Towns throughout Bladen County have announced designated times for trick-or-treating, all of which will take place on Monday.
Those times in each town are as follows:
— Elizabethtown: Trick-or-treating will be allowed from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. with a curfew from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. for residents 13 years old and above.
— Clarkton: While the town has not set a curfew, trick-or-treating will only be allowed from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
— White Lake: The town board did not meet in October because of Hurricane Matthew but in the past has adopted the same set of guidelines as the town of Elizabethtown.
— Bladenboro: Trick or treating will be 6 to 8:30 p.m. The town is also limiting candy or gift solicitations to children 12 years old and under, and children under 9 years old must be accompanied to the door by an adult. A curfew will be in effect for children under 13 from 9:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. The curfew does not apply to non-profit groups such as churches, but a responsible adult must still accompany minors. The town also calls on residents to exercise extreme caution during Halloween activities.
The Bladen County Sheriff’s Office is urging residents who go out on Monday to be watchful. Maj. Larry Guyton with the Sheriff’s Office shared some guidelines for staying safe this Halloween season:
— Travel with a group.
— Stay in familiar neighborhoods.
— Wear reflective clothing.
— Check all candy before consumption to make sure it is individually wrapped.
“A lot of churches have Halloween activities, and those are safe environments for children, but the biggest thing is to be cautious and aware of traffic and to make sure there is appropriate supervision,” he added.
For those looking for something different to do for Hallowee, the following activities are planned:
— Haunted House: Clarkton Dixie Youth Baseball will be hosting a haunted house at the corner of N.C. 211 and White McEwen Road just west of Clarkton. Admission is $5, and the house will be haunting guests Friday and Saturday, then again Monday, from 7 p.m. until midnight.
— Beast Fest: The annual festival will be held Friday from 7 to 10 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The costume contest with prizes for age groups ranging from birth to 12 years old will take place Saturday. Also on Saturday will be a pet costume contest and Trunk or Treat, the latter of which will be from 5 to 7 p.m. The festival will also have carnival rides, camel and pony rides, live entertainment, and street vendors.
— Ghost Stories: Bladen Community College will be hosting a storyteller who will regale guests with legends and ghost stories from around North Carolina. The event will take place in the Student Resource Center from noon until 1 p.m. on Monday.
— Kids’ Party: Kids are invited to the Bladen County Public Library Main Branch in Elizabethtown on Oct. 31 from 5-6 p.m. dressed for tricks and treats. Guardians must accompany children, and pre-registration is required by calling 910-862-6990.
— Trunk or Treat: Dublin First Baptist Church will be holding a Harvest Festival with trick or treating and bounce houses.
— Trunk or Treat: Trinity United Methodist Church will be hosting a Trunk or Treat Sunday at 6 p.m. in the Activities Building with a spaghetti sauce cook-off and a trunk decorating contest.
— Fall Festival: Tar Heel Baptist Church will be hosting a fall festival Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m.
Chrysta Carroll can be reached by calling 910-862-4163.