What will Halloween look like in Portland in 2020? – KGW.com

Haunted drive-thrus, scary movies and a crypto-zoo. Groups are getting creative to come up with fun ways to celebrate spooky season safely this year.

PORTLAND, Oregon When 2020 started, Halloween was set up to be legendary. This year, the holiday converges with a full moon and a blue moon - and it's on Saturday. Sounds pretty fun, right?

But then COVID-19 hit, and six months later, here we are. It's spooky season and we're still in the middle of a global pandemic.

Halloween will, of course, look much different this year. Trick-or-treating mask-free (actually, I guess masks have always been pretty normal on this holiday) and attending crowded Halloween parties is not an option.

But Halloween fun (and terror) is still possible, we just have to adjust our plans and expectations.

The Halloween & Costume Association (HCA) released some guidelines on how to celebrate the holiday safely this year, based on a COVID-19 risk level map created by Harvard's Global Health Institute. The map ranks counties in each state by risk level, based on the number of new daily COVID-19 cases.

Most of Oregon and Washington (including Multnomah County and Clark County) are in the yellow zone. At that risk level, HCA recommends these activities for Halloween this year:

Although the holiday is officially on October 31, Halloween season really extends for the entire month of October. And groups around Oregon and Southwest Washington are getting creative to come up with fun ways to celebrate spooky season safely this year.

Drive through the Scaregrounds at Oaks Park

Fasten your seatbelts, because Oaks Amusement Park is transforming into five different haunted attractions that you can experience without ever getting out of your car! You drive up, roll down your car window and take a sanitized portable bluetooth speaker that will provide the spooky sounds for the whole experience. Then you'll be guided into a a scene where you can turn off your car and be frightened by live actors, sounds, thematic lighting, special effects and animations.

Tickets are available online online in advance here.

When:October 9-11, October 16-18 and October 22-November 1

Where:Oaks Amusement Park, 7805 SE Oaks Park Way

Drive up for a scary movie at the Cinema of Horrors

Scary movies not scary enough for you? Why not add live monsters popping up next to you while you watch? The Clark County Event Center is screening drive-in horror movies, complete with monsters lurking outside your car window.

There are 12 movies playing throughout the Halloween season. They'll kick it off on October 9 with "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and end it on November 1 with Jordan Peele's "Us." Tickets are available online in advance here.

When:October 9-11, October 16-18, October 23-25 and October 30 - November 1

Where:Clark County Event Center, 17402 NE Delfel Rd, Ridgefield, WA

Visit the Crypto-Zoo

Portland artist Mike Bennett has become famous for his hand-painted cartoon wood cutouts. He's hidden them around town for people to find, for free, he's created DIY kits for the rest of us to make our own art at home, and now he's setting up a spooky zoo full of cryptids, monsters and mythical beasts! Each weekday Mike adds a new character, from A through Z. All of the animals are family-friendly, so no kid will be scared.

Where:Alberta Arts District-The exact location is a secret, but message Mike on Instagram for a hint!

Go see the Spirit of Halloweentown

In 1998, the Disney Channel original movie "Halloweentown" was shot in St. Helens, and every year, the town hosts a month-long event in celebration: The Spirit of Halloweentown. This year is no different - in most ways. There will be photo ops with The Big Pumpkin, self-guided haunted walking tours, a tiny parade of pumpkins, a costume contest, a vendor village and more. Social distancing and other safety guidelines will be in place. Buy tickets in advance here.

When:September 26 through November 1

Where:275 Strand Street, St. Helens

Watch a livestreamed homemade horror film festival

SLAY is an online independent horror film festival, featuring 32 homemade short films. At-home filmmakers were told to make a film capturing what scares them most, and the results range from "classic ghost stories and slasher films to dystopian cults and political nightmares," says the SLAY website.

Get your tickets in advance here.

Pair your Halloween candy with wine

Enjoy your Halloween candy in the way kids cant: with wine! Hip Chicks Do Wine is hosting a candy and wine pairing event, featuring five candies paired with five wines, plus some Witches Brew Sangria. The tasting area will be sanitized between seatings, so guests are asked not to arrive early to allow time.

Reserve your spot in advance here.

When:October 23-25 and October 30-31

Where:Hip Chicks do Wine, 4510 SE 23rd Avenue

Excerpt from:
What will Halloween look like in Portland in 2020? - KGW.com

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero