Despite covid, families in Mattapoisett, Marion and Rochester found ways to have fun this Halloween. 

Events throughout the weekend allowed Tri-Town families to participate in Halloween festivities while maintaining social distance and safety. 

On Oct. 30, the Old Rochester Regional High School Junior Class held a trunk-or-treat event, where families took a tour around the perimeter of the building, getting candy from juniors who set up Halloween decorations in the trunks of cars. 

Families were greeted by Class President John Kassabian and Vice President Mackenzie Wilson at a station where they received glow sticks before walking down to the row of lights and decorated cars playing music. 

Families were separated into half-hour scheduled cohorts in order to prevent overcrowding at the event. 

On Halloween, the Marion Art Center gave candy and goodie bags out to kids. 

The center also set up a Halloween message board, where kids could add festive messages. 

Kids and families also had the opportunity to have their photos taken in costume by a professional photographer the art center hired. 

Marion Art Center Executive Director Jodi Stevens said the event had a steady stream of kids and families by mid-afternoon. 

“We had a lot of people show up early,” Stevens said. 

The art center put together 200 goodie bags full of candy, paints, a mini easel and a paintbrush for kids to take when they stopped by the center. 

Stevens said that when the art center hosts its usual Halloween parade, which was cancelled this year due to covid, around 500 goodie bags are put together for kids and families. 

This year, the art center offered both in-person goodie-grabbing and curbside pickup for those who were uncomfortable with attending the event in-person.

But the lack of a parade didn’t stop families from showing up in full costume to get candy from the art center’s “witches.”

Stevens said that she saw costumes like a baby Buzz Lightyear, the Grim Reaper, and a girl dressed up as Alexander Hamilton, accompanied by her two Star Wars Stormtrooper brothers. 

Elsewhere in Marion, the Olde Knoll neighborhood hosted a Halloween parade featuring candy, decorations and a pumpkin man brandishing a large stick. 

Despite a recent rise in covid cases in both Mattapoisett and Rochester, Mattapoisett was the only of the three towns to have its local officials release a statement discouraging trick-or-treating. 

Instead, Mattapoisett Fire and Rescue and the Mattapoisett Police Department each held their own drive-through trick or treat events on Halloween. 

Though, Marion Town Administrator Jay McGrail cautioned families to be safe if they chose to participate in a more traditional Halloween. 

"We are urging residents to remain vigilant if they choose to take part in any Halloween activities," Town Administrator Jay McGrail said. "Wearing a mask, physically distancing, practicing proper hand hygiene and celebrating with members of your own household are all precautions that residents are urged to take to remain safe and healthy this season."

But even with some choosing to abstain from a typical night of door-to-door trick or treating, there were plenty of ways for kids and families to keep it spooky this Halloweekend.