Ansonia looks to save Halloween with Nightmare Alley event
ANSONIA — What’s a Halloween event without candy?
The Cultural Arts Commission is calling upon the generosity of residents and businesses to donate candy, and lots of it, to ensure the city’s upcoming Nightmare Alley drive- thru Halloween event is a sweet success.
“This event is anticipated to be a bigger draw than originally planned,” said commission member Richard DiCarlo. “We decided to add the candy just in case of an altered trick- or- treat on Halloween, based on the state’s recommendation. We don’t know what’s going on with that still.”
The state Department of Public Health has issued some guidelines for Halloween geared to keep everyone safe amid the ongoing COVID- 19 pandemic. Door- to- door trick- or- treating is considered “a high risk activity,” according to state and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials.
Because of the uncertainty of where kids can score their loot this year, city officials want to make sure they get their annual candy fix.
“The mayor, the Valley Arts Council and my partners and I will be donating to the cause,” said DiCarlo. “We also have a small budget, but the word has gotten out to the surrounding communities and we may have a ‘ monster event’ in store and we need to be prepared and we don’t want any kids to be disappointed.”
DiCarlo estimated some 400- 500 “wellstocked treat bags” will need to be filled for all those who attend the drive- thru event.
Nightmare Alley is scheduled for 6 to
8: 30 p. m. Oct. 29 at Veterans Park, next to City Hall. The city is working with DiCarlo and the Valley Arts Council to transform the park into a scary graveyard, complete with ghouls, zombies and other creepy characters. There’s an area between City Hall and the park where cars can drive through before exiting onto East Main Street. Social distancing guidelines will be in place, and all who attend must remain in their cars.
DiCarlo said the commission reached out to several large stores for donations, but have been directed to deal with their corporate offices instead. In the interest of time, the commission is hoping the community can pitch in.
“It’s been a strange year indeed and since this is a free event, we were hoping for the community to step in and lend us a hand,” DiCarlo added. “This is for the kids. Although they may not appear to be stressed out from crazy 2020, like all of us they, too, have been through a lot. Halloween is important, and just the thought of it being altered or even canceled is not a comforting thought. This is going to be a fun activity for the kids and that’s what it’s all about.” Mayor David Cassetti concurred.
“Instead of buying candy for traditional, door- to- door trick- or- treating, we hope you will consider donating candy to our driveby Halloween event,” Cassetti said. “We want to make sure our Ansonia kids are still enjoying the candy even if they can’t go door to door.”
Donations of candy without peanuts can be dropped off between 9 a. m. and 4 p. m. Monday- Thursday at City Hall, 253 Main St.; and from 4 to 8 p. m., Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and from noon to 8 p. m. Saturday at the Main Street Art Gallery, 258 Main St.