Does allowing your children to trick or treat at night in your neighborhood scare you? A good way to beat that fright caused by safety concerns might be to take your kids trick or treating in one of eight shopping malls along the Wasatch Front that offer late afternoon-early evening treats to costumed youngsters.
Starting as early as 4 p.m. on Oct. 31, slightly more than half of the shopping malls and their merchants along the Wasatch Front are inviting children to trick or treat there for a safer and more convenient substitute to the door-to-door approach.Some of the mall lines may get long, but in many of them, the line is one long circle around the inside perimeter. This means trick-or-treaters can just join or exit the line anywhere between stores. It may be only a several-minute wait between stores, and the weather, of course, is perfect. Some stores have even been known to hand out some of the more expensive treats.
Because many malls offer trick or treating in the afternoon, it is also still possible for greedy children to still do some door-to-door trick or treating in their own neighborhood in the evening, as well.
Listed here are area malls and what, if any, trick-or-treating and Halloween events, they'll hold for 1991. Individual businesses may also choose to accept trick-or-treaters. It's best to be at the malls on time because some businesses may run out of goodies toward the end of the event.
Brickyard Plaza, 3200 S. 1300 East, is an "outdoor" mall and is located in an area of the valley where children don't usually come. Hence, the Brickyard does not offer trick or treating, and most of its stores will close at 6 p.m.
Cache Valley Mall, 1300 N. Main, Logan, is not offering any trick-or-treating opportunities this year. The mall hasn't received good support for such a program in the past. However, the mall does offer a store Halloween decorating contest.
Cottonwood Mall, 4835 Highland Drive, will offer trick or treating from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Halloween Day. "This is a big event," said Tracy Merrill, mall marketing director. "People really appreciate it . . . it's safer than the street." Merrill said the event is optional for all merchants but that most do participate in the program. He also said that the mall has been known to dim its lights or have strange noises on its loudspeaker during its trick-or-treating program.
Crossroads Plaza, 50 S. Main, is also not offering a trick-or-treating program this year.
Fashion Place Mall, 6191 S. State, is offering trick or treating from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 31 for children under 12 if accompanied by their parents. Kids can go from store to store to receive goodies. In addition, anyone who spends $3 or more in mall's food court on Halloween Day can obtain a free photo of a child in costume. Shoppers should save their receipts, get a sticker from the mall office between noon to 9 p.m. and redeem it for a free photo.
Fashion Place also is sponsoring a "Pumpkin Patch" decorating contest among merchants through Oct. 31. Sixty stores are participating in the event that started Saturday, Oct. 26, at Center Court. Shoppers can vote for their favorite. The mall also is involved with the "Scare Away Hunger" campaign that hopes to raise 1,000 pounds of food by Oct. 31. Mall stores have special grocery bags for donations, which can be dropped off near Chick-Fil-A.
Five Points Mall, 1500 S. Main, Bountiful, will offer trick-or-treating for children from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Halloween Day. All stores will participate and 35,000 pieces of candy are expected to be given away.
In addition, there will also be a public costume contest at 7 p.m. on Oct. 31. (The employee costume contest starts at 4 p.m.) There is also a storefront display contest, and a "pumpkin walk" (with 100 prizes) will be staged from 4 p.m. and continue until all prizes are issued.
Layton Hills, east of Layton I-15 exit 334, will offer trick or treating again, as it has since 1982. Hours will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 31.
"We're a family-oriented mall and this is the ideal thing," said Julie Hartmann, mall marketing director. "It's a good alternative to going door-to-door and an excellent day of public relations for us." The program is an optional one for merchants but they can buy candy in bulk through the mall. Most stores don't plan on doing business during those two hours and should have up to 3,500 pierces of candy on hand. Hartmann said it will cost each store about $60 in candy.
She said it will take about an hour for each child to go through the mall's loop and that each participating store will have a pumpkin in the window and a person will be handing out candy at the door, maybe even giving some to parents.
Newgate Mall, Wall Avenue and Riverdale Road, Ogden, is offering trick or treating again this year. Like the Layton Hills Mall, Newgate has had a program going since 1982. Hours will be 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Halloween Day. The event is optional for merchants, but Maurice Hebert, general manager of Newgate, said about 80 percent of all stores participate.
"We feel very good about this in terms of the safety factors," Hebert said. "The kids love it."
Hebert said sales are miserable on Halloween and mall trick or treating is a public service. He's told merchants to try not to all give out the same candy.
Ogden City Mall, 24th and Washington Blvd., Ogden, will entertain trick-or-treaters from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 31. The event is optional for merchants, but most will participate according to Debra Luby, mall marketing director. She expects about 1,000 children to show up.
"We consider ourself a community-oriented center and this is a community event," Luby said.
New this year will be the addition of a children's Halloween Party and craft event, also held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the mall.
Olympus Hills Mall, 3947 S. Wasatch Blvd., will offer trick or treating on Halloween, starting at 4 p.m. and continuing until merchants close in the early evening. Most stores will be participating.
Sandy Mall, 780 E. 9400 S., Sandy, won't have trick or treating this year. The event may return next year, but mall management said it depends on the reaction of the merchants since they are the sponsors of the event.
South Towne Mall, 10450 S. State, Sandy, will once again accommodate trick-or-treaters from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
According to Greg Rosentreter of the mall's marketing department, the mall is supplying the candy for the merchants. He said most stores will participate although one store belonging to a national chain has some red tape to hopefully cut through first before it can participate.
"The merchants really want to be involved." Rosentreter said. "We've had it for every year, at least 3 years."
The mall is also holding a window decorating contest for merchants, and shoppers can vote on the funniest, scariest, etc. decorations until Oct. 30. Ribbons in windows will highlight the winning entries on Halloween Day.
Trolley Square, 602 E. 500 S., is not offering any Halloween events or trick or treating this year.
University Mall, Orem, will not offer any trick or treating this year, according to Jim Keller, marketing director.
Valley Fair Mall, 3601 S. 2700 W., is not offering trick or treating this year. In fact, the mall will close early - at 6 p.m. on Oct. 31. The mall will hold an employee costume contest, however.
ZCMI Center, 36 South State, will not hold a trick-or-treating program this year, based on the feedback from the merchants. Some mall businesses also don't allow masks on the premises.
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Keep kids from stumbling into a horrible Halloween
Halloween is an exciting holiday for many, but it's a dreaded time of the year for some adults because of concerns about vandalism, theft and safety.
The Salt Lake Police Department has issued a list of suggestions to make Halloween safer and more fun for everyone:
- Children should always be accompanied by an adult. If the child is too old to be accompanied, he or she is probably too old to trick or treat.
- Confine the trick-or-treat visits to your own neighborhood and visit only houses of people you know.
- Children should be instructed not to damage property and to be courteous and respectful.
- Use makeup on the face instead of wearing a mask that can obstruct vision.
- Do not invite trick-or-treaters into your home. Greet them at the door.
- Keep the outside of your home well lighted and remove any obstacles from the porch and driveway.
- When driving, exercise extreme caution during trick-or-treat hours.
- Most important, urge children to wait until they return home before eating any of their treats. Check thoroughly the contents of their treats to see if any have been tampered with. Discard any unwrapped candy and cut and wash all fruits.
"Parents should know the possible dangers and teach children what they can do to be safe," said officer Mark Peck, who is the department's Officer Friendly. He also suggests that Halloween parties be held for neighborhood children so that they are off the streets and safer.
"Remember, a child looks forward to only the good things about Halloween. So help them have a safe and `horribly' good time."