Halloween In Brookline: Where Trick-Or-Treaters Go

BROOKLINE, MA — Each year Brookline gets taken over by hordes of bandits, masked marauders, witches and princesses and dinosaurs looking for sweet treats. A few streets have even closed off to cars in years past to accommodate the little monsters- Beals Street in the JFK Crossing area gets swarmed, Ackers Ave near Fisher Hill reservoir park will be closed, then there's Russet Road in South Brookline and Brook Street in the village.

And those are the hot spots.

This year so far only residents on Brook Street, and the area near Ackers/Loveland/Doran have filed and been approved for town road closures, according to town officials.

Police said residents have not requested for the road to be closed for the past two years, but because of how many children gravitate there, an officer will be at Beals and Harvard to keep watch.

It's not usual for parents from all over to head to these spots to start the festivities. Not only are the streets usually decked out, and the crowds plentiful. There's something to having a road ready for the wild ones to run up and down without fear of cars.

Kids are twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween as they are other nights of the year, according to the Mayo Clinic. Burns and cuts also are common on Halloween (think pumpkin carving).

The Mayor Clinic recommends a few ways to keep kids safe for the fun. Including choosing costumes wisely. Here are a few tips:

• The brighter the better. As the sun sets, this makes your kid easier to see. Choose bright colors and flame-retardant materials. Attach reflective tape to the costume or treat bag.
• Size it right. If it's chilly outdoors, make sure your child's costume is loose enough for warm clothing to be worn underneath — but not long enough to cause tripping. Avoid oversized shoes and high heels.
• Skip the masks. A mask can obstruct your child's vision, especially if it slips out of place. Use nontoxic makeup instead.
• Limit accessories. Pointed props — such as wands, swords and knives -- can end up hurting.

And if you'll be driving on Halloween, watch for children darting across the street, beginning before sundown. Be especially careful entering or leaving driveways and alleys.

Watch for road closures to start around 5:30 p.m. and last until about 7:30 p.m.

The sun sets at 5:39 p.m. Oct. 31. Around 6:08 p.m. it will start to go from twilight to dark.

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Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).