Somerville Halloween 2020: What You Need To Know

SOMERVILLE, MA — Mayor Joseph Curtatone and the Somerville Board of Health are discouraging residents from traditional Halloween activities like trick-or-treating this year. The city has also canceled all sponsored and permitted events, such as the annual Haunted Hall and block parties.

The state labeled Somerville a high-risk, or "red," community on its weekly color-coded map Wednesday.

The limits on gatherings and all other pandemic safety orders in Somerville apply to planned private or commercial Halloween activities. No more than 10 people may gather at a time in Somerville, regardless of whether they are indoors or outdoors.

"We fully understand how difficult it has been for everyone, and especially our children, to deal with a sustained state of emergency. But as we face a rise locally and statewide in COVID-19 cases with the arrival of colder weather, we cannot let our guard down now," Curtatone said in a statement. "We are a creative and connected community, and I hope each family, household, or bubble will choose safe but fun ways to celebrate this year at home that observe all health guidance. We really need everyone to do their part."

Community members are encouraged to review CDC suggestions for lower-risk Halloween activities and MA Department of Public Health recommendations and guidance. Due to the higher risk of virus transmission indoors and in groups, parties are strongly discouraged.

The CDC also provides the following face covering guidance for Halloween:

• Do not use costume masks in place of cloth masks
• Do not use a costume mask (such as for Halloween) as a substitute for a cloth mask unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers your mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around your face.
• Do not wear a costume mask over a cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.

Alternate Halloween Activities: Howl-o-Ween, Spook-tacular Stroll and more

To help support the holiday spirit, the Somerville Arts Council and Library are offering some alternative safe activities and the City is also hosting a citywide Howl-o-Ween, inviting community members to don a face covering and then give their best Halloween growls, ghost boos, and woops (or to just politely holler out their COVID-19 woes and frustrations) from their doors and windows at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31.

The Arts Council is working on an online map of outdoor Halloween decorations for a self-guided Somerville Spook-tacular Stroll. On Friday, October 30, and Saturday, October 31, pull up the map at somervilleartscouncil.org/halloween and take a walk around your neighborhood to see how many ghosts, goblins, and ghouls you can find. Help your neighbors join in the fun by posting photos with the hashtag #SomervilleSpooktacular.

The Arts Council is also compiling a list of virtual Halloween happenings. If you’re planning to host a spooky virtual concert, show off your pumpkin carving skills online, or have a Halloween craft you’d like to teach others via the web, fill out the form on somervilleartscouncil.org/halloween to have your event included in the resource guide, which will be posted closer to Halloween.

The Somerville Parks and Recreation Department has planned a week of Halloween activities for children participating in its afterschool program. There are currently open spots available on Monday, Oct. 26; Tuesday, Oct. 27; Thursday, Oct. 29; and Friday, Oct. 30. To register a child for the after school program, visit somervillerec.com and click on the "Programs" tab.

If you’re planning your own Halloween fun, the CDC considers the following activities to be lower risk:

• Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household
• Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends
• Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
• Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house, admiring Halloween decorations at a distance
• Having a virtual Halloween costume contest
• Having a Halloween movie night with people you live with
• Having a scavenger hunt–style trick-or-treat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house

For those who plan to trick-or-treat, the Department of Public Health has provided guidance on alternatives such as one-way trick-or-treating, with treats placed outside the home for trick-or-treaters as a "grab and go" option.