Spooky fun goes on: Richmond Hill Halloween events look different amid COVID-19

#YorkCOVIDween: CTN creates a pre-recorded trick-or-treat party video available on the network’s YouTube channel

Yorkregion.com
Oct. 27, 2020
Sheila Wang

The annual Halloween Haunt for Hunger in Richmond Hill is not returning this year due to COVID-19, but the Samells family has something else in mind.

It was no easy decision for organizer Ken Samells to give up on his annual display, but he said he’d like to keep the food drive going to help Richmond Hill Food Bank during these challenging times.

“I was planning to go big this year. It’s pretty disappointing to scale back to nothing,” Samells said on Oct. 20, shortly after Ontario’s top doctor urged kids in COVID-19 hot spots, including York Region, not to go trick-or-treating in the traditional way this Halloween.

Every year in the past decade, Samells' haunt for hunger display on his front lawn has been a dependable spectacle in Richmond Hill, where he put up a variety of spooky props from zombies to skeletons for everyone to enjoy while raising food donations for those in need in the community.

The absence of the haunt for hunger display won’t stop the Samells family from getting into the spooky spirit.

Samells plans to hand out treats at the yard at a distance in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The food drive will continue - with a spooky theme - and is expected to run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 31 at 249 Taylor Mills Dr. S. to collect food donations for the local food bank.

The Samells’ display is not the only Halloween event that has been derailed by the pandemic.

The annual Inclusive Halloween Trick or Treat event held by the Children’s Treatment Network (CTN) in Richmond Hill is going virtual this year.

“We’ve used the opportunity to get creative in our approach to planning activities and shifted our focus to online options that maintain what kids love about Halloween,” May Lewars with the network said.

Featuring a magic show and story time, CTN along with partner agencies created a pre-recorded trick-or-treat party video available on the network’s YouTube channel.

On Oct. 27, CTN will host a free, virtual Halloween monster mash from 6 to 7 p.m., where younger children and their families get to wear their costumes to dance to the music and take part in other activities.

Meanwhile, Richmond Hill Public Library offers a variety of online programs for kids to enjoy Halloween in a creative way, including spooky stories on Oct. 30 for kids and families to have a good scare live on Zoom.

These celebrations are just among a list of alternative ways that York Region Public Health has suggested for kids and families to have fun in a safe way.

The alternative ways include decorating the doors in your home and have kids go door-to-door in the house, with household members handing out candy, setting up a piñata with favourite Halloween treats, and sticking glow-in-the-dark stickers to goody bags and hiding them in the backyard.

If you choose to trick-or-treat outdoors despite recommendations, public health advises that you stick to your own neighbourhood and line up two metres apart at doorsteps.

Please note costume masks are no substitute for face masks and should not be worn over face masks as they may impair breathing. Instead, incorporate face masks into the costume.

Similarly York Region District School Board encouraged students to celebrate the holiday in alternative ways, adding that Halloween masks won’t be allowed and treats may not be shared.

Students, who are required to wear face masks (Grades 4 to 12) must continue to do so, the board said, and students in younger grade (FDK to Grade 3) are encouraged to continue to wear their face masks.