Next weekend, Alaskans will be celebrating the one holiday that has always encouraged mask-wearing: Halloween.
There are a number of different community events taking place on the central peninsula for Halloween weekend, all of which have been modified from their traditional formats in order to account for social distancing and hygienic practices that mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Several trick-or-treating events have been converted to a drive-thru format, and anyone looking to participate in any of the events this Halloween should call ahead to be aware of the individual protocols.
Below is a list of events taking place Halloween weekend, including times, locations and contact information.
Costume contest at Kenai Xtreme Fun Center
The Kenai Xtreme Fun Center is hosting a costume contest on Oct. 30 and 31. Contestants must come to the Fun Center on one of those two days, make a purchase, fill out their contact sheet and get their photo taken. The Fun Center staff will choose winners on Nov. 1, with the winners receiving free movie tickets, pizza and drinks. Call 907-395-4448 for more information.
Trick-or-treat locations on Halloween
On Halloween from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., kids can participate in indoor trick-or-treating as well as “trunk-or-treating” in the parking lot of the Nikiski Community Recreation Center. Call Jackie Cason at 907-776-8800 for more information.
At the Peninsula Center Mall in Soldotna, kids can do store-to-store trick-or-treating from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and take photos with the Racing Lions’ Race Cars outside the mall. Call 907-262-6299 for more information.
At the Copper Center on Kalifornsky Beach Road, residents can trunk-or-treat outside the Orca Theater and the Duck Inn from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The first 300 trick-or-treaters will receive a glow necklace, and the best decorated car will receive a prize.
The Sterling Senior Center will have a treat drive-thru from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Halloween. Participants are asked to remain in their vehicles for this event. Call 907-262-6808 for more information.
Kenai Peninsula Harley Davidson will be hosting a costume contest and trick-or-treating at the dealership on Halloween. Call 907-260-6777 for more information.
Halloween story time
The Kenai and Soldotna libraries will be holding Halloween-themed story times that are free to attend. Both will be streamed on Facebook Live, with Soldotna’s taking place on Halloween at 7:30 p.m. Kenai will be hosting theirs on Oct. 29 from 10 to 10:30 a.m.
A sign celebrating the autumn season is seen outside the Kenai Community Library on Oct. 24, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion A masked pumpkin entered into the City of Kenai’s pumpkin decorating is seen here during the Fall Pumpkin Festival in Kenai, on Oct. 10.
