Lambertville police advise against Halloween parties, trick-or-treating

The Lambertville Police Department said this week that residents should avoid participating in trick-or-treating and Halloween gatherings.

Lambertville typically welcomes thousands of visitors on Halloween, but “given the high rate of airborne transmission, such a high concentration of people is simply unsafe from a public health perspective,” police said.

North Union Street, a focal point for Halloween crowds, will not be closed to traffic as in previous years, and police said they will increase the number of regularly scheduled officers on the evening of Oct. 31 in order to ensure compliance with indoor and outdoor gathering restrictions.

“We are encouraging residents not to celebrate Halloween in the same fashion as previous years in order to keep our residents safe and the transmission of this disease low,” said Lambertville Police Lieutenant Robert Brown. “We ask everyone to respect the challenges that this pandemic has caused by following guidelines for both those who will be participating as well as those who will not participate.”

Police say Lambertville residents who choose to trick-or-treat do so at their own risk, and should wear a mask, practice social distancing, and respect any house that is not actively celebrating.

Additionally, the City of Lambertville issued the following guidelines:

1. Any person outside on Oct. 31, should be wearing a mask, limiting personal interactions and practicing social distancing.
2. Any house that will be supplying candy, please practice social distancing. Leave the candy outside at least six feet away. Do not have anyone come on to your porch or inside your house.
3. Any house that would not like residents at their property should turn off their front light, close the front door, or place a sign that directs any person away from their house.