The 2021 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.
You’re welcome to combine the Halloween Parade with traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating after dark or just do the conventional trick-or-treating thing. It’s up to you!
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 Zones
We’d be grateful if you started in your home area and completed a zone 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 too long to scoop up some sweet treats.
We made some suggested zones 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 stoked to walk around South Cornelia and see some festive folks? And most importantly, are you ready to score some sweet treats?!
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: Around South Cornelia and the surrounding area (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 some distance away from one another: some monsters can get very territorial.
- While it can be tempting to collect many goodies from each stop, make sure you grab one treat from each stop (unless otherwise noted) 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: Around South Cornelia and the surrounding area (see map above)
You’re welcome to combine the Halloween Parade with traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating after dark.
Anticipated Questions and Attempted Answers
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 with COVID-19 precautions in mind. And be aware that we have 200+ kids signed up to parade in and around South Cornelia.
There’s no way to tell which kid will walk along which street. Plus, given how excited kids will be to have a local trick-or-treating option on Halloween Day and the fact that we often have kids from surrounding neighborhoods come into the area to trick-or-treat, the number of kids who parade by your stop is 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 at a specific stop, the default number of treats for each stop is one.
How can I offer up treats my curb, driveway, or yard?
Here are some creative ideas we’ve heard about or seen in the past. Feel free to riff on these or come up with something original!
- Set a card table along your curb with candy spaced out on the table (no shared touch points like large bowls please!)
- 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.”
What if my home doesn't fall along a parade route?
While we’d love everyone’s home to fall along a route, some folks may be outside one we carved up. If you have a home that doesn’t end up on a route and want to distribute candy, consider these two options:
- Email Joel Zaslofsky or call/text 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.
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
- 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 decorations and/or carved pumpkins.
Ready to Get Involved for a Future Event?
You can contact us at team@southcornelia.org 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.
