Winnipeg Halloween-enthusiasts ready to provide COVID-careful trick or treating

Many Halloween enthusiasts are looking to provide a safe and fun trick or treating experience this year after the second wave of COVID-19 curbed many festivities last year.

Each year for the past decade, Michael Geiger-Wolf has been setting up an elaborate Halloween display in his front yard.

“It was kind of a fun little hobby — playing around with computers, you started building some props and just kind of took off. After I built my own coffin, it just kind of went nuts after that,” Geiger-Wolf said.

“(The kids) absolutely love it. There are kids that go by every day to see what we’ve done and what’s been set up. There’s a couple kids that are bugging me to finish setting up because they want to see it during the daytime so that they’re brave enough to come up it at night.”

Geiger-Wolf says the theme of his display this year is a “zombie field hospital” and it’s set up to be COVID-safe.

“Because we’re doing the field hospital, if we really want to we can wear some gloves and make sure it’s safe that way as well, and we’ll be wearing masks.”

Craig Hughes plans to be out trick or treating with his kids, but is making sure he’s leaving a COVID-19 safe option for trick or treaters coming to his home.

“My wife, since the pandemic, pre-packages a bunch of candies and she’ll just leave them on the doorstep,” Hughes said. “So they just need to grab one thing rather than jumbling through a bunch of candies.”

The province is also urging Manitobans to take COVID-19 precautions this Halloween, including wearing a mask, going out in a small group and physical distancing, washing and sanitizing hands regularly, and staying outside or avoiding going into houses or attractions.