It’s that time of year again: when children will dress up like their favorite characters and hit the streets of Haralson County in search of candy. However, police officials want this Halloween to be a safe one for everyone.

“Unfortunately, there are always a few bad incidents that happen during Halloween,” said Haralson County Sheriff Eddie Mixon. “Many of them could be avoided by doing a few simple things.”

Mixon and Haralson County Public Information Officer Deputy Jim Beck say it is important to wear safe costumes that are fire resistant and dress so others can easily see you.

“We encourage children to wear bright colored costumes, reflective tape or something that glows in the dark,” Beck said. “Even if you are travelling in a group, it gets hard to see at night. And you always want to walk toward oncoming traffic. That way you can see them, and they can see you.”

Beck says it’s a good idea for trick-or-treaters to stay in a group with a parent or responsible adult supervising. Even if your group breaks up into smaller groups, always approach well lit houses and go in at least groups of two.

He says another way to stay safe is to “go where you know.” Beck says it’s best to trick-or-treat at houses where you know the residents.

“Haralson County is a close-knit community,” Beck said, “so you should be able to go trick-or-treating at all the houses where you know people, whether it be from church, school or family, and you should have more than enough candy by the end of the night.”

Beck says it is also important for parents to check their children’s candy before they eat it. He says parents should be on the lookout for candy that appears to have been opened and resealed or for candy that looks like something has been put in it.

“We’ve not had any reports of candy tampering in many years in Haralson County, but we do still fear that someone will try to put something in the candy,” Beck said. “So when in doubt, don’t eat it.”

Beck says when your family is taking part in other Halloween-related festivities, parents should use caution as well. Keep candles and Jack O’lanterns away from flammable items, such as curtains and fake spider webs, and away from walking paths where children and others are likely to tip them over. Also, do not allow children to use sharp knives to carve their own pumpkins. There are several pumpkin-carving kits with plastic tools. Parents can also allow their children to draw the design they want onto the pumpkin, then the parents cut out the design. Another option is pumpkin stickers, which adhere to the pumpkin’s surface and require no carving at all.

Mixon and Beck also want parents to keep in mind that area churches and municipalities have several alternative options to trick-or-treating, usually in the form of a trunk-or-treat. In fact, several area churches and cities plan to host Halloween festivities in a safe environment, including Tallapoosa and Bremen. Therefor, Beck says residents aren’t restricted to traditional trick-or-treating.

Tallapoosa is planning a downtown Halloween Fest on Head Ave. from 5 to 10 p.m., complete with awards for pumpkin carving and painting and trunk-or-treat fun. First, second and third place prizes will be given away to the best pumpkins dropped off at Events By Design before 6 p.m. today. The pumpkin painting contest will be for children aged 5 to 12 years. Children from 13 to 18 years old can enter carved pumpkins. Judging will be based on creativity and originality.

Children will also be able to safely trunk-or-treat down Head Avenue as the street will be closed to traffic during festivities.

Halloween Fest will also feature a costume contest and free hay rides. The costume contest will have three age groups: youth for ages 5 through 12 at 6:30 p.m., junior for ages 13 through 18 at 7:30 p.m., and adult for 18 and up at 9:30 p.m. Prizes will be give for most original, most creative, cutest and scariest.

A classic Halloween story time will also be hosted by Events by Design and Touch of Heaven Salon from 5 to 7 p.m.

Residents will also be able to look at the window decorations created by local downtown businesses for the downtown Halloween window contest. Eight business competed in the contest with winners for most original and best overall designs. Events by Design and Touch of Heaven Salon took home the prize for Best Overall, Fashion Cove received the award for Most Original, and Lipham’s Department Store received an Honorable Mention.

The Haralson County 4-H Club will also be having a Monster Mash at the Callaway Livestock Pavilion from 5 to 10 p.m. Activities will include dancing, games, treats and a costume contest. All 4-H members ages 5 through 12 are welcome to attend but must have a signed Code of Conduct and Medical Release Form in order to participate.

“[Halloween] is more about the experience and visiting with people and having fun,” Beck said, “and you can accomplish that in a number of ways.”

Beck says the Haralson County Sheriff’s Department and city police departments still plan on watching neighborhoods, subdivisions and other areas more closely on Halloween night due to the large number of trick-or-treaters they tend to attract.