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Halloween Safety - Official Website of the Town of Windermere, Florida

Halloween Safety

Halloween Hayride & Costume Parade

Click here for more information on the 2022 Parks & Recreation Halloween Hayride & Costume Parade

Trick-Or-Treating

Trick-Or-Treating is a Halloween tradition! With a few small adjustments to help keep everyone safe, there is no reason to skip 2021.

Here are some safety tips from the CDC and the Windermere Police Department.

MAKE TRICK OR TREATING SAFER

  • Avoid direct contact with trick-or-treaters
  • Give out treats outside, where possible
  • Set up a station with individually bagged treats for kids to take
  • Wash hands before handling treats
  • Wear a mask
  • Use tongs to hand out candy
  • Turn your porch light OFF if you are NOT participating. Parents should make sure their children avoid homes that have their lights out
  • Reduce your trick-or-treating group size
  • Make sure all members of your group have a flashlight with fresh batteries, a strobe light, reflectors, glow sticks, or some other light source that makes them visible to vehicles. The Windermere PD will be handing out glow sticks to children during the parade Halloween morning
  • Walk on sidewalks where possible. Where there are no sidewalks, walk along the side of the road facing oncoming traffic (so you see them and they see you!). Complete one side of the street, then cross over and walk up/trick or treat at the homes on the OTHER side of the road rather than crossing back and forth across the street
  • Stay at least 6 feet away from others who do not live with  you

 

WEAR A MASK

  • Make your cloth mask part of your costume
  • A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask
  • Do not wear a costume mask over a cloth mask; it can make breathing difficult
  • Masks should not be worn by children under the age of 2, or by those who has health conditions that makes breathing difficult

 

WASH YOUR HANDS

  • Bring hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol with you, and use it after touching objects or other people
  • Parents should supervise young children using hand sanitizer
  • Once home, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds BEFORE you eat any of your candy

Other Halloween Activities

Some people in our community will choose to forego Halloween this year in an abundance of caution, or to protect vulnerable loved ones. We respect their decision to do so, and ask our neighbors to please be mindful of those who have chosen to not participate.

But just because you’re not handing out candy or going door to door doesn’t mean you still can’t have fun! Here are some ideas to get in the spooky spirit this year.

  • Family Halloween crafts such as pumpkin carving
  • Take a walk to admire your neighborhood’s decorations from a distance
  • Watch Halloween classics such as “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.” Make it virtual so long-distance loved ones can join in!
  • Hide treats in and around your house for your kids to find
  • Visit a pumpkin patch, corn maze, or orchard. Many of these attractions have taken appropriate precautions

 

Halloween 2020 Photos

Halloween 2020 was a success! We had a bigger turnout than we could have imagined! We loved seeing our residents dressed up in their costumes, and being able to spread smiles (and candy!) despite what a rough year it’s been.

A very special thank you to Windermere Parks & Recreation, Windermere Police Department, the Windermere Police Department Foundation, Inc., Jennifer Roper (the talented photographer who captured this event), and the Windermere Active Youth Committee for their hard work to make this event a huge success.

Check out some photos of the event below.