How to keep Halloween happy, even in a pandemic

UPDATE |The Ottawa Senators have cancelled this year's drive-thru event and will instead deliver Halloween boxes to schools and youth organizations.

Ottawa's medicalofficer of health Dr. Vera Etcheshas nixed trick-or-treatingthis Oct. 31. So now what? How do you capture the spooky spirit of Halloween without the parties, parades and door-to-door candy collecting?

We've got a few fun ideas for you and your family.

Snuggle up with a spooky movie

A scary flick can help set the mood for the night.

Peter Thompson, owner at Movies 'n Stuff in Alta Vista, suggeststhe recently released Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo!as a good pick for the younger kids. He said that's what his eight-year-old will be watching. "Not too scary, but still a little bit creepy," is how Thompson describes it.

For older children, Thompson said the 1993 Bette Midler film Hocus Pocus is "a huge favourite at Halloween every year." He also recommends Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas or Beetlejuice bothfun and still pretty tame.

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For adults looking for an alternative to that cancelled Halloween party, the 1968 horror classic Rosemary's Baby holds up well, Thompson said, adding that he's also a big fan of the 2007 cult classic Trick 'r Treat. "My wife and I watch it every Halloween," he said.

So grab that bowl of popcorn and bag of candy and settle infor some frights.

Monstrous munchies

Or maybe munch on some pumpkins and gravestones from Aux Delices Bakery in the ByWard Market. Owner Nakita Gomes has ready-made Halloween-themed cookies, and also sells DIY kits for customers to add their own decorative flair.

Gomes recommends picking up some takeout on Halloween and then taking home a cookie kit so "you can play with your dessert afterwards."

Haunted at home

The Community Activities Group of Ottawa East is putting on a virtual Halloween party on Oct. 31, which includes a zombie makeup workshop, a pumpkin carving contestand Spooktacular Creepy stories for younger children, along with a "costume showcase" on Zoom.

Nivethine Mahendran, co-director of programs for the group, said with kids missing out on trick-or-treating this year,the costume showcase could help restore some of that lost excitement.

The events are open to anyone who wants to participate, but registration is required.

For more mature ghost stories, join in on somelive scary storytelling atVirtual Haunted Campfires,a series featuring ghost researchers and performers who share terrifying tales of haunted jails and wartime ghosts.

For the brave-hearted, The Haunted Walk, which normally leads tours around Ottawa,also offers an interactive audio experience calledThe Haunting at Home that sets you up to run your own paranormal experiments without leaving your front door.

Halloween on 4 wheels

You will definitely want to keep your car doors locked for the Deadwood Haunted Driveexperience at Wesley Clover Parks. Participants will navigate through six horror scenes that tell the "blood curdling story of the Deadwood Massacre."

The spectacle features live actors, special effects, lights and sound, all designed to freak you out. From Oct.15 to 31.

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The Ottawa Senators are also hosting a drive-thrueventcalledSparty's Safe and Not So Scary Halloween Party, designed for thefaint(er) of heart. The party takes placeoutside Canadian Tire Centre onOct. 31. It's free, but you must register to get a timed ticket.