The Stoneham Chamber of Commerce, Stoneham TV and Stoneham Recreation have made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Halloween event on the Town Common scheduled for Saturday, October 31. We know that the Halloween Stroll is an annual tradition for many families and held out hope that we could preserve a portion of this popular event. Unfortunately, we concluded that regardless of safety precautions taken, crowding would likely occur, and social distancing would be difficult to maintain. We also struggled with the prospect of having to turn families away when at its core, this is a community event that should be open to all who would like to attend.
Upon the recommendation of local officials and health agents, as well as the trajectory of COVID-19 cases in the commonwealth, we believe it is not possible to offer this event in the spirit it is intended and without fear of adversely affecting the health of attendees and that of the greater public.
We look forward to offering the Halloween Stroll again next year and encourage residents to take part in Halloween and fall activities that have been deemed safe by the Town of Stoneham. “Community members can still take part in many of their favorite fall activities as long as they take the necessary precautions to prevent further spread of COVID-19,” according to Stoneham Fire Department Chief Matthew Grafton. “We encourage all residents to review the following safety tips and keep them in mind as they plan their Halloween and fall events to ensure they are celebrating safely.” Residents are asked to take the following precautions from the Department of Public Health: https://www.mass.gov/news/halloween-during-covid-19.
Please feel free to contact Megan Day at the Stoneham Chamber by calling (781) 438-0001 or emailing megan@stonehamchamber.org with any questions.