Making Halloween a scream – in the fun and safe way

Capt. Joe Balles of the Madison Police Department says this year calls for increased safety precautions because Halloween falls on a Saturday.

“There’s going to be a lot of people in town for the Badger game and out drinking for Freak Fest,” Balles said.  “Parents need to be cautious of neighborhoods with busy streets, and plan trick-or-treat locations accordingly.” 

The Madison Police Department recommends making your costume visible to cars using reflective tape.  They ask parents to accompany their children for trick-or-treating and check that their candy has not been opened or punctured before letting their children eat it.  Anything that is not in its original wrapper should be avoided, including baked goods or fruits.

Trick-or-treaters should carry a flashlight, stay on sidewalks and only approach homes that are well lit.  They should not approach a side or back door. 

Upcoming Madison Halloween Events

It’s difficult to keep track of all the Halloween events in Madison this weekend.  This interactive map will help you find upcoming events and search them based on price, date and acceptable age range.  Click on the columns in the bar graph to sort the events according to your preferences.  Then, hover over a dot on the map to view the time and location of the event.  Here you can also see what the event offers, from alcohol and live music to costume contests.

Madison Events Give Parents a Safe Alternative to Trick-or-Treating

Madison parents with concerns about trick-or-treating in their neighborhood found a fun alternative at Henry Vilas Zoo Sunday. 

Children in a wide assortment of Halloween costumes from princesses to superheroes came out to enjoy games, face painting, and of course – candy.

This annual “Safe Place to Trick-or-Treat” event allows Madison parents to celebrate Halloween with their children worry free.

Event organizers estimated the beautiful weather helped them bring almost 1,500 Madisonians to the event.

Madison also held a Family Halloween event on State Street and Capitol Square Wednesday with spooky arts and crafts and hay rides. 

Family Halloween is sponsored by Madison’s Central Business Development District.   BID Programming Coordinator Tim Jenquin said the event is developed with parents’ safety concerns in mind. 

“The wet weather slowed things down a little,” Jenquin said.  “But we felt like the event was very successful.” 

Jenquin said there were approximately 75 trick-or-treaters at the Downtown Visitors Center.  And there were almost 70 businesses in the area where trick-or-treaters could stop for candy.

Family Halloween is also an event for families who live in high-density housing downtown, providing them the opportunity to participate in trick-or-treating fun.

“We just wanted to create a fun, entertaining environment where people could come to enjoy Halloween,” Jenquin said. 

If you are still looking for Halloween activities for your children, check out the Madison Children’s Museum’s Kid’s Halloween Concert on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.  Or use the interactive map above to find more children’s Halloween events.