setting up at a table so that children don't have to come into direct contact with one another as they are coming and going.

"The COVID task force is taking this matter up and will be making recommendations to the Select Board," according to Town Administrator Mel Kleckner.

Is your neighborhood planning to skip Halloween this year? Let us know in the comments below.

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