Halloween Guidelines

Many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses. The Fayetteville Board of Health is asking the citizens of Fayetteville to participate in lower risk activities to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are asking you to please adhere to the following guidelines:

Participate in safe alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating:

• Small group, outdoor costume parades
• Outdoor pumpkin carving/decorating while social distancing
• Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while walking in their neighborhood
• Having an Easter egg hunt-style trick-or-treat search

Activities to avoid:

• Participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door
• Having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars
• Attending crowded costume parties held indoors
• Going to a haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming
• Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household

Alternative trick-or-treating:

• All pedestrian traffic should flow in the same direction
• Only trick-or-treat with members of the same household 
• Wear a mask (see below) and maintain social distancing of at least six feet
• Individually wrapped goodie bags or treats are lined up for families to grab and go at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard
• If you are preparing goodie bags, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after preparing the bags

The safe use of masks:

• A costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask 
• A costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose
• Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe 
• Consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask