News Flash

[WILKESBORO, NC, October 23, 2020] – Due to rising COVID-19 case counts, the towns of Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro ask area residents to consider alternative Halloween activities this year. 

Recently, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) published “Interim Guidance for Halloween Event Organizers”, which categorized traditional Halloween activities as low-risk, moderate-risk, and high-risk. Both traditional trick-or-treating and trunk-or-treating were listed in the high-risk category. Therefore, the towns strongly discourage residents from organizing or participating in those activities. 

Additionally, organized activities like Halloween parties or trunk-or-treat events that do proceed are subject to limits on gatherings outlined in the state’s most recent Executive Order. These limits remain at 25 persons indoors and 50 outdoors. 

Case counts are increasing both statewide and locally. Wilkes County has averaged over 20 new cases a day for the past few weeks. Holiday-related transmission would harm at-risk populations, and possibly contribute to a spike in cases that could tax the capacity of healthcare and public service providers in the area. Wilkes County Public Schools returned to full-time instruction for grades K-5 on October 20, which a Halloween-induced outbreak may jeopardize. 

The NC DHHS publication lists a number of safe Halloween activities. The towns of Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro are recommending two additional alternatives:

• The Health Foundation, Town of Wilkesboro, and Town of North Wilkesboro will host “West Park After Dark” drive-in movie event at 7:00 PM on Saturday, October 31. The event is sold-out. The state’s Executive Order explicitly permits drive-in events as long as participants stay in their cars. 
• The towns encourage residents to virtually replicate the joy of seeing neighbors in costume by using the social media hashtag “#WilcoSafeHalloween” to post pictures of themselves, their families and pets in costume at home.