Halloween safety tips + events

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) -Halloween has finally arrived, and a cold, wet night is incoming.

Trick-or-Treaters will still be out and about, and law enforcement is officials said that they’re going to be on extra alert and want everyone to stay safe.

“You could tell the kids a million times to look both ways before they cross the road but you know they’re not going to,” said Blue Earth County Sheriff Jeff Wersal. “My message would be to drivers, don’t drive distracted, drive slow, be prepared for those kids to be jumping out in front of you, especially with their vision being impaired with masks.”

It’s recommended that trick-or-treaters wear some kind of visibility, whether it be bright colors, lights or glowsticks.

There will be plenty of opportunities to hit streets and get some candy.

On top of traditional door-to-door ringing kids can go inside at the River Hills Mall.

A relatively recent trend has been “Trunk-or-Treats”, where cars gather in one place and kids can get their fill in a closed loop.

There are a number Trunk-or-Treat opportunities both Thursday and Friday at places like Snell Motors, Sibley Park and the North Mankato Taylor Library.

Organizers of Trunk-or-Treat events said that they’ve exponentially grown over the past few years, with North Mankato’s event growing from 150 participants to over 1500 since 2017.

“For the parents it’s all one place, you’re not traveling everywhere to Trick-or-Treat with the kids, and it’s safe,” said the North Mankato Taylor Library’s Michelle Zimmermann. “We know everybody who’s going to be here and we know that it’s going to be a good place for the kids to be.”

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