The City of Suffolk is offering several safe Halloween-related events for families. The city is reminding people that trick-or-treating is for those ages 12 and under, and trick-or-treating ends at 8 p.m. per city code.
Here are events the city is offering:
Friday, October 28th
Friday Night Frights at the Suffolk Center: The Ring
The Suffolk Division of Tourism wants to give you the fright of your life as they present a series of classic horror films at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. On Friday, October 28, 2022, join us for “The Ring,” and find out why Samara wants you to answer the phone. This 2002 movie is rated R and has a running time of 1 hour and 55 minutes. The show begins at 8pm and admission is $3 per person. No children under 17 will be permitted without a parent or guardian. For more information, please contact the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts box office at 757.923.2900. Sponsored by Suffolk Tourism, and located at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 West Finney Avenue.
Saturday, October 29th
Touch a Truck & Trick or Treat
Bring your little goblins and ghouls to the parking lot behind the Courthouse (on N. Commerce Street) on Saturday, October 29, 2022, for Touch a Truck & Trick or Treat! The event begins at 11am and ends at 2pm, rain or shine. Enjoy food, candy, games, trucks, and more! Children can see, touch, and explore their favorite big trucks and vehicles. It is a one-day interactive event that also gives children the opportunity to meet the men and women that serve, protect and build our community. Vehicles on display include construction trucks, emergency vehicles, tractor trailers, and utility trucks. WEAR YOUR COSTUMES AND BRING TREAT BAGS! Tickets are $5 each or 4 for $15 and are available on-site the day of the event.
For more information, call the Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society at 757.539.2781.
Saturday, October 29th
Victorian Suffolk: Dying to Be There, A Guided Discovery of Cedar Hill Cemetery
This 75-minute walking tour explores the hidden meanings buried in Suffolk’s Historic Cedar Hill Cemetery. The tour will feature Victorian-era symbolism, burial practices, funerary industries, and mourning rituals. This intriguing and educational excursion will highlight how the residents of Suffolk both lived and died in the 19th century. Cedar Hill Cemetery is more than two centuries old, with roots that harken back to the founding of Suffolk. With keen eyes and curious minds, this tour will bring into focus the fascinating world of Victorian America, their obsession with death, dying, and living beyond the grave.
$7 adults; $5 seniors (60+), military, and children 12 and under. Participants are asked to park in the lot adjacent to the Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum, 326 North Main Street and meet at the Cedar Hill Cemetery gate adjacent to the parking lot. For more information, call 757-514-4130.
Saturday, October 29th
Legends of Main Street: A Suffolk Ghost Walk
A hair-raising encounter with the “spirited” side of Suffolk. Follow a costumed guide through the shadows of historic Main Street, discovering stories, legends, and “unexplained occurrences” by lantern light. Tales of unsolved mysteries and unresolved affairs abound throughout Suffolk’s historically hip Ghost Walk. This walking tour is approximately 90 minutes and covers about 1.5 miles and departs from the Suffolk Visitor Center, located at 524 North Main Street; comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate dress are recommended.
Reservations are required. Plan to arrive 15 minutes early (7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) Fee: $10 adults; $8 seniors (60+), military, and children ages 9-12. Not recommended for children under 9. For more information, call 757-514-4130.
Sunday, October 30th
Downtown Suffolk Trick or Treat
Downtown Suffolk’s Trick or Treat event is on October 30th from 4:00pm until 6:00pm. Bring your family and your dog for candy, treats, and Halloween fun.
Organized by the Downtown Business Association
*If you are a Downtown business looking to participate, please contact Deanna Holt at dholt@suffolkva.us.
SAFETY TIPS:
The Suffolk Police Department and Suffolk Fire & Rescue remind you to please keep these safety tips in mind when out trick-or-treating:
Costumes
- Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.
- Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.
- Because some masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives. Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over eyes. Makeup should be tested ahead of time on a small patch of skin to ensure there are no unpleasant surprises on the big day and removed in the evening to avoid possible skin irritation.
- When shopping for costumes, wigs and accessories, look for and purchase those with a label clearly indicating they are flame-resistant.
- If a sword, cane, or stick is a part of your child's costume, make sure it is not sharp or long. A child may be easily hurt by these accessories if they stumble or trip.
- Review with children how to call 9-1-1 if they ever have an emergency or become lost.
Carving a Niche
- Small children should never carve pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers. Then parents can do the cutting.
- Consider using a flashlight or glow stick instead of a candle to light your pumpkin. If you do use a candle, a votive candle is safest.
- Candlelit pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects, and not on a porch or any path where visitors may pass close by. They should never be left unattended.
Home Safe Home
- To keep homes safe for visiting trick-or-treaters, parents should remove from the porch and front yard anything a child could trip over such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations.
- Parents should check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.
- Wet leaves should be swept from sidewalks and steps.
- Restrain pets so they do not inadvertently jump on or bite a trick-or-treater.
On the Trick or Treat Trail
- A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds.
- Obtain flashlights with fresh batteries for all children and their escorts.
- Only go to homes with a porch light on, and never enter a home or car for a treat.
- Wait to eat any treats until after they can be safely inspected at home in a well-lit environment.
Because pedestrian injuries are the most common injuries to children on Halloween, remind trick-or-treaters:
- Stay in a group and communicate where they will be going.
- Remember reflective tape for costumes and trick-or-treat bags.
- Carry a cellphone for quick communication.
- Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.
- If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic.
- Never cut across yards or use alleys.
- Only cross the street as a group in established crosswalks where available. Never cross between parked cars.
- Don't assume the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing trick-or-treaters. Just because one car stops, doesn't mean others will!
- If a person, vehicle or situation seems suspicious, act on your gut instinct and call the non-emergency number, 923-2350, and let an Officer investigate. If you believe a crime is occurring, call 9-1-1 immediately.
