By BILL BARLOW/Special to the Sentinel
Like the Great Pumpkin, the full moon is set to rise from the Atlantic on Halloween night. The second full moon of October, the Hunter’s Moon for 2020 on Oct. 31 will be a blue moon, meaning the second full moon in a calendar month.
All of this will happen regardless of the decisions and pronouncements of elected officials at any level. But closer to home, officials are wrestling with what to do with the beloved Halloween tradition of trick or treat.
In Upper Township, Ocean City and Sea Isle City, the jury is still out. Officials say they do not want to disappoint children, but must emphasize safety.
“Ocean City is still undecided,” wrote city spokesman Doug Bergen in an emailed comment Monday. “If there are ways to do it safely, the mayor would like to make it happen. He will consult with other mayors and look for further guidance from health experts and the state.”
At the Sept. 28 meeting of Township Committee, Upper Township Mayor Rich Palombo said it will be a tough decision whether to allow trick or treat this year.
“Right now, we have kind of conflicting issues. The CDC has come out with a statement saying it’s not a good idea,” Palombo said, referring to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Gov. Phil Murphy has said he will leave the decision up to the municipalities, Palombo said at the meeting.
Palombo said he and township administrator Scott Morgan have been in discussions with Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian to coordinate plans.
“We’re going to try and do it together if we decide to have it,” Palombo said. The two municipalities would also both cancel together as well. “If one town cancels and the other doesn’t, obviously the town that doesn’t cancel will have everybody over here or vice versa.”
The other possibility could be to hold trick or treat during daylight, he said, possibly from 3 to 5 p.m., since Halloween is on a Saturday.
“I’m not even so sure that parents will want the kids to be out,” he said. But he also recognized that kids will be looking forward it.
“We’re coming up to October and I think a decision will have to be made at least by the next meeting, hopefully sooner,” Palombo said.
Emergencies have impacted the holiday in the past, including in 2012, when then-Gov. Chris Christie postponed trick or treat for safety reasons as downed powerlines and other storm damage from Superstorm Sandy still impacted shore communities.
Some communities around the country have already announced plans to cancel trick or treat, leading some to suggest, perhaps only a little tongue in cheek, that children could protest by going door to door to demand candy.
In responding to a reporter’s questions, Murphy reportedly said the event could be held, but with care to ensure safety. That could mean two masks for many children, a Halloween mask over another covering their nose and mouth, and care used to hand out candy from a safe social distance.
In Middle Township, officials have already approved trick or treat hours for Oct. 31 from 5 to 8 p.m. Middle Township Mayor Tim Donohue said he does not see much role for local government in trick or treat.
In Sea Isle City, community services director Katherine Custer said on Monday that no decision had been made.
Ocean City has decided to cancel its popular annual Halloween parade, which was set to be the 73rd year for the event put on by the city and the Exchange Club.
A house-decorating contest is planned.
“The contest encourages everybody to get in the spirit of the holiday in a safe and fun way,” reads a statement from the city. Participants must register at www.ocnj.us/halloween by Oct. 23 and prizes will be awarded for winners in each of the four city wards as well as in a business division.
