Editor’s Note: Besides the Main Street event and trick or treating elsewhere around town, see a full list of other local Halloween activities on Page A-17.

Halloween On Main Street that took a hiatus in 2020 due to COVID-19 is one of many events coming back this year.

Though not a town event, the holiday, with this year’s October 31 falling on a Sunday, is expected to draw hundreds, if not thousands, of trick-or-treaters to the town’s historic main thoroughfare.

“Decades ago it used to be maybe 50 kids would show up on Halloween; now it’s a thousand or more,” First Selectman Dan Rosenthal said.

According to a website listing for the event, Halloween On Main will give residents a chance to “Trick or Treat with friends and neighbors along historic Main Street in Newtown and take part in games and activities sponsored by local businesses. The Trick-Or-Treating event is held rain or shine unless conditions are dangerous.”

Rosenthal said that he did not see a reason for the event to not happen and his office has not received calls asking for the town to intervene to stop the influx of children seeking candy. He said that last October he did receive many such calls, leading to the event to be called off as there would have been only a handful of homes giving out candy.

The only calls he has received over the last month have been inquiries on whether Halloween On Main was on for this year.

“The CDC says that outdoor trick-or-treating should be okay,” said Rosenthal. “The town has no position on it other than to tell residents to go at their own pace.”

Rosenthal said that it was up to individual homeowners along Main Street whether they want to participate or not.

“Residents on Main Street are under no obligation to participate,” Rosenthal said, noting that those who opt out should leave their outside lights off to indicate that trick-or-treaters should not stop there. “We should respect where everyone is on this.”

A website, halloweenonmain.com, has been set up for the annual event and has a list of area Halloween events as well as a link where people can donate to assist the homeowners along Main Street in having enough candy to satisfy all the costumed children storming the area for treats.

The Newtown Parks & Recreation Department is collecting donations of money and unopened bags of candy to assist. Donations may be dropped at the Recreation office at 8 Simpson Street; for more information, call 203-270-4340.

Reporter Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.