Charlestown Annual Monument Square Halloween: What To Know

CHARLESTOWN, MA — Each year for the past 35 years, ghosts, ghouls, princesses and warriors show up to march around Monument Square and to trick-or-treat some candy out of the neighbors. But this year, with the pandemic, the organizers for the 35th Annual Monument Square Halloween are calling it off.

"With an abundance of caution to keep our community safe and healthy, the traditional Monument Square area trick-or-treating will NOT be held on Saturday, October 31," organizers said. "After evaluating options, considering the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Phase 3, and consulting with various physicians, nurses and health providers, the Monument Square Halloween 35th Annual Parade volunteers concluded that they would be unable to offer the traditional parade around the Monument and cannot ensure the beloved door-to-door 'trick-or-treat' safely this year."

But, organizers said, there are still ways to have a memorable Halloween, just, without the parade.

They're calling it "Halloween 2020 Plan B," and it involves three main ideas:

Halloween Eat & Treat 2020: Instead of buying candy, decorations, and music, the group is encouraging people to redirect contributions that usually go for “Charlestown Halloween” to support of the Harvest on the Vine foodbank for an “Eat and Treat” month of October to help alleviate food insecurity in the community. You can donate to: MyGoodness at Benevity.org or Donate to "Harvest on Vine" Cambridge Savings Bank, 1 Thompson Square, Charlestown, MA 02129.

"Hopefully, this will help people in dire need," said Diane Valle a lead organizer.

Charlestown Halloween Spirit: For those on the Paper pumpkins will be electronically distributed and available at local business for those who will decorate them as jack o' lanterns, to be displayed in windows throughout the town. Charlestown businesses are encouraged to decorate inside their windows to add some Halloween spirit, with mindfulness to prevent gatherings.

Halloween 2020 on ZOOM: The group will be putting together a pre-recorded Halloween program to be broadcast on Zoom. It will include well wishes, and offer a Halloween with the Monument Square Wizard’s poem and other surprises, and encourage schools, groups, and clubs to offer an additional ZOOM safe activity where children may stay home and share their costumes with friends, and enjoy the tradition of Halloween.

"Everybody is supportive they totally understand," said Valle. "We have people crowded on the streets and we're grateful to have that, but this year it's just too dangerous. We want to keep our whole community safe."