We’ve made it to Halloween! The special night filled with cool costumes and sweet treats is upon us. For those going out around the town this evening, here’s some things to know when to make your Halloween safe and splendid:

 

SAFETY

The number one concern with spooky season is overall safety. Some key things to ensure your safety over the night’s festivities is to travel in groups, bring a powered light, and stay warm.

Travelling in groups, especially for children walking house-to-house, makes the experience not only more enjoyable for all but helps everyone maneuver through neighborhoods safely. Having adult supervision is also important, especially in crowded areas. 

With the forecasted winds and possible damp conditions, staying warm in consumes will also be important. If you see someone shivering, slow speech, or shallow breathing, they may be suffering from hyperthermia. Be sure to dress with an appropriate number of layers and effective rain-wicking clothing.

Whether it’s a flashlight, headlamp, glow stick, or charged phone, having a light can help tremendously with navigation as well as helping others be aware of your presence. This also helps homeowners know a group is on the way, allowing them time to get their bag of treats ready. Having the porch light on also acts as an indicator for trick-or-treaters that the home is a green light to ring the doorbell.

 

BEST SPOTS

Finding candy in a larger sized city like Big Rapids isn’t too hard, but there are certainly some areas that are known for being consistent and are quoted to be safer than most.

One area includes the area by the St. Mary’s School. Based on map viewing, this area has many different residential streets that are very close in vicinity and have been successful stops in years past. Well-travelled streets like Marion Ave. and Pere Marquette St. are rumored to be hot spots.

Only a few blocks down is the Crossroads Charter Academy neighborhood. Some success can be found there, especially with parking areas on nearby Madison Ave. and the St. Peter’s School neighborhood in shouting distance.

Another area is near Brookside Elementary School. With plenty of sidewalks and lamp posts, travelling is safe as well as stretches of houses with lots of candy to go around. Streets like Rust Ave., Sanborn Ave., and Woodward Ave. can be enriched with holiday travelers. 

A fourth area is the neighborhoods near the Big Rapids Hospital and Riverview Elementary School. Tucked behind the north end of Ferris State University’s campus, there are plenty of houses that are in reach of common parking areas near or at the hospital and school.

 

NOTABLE EVENTS

The City of Big Rapids has officially listed trick-or-treating time from 5:00 P.M. until about 8:00 P.M. There will also be some other fun activities throughout the evening.

St. Mary’s School will be hosting a trunk or treat from 5:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. Head on over to 919 Marion Ave. to fill your bags with candy and learn more about the school’s offerings.

There will also be a trunk or treat event at the Big Jackson Church in Paris. They will have some games as well as a rumored apple launcher from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.

Altercare Big Rapids will be hosting a trunk-or-treat from 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. outside their facility on 17 Mile Road.

For those near Hersey, a trunk-or-treat will be held near the river at 5:00 P.M. Official location is unknown.