Photo credit: Julia Raasch on Unsplash. Please note: this blog post is available in additional languages via the links below, including Amharic, Spanish, Korean, Somali, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Chinese (Traditional).
- ዘዴና ወይም መንገዶች ተመለሱ! በዚህ አመት እንዴት መሳተፍ እንደሚችሉ እነሆ
- ¡El programa Truco o Calles (Trick or Streets) está de regreso! Aquí le decimos cómo puede participar este año
- Trick or Streets가 돌아왔습니다! 올해의 참여 방법은 다음과 같습니다.
- Ciyaarta loo yaqaan “Khiyaano ama Jidadku” way soo noqdeen! Waa tan sida aad uga qayb qaadan karto sanadkan
- Nagbabalik ang Trick or Streets! Narito kung paano kayo makakasali ngayong taon
- Sự kiện Trick or Streets đã quay lại! Đây là cách bạn có thể tham gia sự kiện năm nay
- 「不給糖就搗蛋」的活動回來啦！今年您可以這樣的方式參加
Summary:
- Calling all ghouls, zombies, and other creatures of fright – our Trick or Streets program is back!
- Trick or Streets is an opportunity to close your street to most vehicle traffic for a Halloween-inspired block party – think costumes, snacks, and neighborhood fun!
- You can also host a Día de Muertos ofrenda exhibit and celebration of loved ones who are no longer with us.
- Read on to learn how to set up your own Trick or Street with a free and simple permit. (We recommend submitting your free permit application by October 14 for guaranteed review – but we’ll still accept permits after that).
We’re excited to announce Trick or Streets is back for 2022! You can apply for a free Trick or Street permit for Halloween! We also encourage the Latin(e/o/a/x) community to apply and celebrate Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos)!
We encourage anyone who is interested to apply and close your street to vehicles during the week of Halloween and Día de Muertos for safer trick-or-treating and community-building festivities!
Trick or Streets was one of our most popular street closure programs from 2021 and we’re excited to bring it back again this year. A special feature for Trick-or-Streets – your street closure can last until 10 p.m.!
Ready to apply? Follow the instructions and guidelines on eligibility on our Play Street & Block Party webpage. In the “Project Name” field, please enter: “Trick or Street,” or “Day of the Dead” so we’re able to prioritize your application’s review. If you need help completing your application, call us at 206-684-7623 to get started. Interpretation is available for free!
If you live on a Stay Healthy Street, hosting an event is even easier since your street already has barricades and “STREET CLOSED” signs. You do not need any additional permits to hold a Trick or Street on an existing Stay Healthy Street! You’ll still need to follow the guidelines, and you can print out extra signs to let people driving know about your planned activity:
Here are a few fall activities to get you started!
Halloween Costume Parade
Put on your favorite Halloween costume and take a walk around your block to look at Halloween decorations and enjoy the fall weather. Remember the streets are still open to local traffic – please be sure to share the road with folks who are biking, walking, rolling and driving to local destinations in the area, such as other neighbors who need to access their homes or businesses.
COVID-19 Safety
Participants are encouraged to follow current public health guidance when you are with other people or in crowds. You can also find the latest local COVID-19 public health guidelines at Public Health – Seattle & King County’s website. Thank you for doing your part help ensure community health and safety while participating in these fun, festive events around Halloween and Día de Muertos.
Día de Muertos ofrenda exhibit and celebration
Host a variety of altars and exhibits right in your front yard or big windows and take a walk around your block to remember loved ones and enjoy the fall weather. Again, please remember the streets are still open to local traffic!
SDOT’s Halloween Movie Recommendations
If you want to stay indoors, check out our movie list below! These movies are favorites of some SDOT staff and not all are suitable for younger groups. We encourage you to research and decide for yourself or your family if these are appropriate for you and your family/friends!
Family Friendly
- Hocus Pocus
- Monster House
- The Addams Family
- The Nightmare Before Christmas
- Beetlejuice
- Coraline
- Edward Scissorhands
- Goosebumps
- Monsters Inc
- Ghostbusters
- Casper
- Twitches
- The Witches
- Don’t Look Under the Bed
- Coco
- Halloweentown
- The Haunted Mansion
- Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman
- Hotel Transylvania
- ParaNorman
Frightening
- The Conjuring
- Rosemary’s Baby
- Ready or Not
- It
- Us
- A Nightmare on Elm Street
- The Shining
- Fear Street Trilogy
- Paranormal Activity
- Get Out
- Halloween
- A Quiet Place II
- The Babadook
- The Haunting of Hill House
- Carrie
- Candyman
- House (1977)
- Don’t Breathe
- Psycho
Please note: We ask that applications be submitted by 5pm on Friday, October 14 for guaranteed timely review and approval. If you’re having any challenges in meeting this deadline, please reach out to us for technical assistance at publicspace@seattle.gov.
Did you enjoy celebrating with Trick or Streets? We’d love to know! Send us an email at publicspace@seattle.gov letting us know what went well, and anything you’d like us to know. Feel free to include photos of your Trick or Streets event, too!
The fun doesn’t end just because Halloween and Día de Muertos are over! Play Street and Block Party permits are available to individuals, nonprofits, and community organizations throughout the year!
The Difference Between Halloween and Día de Muertos:
Hola Everyone! Día de Muertos originated in ancient Mesoamerica (Mexico and northern Central America) where indigenous groups, including Aztec, Maya and Toltec, had specific times when they commemorated their loved ones who had passed away.
Certain months were dedicated to remembering the departed, based on whether the deceased was an adult or a child. After the arrival of the Spanish, this ritual of commemorating the dead was intertwined with two Catholic Spanish holidays: All Saints Day (Nov. 1) and All Soul’s Day (Nov. 2). Día de Muertos is often celebrated on Nov. 1 as a day to remember children who have passed away, and on Nov. 2 to honor adults.
Today, Día de Muertos is celebrated mostly in Mexico and some parts of Central and South America. Recently it has become increasingly popular among Latino communities abroad, including in the United States. Día de Muertos is not a day for mourning. Families celebrate by placing an offering with food, fruit, and other items the departed liked when they were alive. Also, music and colorful ornaments placed around the offering welcome the spirit of the deceased.
You can join the Dia de Muertos Festival Seattle at Fisher Pavilion on October 29 through October 30, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Disney Pixar has done a beautiful job capturing the essence of the holiday in their 2017 movie “Coco.”
Saludos,
SDOT Latinx Caucus
Belen Herrera (belen.herrera@seattle.gov) and Sonia Palma (sonia.palma@seattle.gov).