Shelby sets trick-or-treat hours, ‘strongly recommends’ masks and social distancing.

Shelby sets trick-or-treat hours, ‘strongly recommends’ masks and social distancing.

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

SHELBY — The Shelby Village Council set trick-or-treating hours for 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, and strongly recommends masks and social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This year, with COVID-19 being the ‘trick’ of the day, trick-or-treating may not be the best idea,” states a memo from Interim Village Administrator Bill Cousins to the council. “However, it is a choice for families to make.”

Council members voted 6-0 to set the hours during a meeting Monday night, Sept. 28. (Councilman Bill Harris was absent.) The meeting was held via Zoom video conferencing due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“The Shelby Village Council sets the hours for trick-or-treating on Halloween each year,” states Counsins’ memo. “The hours are set to provide guidance to homeowners, so they can prepare for the costumed visitors coming to their home and so the families can plan to visit the homes in the village to obtain the treats being passed out.

“Halloween is not a village-orchestrated event — it is not a recognized holiday. The village’s function is to set the hours for porch lights to be on by those who wish to participate and for the kids to search out the lit-up homes. Masks and social distancing are strongly recommended.”

“It’s a unique and different year for celebrating Halloween,” said Village President Paul Inglis during Monday’s meeting. “If people don’t want to participate, they can turn off their porch lights.”

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