Oakland, Benton plan alternative trick-or-treat events

OAKLAND — Citing safety concerns, at least two central Maine towns are considering alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating on Halloween.

In Benton, children and their parents can attend a “Trick or Trunk” event on Thursday evening in the parking lot of the town’s elementary school. Instead of going door to door, kids can go car to car for candy dispensed from the trunks of the vehicles. There will also be other activities including haunted hayrides.

The president of the school’s Parent Teacher Organization, Diane Pierce, tells the Kennebec Journal that many parents feel less comfortable these days with traditional Halloween trick-or-treating.

The Oakland police department is sponsoring a Halloween parade on Thursday night.

Police Captain Rick Stubbert says the town is hoping to create a new and somewhat safer holiday tradition.