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RIP Trick-Or-Treating: LA Cancels Halloween
A fan cheers during a game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers on October 31, 2019. (Norm Hall/Getty Images)
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Forget the treats, 2020 is all tricks.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health recently released its 2020 Halloween guidelines and the restrictions are grim. Necessary but grim.
After initially banning trick-or-treating, county officials ammended their guidelines. Trick-or-treating is no longer forbidden but it's not recommended. (This story has been updated to reflect those changes.)
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The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, South Riverside Avenue. (Sudan Ouyang/ Unsplash)
NOT PERMITTED HALLOWEEN ACTIVITES
- Carnivals
- Festivals
- Haunted houses
- Gatherings or parties with people outside your household, even if the events are held outdoors.
NOT RECOMMENDED HALLOWEEN ACTIVITES
- Door-to-door trick or treating
- "Trunk or treat" events
So how can you celebrate Halloween during this pandemic?
RECOMMENDED HALLOWEEN ACTIVITES
- See spooky movies at drive-in theaters
- Participate in drive-by parades and costume contests
- Check out Halloween-themed installations at outdoor museums
- Dress up your home and yard with Halloween decorations
- Wear a Halloween costume
- Attend online Halloween parties and contests wearing aforementioned costume
Hey, if online Halloween goes as well as online school, it's bound to be a hit!
COVID-19 has temporarily ruined the best secular holiday of the year, but given that so many people still can't figure out how not to wear racist or offensive Halloween costumes and we're living in a fire-strewn hellscape, maybe being faux-scared on All Hallows' Eve has lost some of its fun.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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