The 2020 South Cornelia Halloween Experience
There’s a lot happenin’ in and around South Cornelia on October 31. Maybe you want to get in on COVID-19 friendly trick-or-treating, dazzling house and yard decorations, and seeing some nifty carved pumpkins?
The Overview
Whether you’re a candy-craving child, pumpkin-carving enthusiast, exterior decoration admirer, or just enjoy a self-paced parade, we have something in store for you from 3-5 p.m. on October 31 all around South Cornelia.
Jump Links
The Marvelous Map of Festivities
On our map, you can toggle on and off just the experiences you want while the action is live from 3-5 p.m. on October 31. By default, the map below shows just the spots with treats because, let’s be honest, that’s what most people (a.k.a. kids) on the parade route are after.
Some of the home décor and carved pumpkins will be around before or after Halloween Day, but the treats are only available from 3-5 p.m.
Map Legend
- Blue bottle and apple = treats available
- Brown painter’s palette = home/yard decorations
- Orange pumpkin = carved pumpkins
Here’s a direct link to the map if you want to see it outside this website.
Pro tip: Select the layers icon in the top left of the map to toggle on or off the stops with treats, decorations, and/or carved pumpkins.
Suggested Parade Routes
We’d be grateful if you started in your home area and completed a segment of the overall parade route before moving on to another one. That will help us physically space out parade goers and also help keep clusters of kids from having to wait their turn to scoop up some sweet snacks.
We made suggested segments and we’re happy to have you explore Spooky Street, Witches Way, Zombie Zone, and Dracula Drive at your own pace.
For Zombies, Witches, Ghosts, and Trick-or-Treaters
Is your costume prepped? Are you pumped to walk around South Cornelia and see some festive folks? And most importantly, are you ready to score some sweet treats?!
Let’s experiment together this Halloween! You get to explore a diverse, spooky route with a parent/guardian and have information on how to expand the fun if you finish early.
- When: October 31 from 3:00-5:00 p.m.
- Where: All around South Cornelia (see map above)
- What to expect: Starting from your front door – or a friend’s house if you’re coming into South Cornelia from a surrounding area – you’ll walk a set route past people with candy, decorations, and/or enthusiastic cheers. We’re encouraging everyone to keep COVID-19 in mind and maintain space and sanitation with treats.
Special Notes:
- We’ve heard from Halloween experts that it’s essential for zombies, witches, ghosts, unicorns, and all other Halloween creatures to stay six feet or more away from one another: some monsters can get very territorial.
- While it can be tempting to collect many goodies from each stop, ensure you grab one treat from each neighbor so other Halloween creatures can also enjoy a treat.
- To have the most fun and get the most treats, it’s important to listen to your Parade Guide (a.k.a. your parent/guardian) about staying safe.
For Parents and Accompanying Adults
We know you can help us all balance safety, fun, and curiosity! What do you need to know so you can guide a child and enjoy the festivities yourself?
- When: October 31 from 3:00-5:00 p.m.
- Where: All around South Cornelia (see map above)
Anticipated Questions and Attempted Answers
How can I keep COVID-19 safety in mind?
Encourage costumes that include a mask and gloves. You may even consider wearing a mask and gloves for yourself … and bring hand sanitizer to apply as needed.
How can I be a good guide for the kids I'm responsible for?
Stay directly with the kids you’re in charge of to:
- Maintain physical distancing.
- Ensure they take an appropriate number of treats.
- Keep them following the right route.
Also, while the activities will happen during daylight hours, remember to be cautious of traffic that may not know about our festivities.
We finished our main parade route segment. Now what?
Go to another route segment if you can finish all or part of it by 5:00 p.m. You can frame it as “the bonus round” so, even if you have to end before your kids are ready, they got to experience more than expected. 😉
For Candy Distributors
Do you have goodies you want to get into eager kids’ hands? This event couldn’t happen without you!
(I mean, what’s a parade without candy, right?)
What to Expect
Plan to give out treats in a new way this year, being as mindful as possible about COVID-19 precautions. We have 150+ kids signed up to parade around South Cornelia and here are some creative ideas about how to present treats on your curb, driveway, or yard:
- Attach candy to popsicle sticks, sticking them in the ground at a safe distance from one another.
- Create a low-hanging clothesline to pin candy up and string it out to the kids.
- Easter Eggs with a glow stick inside spread at a safe distance in your yard for kids to grab.
- Make a physically-distanced plastic/PVC pipe “candy shoot.”
- Set a card table along your curb with candy spaced out on the table (no shared touch points like large bowls please!).
Special Note:
While we’d love everyone’s home to fall along a route, some folks may be outside one we carved up (maybe worse than the nice pumpkins) If you have a home that doesn’t end up on a route and want to distribute, consider these two options:
- Email Joel or call him at 612-240-2601 to get matched up with someone to host you in their front yard.
- Find a person you know on the main map above who’s also distributing treats and contact them directly to partner up.
There’s no way to tell which child of 150+ will walk along which path. Plus, given how excited kids may be to have a trick-or-treating option on Halloween day and the fact that we often have kids from surrounding neighborhoods come into South Cornelia to trick-or-treat, the number of kids who parade by your stop could be doubly unpredictable.
We’re not asking you to stay outside, monitor your candy inventory during the parade, or buy enough candy for all of Edina. It’s the responsibility of our Parade Guides (a.k.a. parents/guardians) to make sure kids take their fair share and no more. Unless you note otherwise, we’re telling everyone the default number of treats for each stop on the parade route is one.
Home Décor and Carved Pumpkins
There are some spooky spots, classy corners, and just plain weird places to explore around South Cornelia before (and maybe after) October 31. How about a digital map to aid your in-person exploration of our neat neighborhood’s decorations and carved pumpkins?
Map Legend
- Blue bottle and apple = treats available
- Brown painter’s palette = home/yard decorations
- Orange pumpkin = carved pumpkins
Here’s a direct link to the map if you want to see it outside this website.
Pro tip: Select the layers icon in the top left of the map to toggle on or off the stops with treats, decorations, and/or carved pumpkins.
Ready to Get Involved for a Future Event?
You can contact us at SouthCorneliaNA@gmail.com or call Joel Zaslofsky directly at 612-240-2601. The quick survey below is also a great way to start a path towards giving and receiving with the wonderful folks of South Cornelia.
