Ghastly goblins and creepy clowns

Heroes and princesses all gather round

Haunting the streets, grabbing their sweets

The hour has come … for trick or treat!

Children and parents don’t miss the hour

For collecting candy sweet and sour

No matter what village, city or town

You’ll find this year’s schedule if you scroll down.

Mansfield’s trick-or-treat is set for Oct. 24 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Downtown Mansfield, Inc. will host Monsterfield Masquearade on Oct. 26. Children can trick or treat at downtown businesses beginning at 11 a.m.; the parade will start at noon. The parade will move south on Main Street, west on Park Avenue and north on Walnut Street. 

Bellville will host both trick-or-treat and the Halloween parade on Oct. 31. Trick or treat is from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The parade will begin at 7 p.m. at the American Legion and proceed down Main Street. The costume contest will take place at the gazebo after the parade. The Village is asking parade participants to pre-register by picking up a form at village hall, emailing spooky.bellville@gmail.com or showing up at the American Legion by 6:30 p.m., the night of the parade.

Butler’s trick-or-treat will be on Oct. 26 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Lexington will kick off its Halloween parade on Oct. 27 at 3 p.m. Staging will take place at the high school. Trick-or-treat will take place on Oct. 31 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Residents of participating homes are asked to turn on their porch lights. There will be free bounce houses, donuts and cider at BP Electric on 106 Delaware St.

Lucas’ festivities include trick-or-treating on Oct. 31 from 6 to 7 p.m. and a parade at 7:30 p.m. The parade will begin at St. Paul Lutheran Church at proceed toward Lucas High School.

Ontario’s trick-or-treat will take place Halloween night, Oct. 31 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Plymouth will also have trick-or-treat on Oct. 31 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Shelby’s Halloween Parade will commence on Grand Boulevard on Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. Trick or Treat will be held on Oct. 31 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. 

Staying Safe on Halloween

More than 44 million children across the United States will be out trick-or-treating over the Halloween dates stretching from Oct. 21 through Oct. 31. Richland Public Health is sharing the following information about Halloween safety to help adults keep kids out of the emergency room. These tips will help make everyone more aware of Halloween hazards and help keep all trick-or-treaters safe.

Walk Safely

  • Cross the street at corners (intersections), using traffic signals and crosswalks.

  • Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. 

  • Put electronic devices (cell phones) down and keep heads up. Walk, don’t run, across the street.

  • Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.

  • Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.

  • Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.

Trick or Treat With An Adult

  • Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision.

  • If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.

Keep Costumes Both Creative and Safe

  • Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers.

  • Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.

  • Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers. 

  • Make sure you or your child’s costume is the right size to prevent trips and falls. 

Drive Carefully on Halloween

  • Slow down and be especially alert in residential areas. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.

  • Take extra time to look for kids at intersections and at curbs.

  • Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.

  • Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

  • Drive slowly and turn your headlights on earlier in the day.

  • Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Be especially alert for kids during those hours.

  • If you are at a “Trunk-or-Treat” event, be careful driving through the parking lot and go slow.