Looking For A Halloween Adventure That The Plague Doctor Would Approve Of? Humboldt Has Some Ideas For Your Little Monsters

One of many COVID-19 safe holiday events, Stoned In Humboldt will have a Halloween Hide, their biggest “hide” yet, for a haunting rock hunt experience at Sequoia Park in Eureka.

October 31st promises to have many options for COVID-compliant, physically distanced events for local families, including the biggest and most haunted “hide” ever by Stoned In Humboldt for their surprise Halloween Hunt, a swooping treat-delivering ghost in Blue Lake, Eureka’s city-wide Pumpkin Hunt, a Spooky Plaza Car Parade, Boo at The Zoo and more!

As Covid-19 demands more creative solutions for youngsters missing out on the normalcy of childhood, school, and holiday traditions,local planners and adventurers have offered some family-fun ideas for a COVID-compliant All Hallow’s Eve.

Below we’ve got a list a few stand-out activities to consider in lieu of the old fashion Trick-or-Treat routine.

These Stoned in Humboldt rocks are hand-painted and ready to be hidden for the Halloween Hunt at Sequoia Park.

If your family is looking for an activity that brings Tricks-n-Treats together in a COVID-19 compliant activity in a park setting, you are in luck. The adventurous local rock painters, Stoned in Humboldt have organized an extensive all-day Halloween Hunt for the 31st at Sequoia Park, where the organizers of the group, Facebook Admin Jolene Evans and Moderator Sasha Africa have put together the largest rock hide event yet, with over 200 rocks being stealthily hidden the day before among the extensive redwood forest trails crisscrossing throughout the park.

The group wanted to provide a safe and fun activity for families that are not ready to go house to house for candy during a pandemic, and so the hunt is on!

In explaining why she began the game of hide and seek with the painted stones, founder of the group, Evans said,

Basically, my friend and her husband were inspired to start the group. And I was given the opportunity to run it. It was made for a way for families to get together and have fun for all ages. It was made to help people find their potential creativity. It is random acts of kindness. And the feeling you get when you place a stone, walk away knowing you just made someone’s day, But mostly so her and her family could do something fun together and to give back to the community.

With so many hiding places in the park among the redwoods, Sasha Africa explained that the Halloween stones will be hidden at all levels of ability, to accommodate all ages and ranges of mobility. Extra Halloween treats will be hidden with the majority of the themed stones, making this hunt an even bigger surprise for trick-or-treat hunters!

Sasha Africa explains how the stones are hidden and presented to the FB group,

There will be many different kinds of hides. Kids, limited mobility, easier to find hides and some a bit harder but there will be pictures of the general area [posted to the Stoned in Humboldt FB group]. We will be hiding all over Sequoia Park, so I’ll take a picture of all the rocks I will hide in the area and then once hidden, I will take a photo of the area those are hid at, along with some close-ups, so there will be pictures to look at to help hunters find the rocks. There will also be ones completely visible.

The general idea for this is for everyone to social distance and have a fun Halloween Hunt. I know this year has been especially hard on the kids so I want nothing more than to see them out and enjoying Halloween and the same goes for adults too. I want everyone to have an awesome day.

There are many similarly safe events organized all around northern Humboldt, from haunting to hunts to creepy caravans, all providing alternatives to the traditional routine of trick or treating and incorporating COVID-19 control measures like distancing and masking, but not just costume masking.

Facebook event page screenshot from October 28th.

The City of Eureka is also putting on a Pumpkin Hunt from 11 am to 3 pm, staged “all around Eureka” at several local parks including at Sequoia Park, right next to the Eureka Zoo which will be hosting Boo At The Zoo between 3 pm and 6 pm.

The Pumpkin Hunt, which is being promoted by Eureka Community Services is “Approved by Humboldt County Department of Public Health” and will be taking place at Sequoia Park, Cooper Gulch, and 20/30 Park are hosting pumpkin hunts. Community members are encouraged to come “find the pumpkins, write down the names, and win prizes!” This event is free to the public. The details noted on the Facebook event page state, “Masks are required. (Costume masks not a substitute.) Please observe social distancing guidelines.” Ghosts and Ghouls with questions can call (707) 441-4248 for more information.

The popular Eureka social event has limited availability due to reduced capacity compliance for COVID-19 prevention.

Boo At The Zoo is taking place on Halloween from 3 pm to 6 pm as a “Members Only Premier Experience” at the Eureka Zoo, but reservations are required. The crew at Boo At The Zoo wants you to take a spooky stroll around the Zoo, while social distancing and wearing masks. Once your adventure comes to an end, the little monsters will receive a Halloween treat bag as they exit the Zoo.

Humboldt Grange Facebook event page screenshot.

For those planning a drive-thru Halloween tour, the Humboldt Grange #501, located at 5845 Humboldt Hill Road, they will be hosting a drive thru for Trick-or-Treaters on Halloween, from 4 pm to 6 pm. Their Facebook event page notes, “What are you doing for Halloween? Whatever it is, start it with a drive thru at the Humboldt Grange #501 for some tricks and treats. 4:00 – 6:00.”

“This flying ghost will be delivering treats from 4 to 7pm on Halloween at the Have a safe and Happy Halloween!”- Still shot from a video posted on Facebook by Stephan Kullman.

If your traveling Halloween caravan takes you to Blue Lake, do not miss out on this flying ghost, both a trick and a treat, at the corner of 4th and K Streets!

In Arcata, Trick-or-Treat touring families can take part in the Spooky Plaza Car Parade, where decorated cars and trucks are going to tour the plaza and the town on Halloween, as well. The Facebook event page exclaims, “We are so excited to invite families to dress up, decorate their cars, and drive around a spooky decorated plaza in a Halloween car parade on 10/31/2020 between 7-11pm!” When the Farmer’s Market comes to a close at 3pm, the haunting will begin, and the parade of spookiness is expected to be impressive under the glow of the plaza lamplights.

Screenshot of the Spooky Plaza Car Parade Event page on Facebook