Celebrate Halloween the Smart Way

Traditional Halloween activities that are “high-risk”

  • Door-to-door trick-or-treating
  • Hosting or participating in a “trunk-or-treat” program
  • Going to an indoor haunted house where physical distancing isn’t practiced and screaming is occurring
  • Doing activities outdoors where you cannot physically distance such as hayrides or tractor rides with those outside your household
  • Engaging in high risk drinking behaviors that clouds judgement and increases risky behaviors
    • Binge drinking (4-5 or more drinks during a single occasion)
    • Participating in drinking games
    • Allowing others to make your drink for you
    • Pre-gaming before your activity
    • Driving while under the influence of cannabis or alcohol
  • Leaving Ames to attend a Halloween party or festival in an area with community spread of COVID-19
  • Going to in-person costume parties at indoor bars, restaurants, houses, or apartments where physical distancing is not practiced and face coverings are not worn

Halloween activities that are “moderate-risk”

  • Small group, outdoor, open-air costume parade where people are practicing physical distancing
  • Outdoor costume party with face coverings and where people are practicing physical distancing and are wearing face coverings
  • Open-air, one-way, walk-through haunted forest/space where face coverings are worn by all and folks are able to physical distance.
  • Visit a local pumpkin patch or apple orchard while wearing face coverings, practicing physical distancing, and using hand sanitizer prior to touching pumpkins or picking apples
  • Having an outdoor movie night with a small group of friends who live in Ames and are practicing physical distancing

Halloween activities that are “lower risk”

  • Carving or painting pumpkins with your roommates for display
  • Carving or painting pumpkins outside with friends who live in Ames while practicing physical distancing and wearing face coverings
  • Decorating your house, apartment, or living space
  • Having a virtual Halloween costume contest with friends and family
  • Having a Halloween moving night with your roommates

Overall Considerations

  • Generally, costume masks are not a replacement for your normal face covering
  • If hosting a costume party or movie night, please review our “Party Smart” information.
  • As a general rule, “the greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.”
  • If indoors, ensure the following for the duration of the activity:
    • Physical distancing is being practiced
    • Face coverings are worn properly
    • Keep your group small (think 10 or less)
    • Have hand sanitizer or soap and water available for guests to use
  • If screaming or laughing is likely to occur, increase physical distance from those not in your household group.
  • If eating or drinking, consider only moving your face covering down during the duration of consumption and moving it back right away. Practice strict physical distancing in these situations.
  • Revised ISU COVID-19 Policy on Student Social Gatherings is here: https://www.policy.iastate.edu/policy/socialgathering