Covid changes the experience but not the fun

by Kelly Kandra Hughes

Last year on Halloween, Cecily Mermann, who lives on Emerson Street, sat on her front porch with her dog, Dodger, and greeted the multitude of trick-or-treaters making their way through the village of Norfolk. She enjoyed seeing the costumes, giving out handfuls of candy and chatting with the neighborhood children and their parents. This year, however, will be quite different, thanks to Covid-19 concerns. 

“I want to see trick or treat happen,” says Mermann. “As long as it’s in a sanitary and safe manner. It may require extra work for us, but there are ways we can do it.”

Many Norfolk residents agree with Mermann. “Halloween magic has to go on,” says Eileen Fitzgibbons, who lives on Maple Avenue. “We can figure safety guidelines and be out in the evening. We all need some safe fun.”

The town of Norfolk appears to be up to the challenge for creating a socially distant and safe Halloween night. Governor Lamont is moving to Phase 3 of reopening the state on Oct. 8,^, which eases some capacity restrictions. The Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department (NVFD) is planning to continue its yearly Halloween tradition of limiting traffic on Maple Avenue from 5 to 7 p.m. for trick-or-treating, as well as having the smoking dragon at the firehouse. There will also be additional safety measures in place. According to NVFD volunteer Matthew Ludwig, “Our gloved members will put treats into buckets or bags and not let anyone reach into the candy bowl.”  

In the Norfolk Conn. Past & Present Facebook group, not sticking hands into candy bowls seemed to be a popular suggestion as a way to limit Covid exposure during trick or treating. The group also offered several suggestions for candy bowl alternatives, such as arranging treats individually so children touch only one, taping a candy bar to a stick and placing the sticks in homeowner’s yards, sending candy down a tube or paper towel rolls to a child, wearing gloves and using tongs for candy distribution and placing candy in individual paper bags for children. As Norfolk resident Jenna Brown sums up, “There are so many ways in which people can get creative to make this work. I trust very much that Norfolk can . . . our town rocks!” 

Richard Byrne, Norfolk’s emergency management director, stresses that people need to abide by the governor’s Executive Order No. 7NNN, which essentially says that if anyone can’t stay more than six feet apart, they should put on a mask (with exceptions for family groups, young children, and those with medical conditions). “Neither the town nor the fire department is promoting any gatherings that violate Governor Lamont’s executive order,” says Byrne. 

This year, Byrne is most concerned about respecting the wishes of people who do not want to participate in candy giving. He suggests a signal, such as no outside lighting, as a way for nonparticipating homes to alert parents and trick-or-treaters not to knock on those doors. 

For parents who are uncomfortable with their children participating in traditional trick or treat this year, the Botelle Elementary PTO has been hard at work coming up with safe yet festive ways for an inclusive Halloween experience. According to Ann DeCerbo, chair of the PTO committee on cultural enrichment, Botelle will not be holding their traditional Spooktacular Halloween Party. Instead, the PTO will be creating a trick-or-treat style scavenger hunt throughout the school for teachers and their students.  Armed with trick-or-treat bags, classes will follow clues to decorated spaces to find treasure bowls.  As in year past, students will be allowed to wear school-appropriate costumes. DeCerbo believes this will allow the school to follow their regular protocols for distance and safety while still giving kids whose parents aren’t comfortable going out on Halloween a bit of a trick-or-treat experience.

This Halloween is certainly going to be different in Norfolk. But that doesn’t mean it still can’t be a meaningful and fun experience for all Norfolk residents, adult and children alike. “Halloween is a much-needed joy,” says Jordan Lee, who has two children who will be enjoying trick-or-treating this year. “Outside activities are generally safer than indoor. People should wear masks, since we know we will be around many other humans.”