By MADDY VITALE
No need to look any further than Sea Isle City for some “spook-tacular” fun on Halloween.
The city put together an array of family-friendly activities from movie night, to Trick-or-Treating to a virtual pet costume contest to celebrate the holiday of ghosts and goblins.
Mayor Leonard Desiderio said of the jam-packed Halloween festivities Thursday, “Even though many events and activities were canceled this year because of the pandemic – including our annual Halloween Parade – a number of enjoyable Halloween activities will take place in Sea Isle City.”
The first event will take place at Excursion Park Band Shell at dusk on Friday, Oct. 30. Families will be treated to a night of free entertainment with a Halloween Movie Night featuring the popular kids’ movie “The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).
“Families are welcome to come out and enjoy,” said Sea Isle City Public Information Officer Katherine Custer. “It will be a lot of fun. Nightmare Before Christmas is a popular movie.”
Custer added that there will be an added surprise to the night. “We will have some treats for the kids. We are really looking forward to another nice community event at the Excursion Park Bandshell.”
Families are encouraged to wear their favorite Halloween costumes to make the night even more fun. Don’t forget to bring folding chairs. The rain date for the movie is Halloween night. For more info, phone 609-263-8687, ext. 101.
The following night continues the weekend festivities with door-to-door Trick-or-Treating from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Local homes and businesses that plan to distribute candy to trick-or-treaters are asked to add their addresses to the City’s “Trick-or-Treat Route” so families will know which properties will be giving-out candy.
Custer noted that so far, 20 properties have signed up to distribute candy.
All households that give out candy, as well as trick-or-treaters, must follow CDC guidelines, and New Jersey Department of Health guidelines for safe Halloween practices, such as limiting contact, not using candy bowls that kids reach into, and wearing face masks.
In addition, Custer emphasized another safety measure that should be practices.
“We want to remind all parents that their trick-or-treaters should wear brightly colored costumes to make them visible when crossing streets. We also ask that children don’t walk alone,” she noted. “Our health officials are recommending that small groups of household members travel together.”
Any resident wishing to add his or her address to the list of participating homes for the Trick-or-Treat Route may call the city’s Recreation Office at 609-263-0050 prior to 3 p.m. on Oct. 30.
The list of properties will be viewable on the Sea Isle City Recreation Facebook page on Halloween Day and also displayed on the front doors of the Recreation Office (4501 Park Road) and the Welcome Center (300 JFK Boulevard).
“This way, families will know who is giving away the Halloween candy. People can call right through the week to add their homes,” Custer noted.
The fun continues with a Halloween Pet Costume Contest. The Recreation Office is hosting the zany contest in cooperation with the Cape May County Animal Shelter & Adoption Center.
To enter, upload a photo of your pet in costume and include your pet’s name, to the Sea Isle City Recreation Facebook page or email the photo to sicrec@seaislecitynj.us.
Photos must be submitted by Wednesday, Oct. 28. Prizes will be given to winners. For additional info call 609-263-6163 or 609-263-0050.
Custer, who heads the Recreation Office, explained that the Recreation Office and the Cape May County Animal Shelter partnered for the contest. The shelter employees will judge the contest and in turn, the Recreation Office will be collecting donations for the animal shelter.
People have been dropping off blankets, towels, food, and other items for shelter animals to the Recreation Office at 4501 Park Road in Sea Isle.
“It is such a good organization, doing such good work,” Custer noted of the shelter. “We are so happy to partner with them.”
Custer, who is the head of the Recreation Office, said the entries so far have been hilarious.
“Right now, the pet costume contest is underway, and we have been getting very nice turnout of pet owners and a rather hilarious turnout of entries,” she noted. “There have been a full range of pets. People will get a chuckle from the types of pets they will see. We encourage people to enter their pets.”
For a list of items needed at the Cape May Animal Shelter click on https://seaislenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/10/Rec-Office-List-for-Animal-Shelter.pdf
