INDIANAPOLIS — Halloween, traditionally the time of year for trick-or-treating, costumed house parties and big gatherings, will be changed this year due to COVID-19. The Historic Irvington Halloween Festival Street Fair, originally planned for Oct. 31, had to be cancelled, although many events leading up the street fair have been held online. The 2020 Irvington Ghost Tours will be held on Friday, Oct. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Magic Candle, 203 S. Audubon, in advance. A few tickets may be available before the tour by going to the tour starting point at the Irving Theater on Johnson St. at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $20, cash only.
The Vampire Run will take place on Saturday, Oct. 31, when hundreds of costumed runners and walkers dash through the winding streets of Irvington and Ellenberger Park. The race begins at 10 a.m. Check-in begins at 9 a.m. at the Black Acre Beer Garden, 5529 Bonna Ave. There will be a party at the garden afterward for everyone. Entry fee is $35.
Please drive by or walk by the many decorated homes that are competing for the best dressed Halloween houses in Irvington! There is a map available at irvingtonhalloween.com/house-decorating-contest
Trick-or-treating is being discouraged by public health experts, and the city’s police patrols will be stepped up between 6-8 p.m., which are the traditional hours for kids. The City of Lawrence will also observe those hours. Understand that if you take children out for trick-or-treating, not everyone will participate due to public health concerns. If the front porch light is on, they will welcome your little guests. Some people are inventing ways of “delivering” treats from a distance, or leaving treat bags at the end of the driveway. Children over 2 should wear a face mask that covers the mouth and nose and use hand sanitizer frequently.
Also, remember to set your clocks BACK ONE HOUR as we end Daylight Saving Time at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1.
