The town of Freeport, Freeport Police Department and business association Visit Freeport have canceled the Freeport business district’s annual Trick or Treat night as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement, Visit Freeport wrote that the decision was made “with an abundance of caution and concern for the health and well-being of area residents, downtown employees and the community-at-large,” adding: “The decision to cancel aligns with both the specific advice on trick or treating recently issued by the CDC as well as the State of Maine’s ongoing guidance limiting large gatherings. The annual event typically draws more than a thousand children and adults to the community during a short window of time on Halloween night.”

Visit Freeport is suggesting other “opportunities to celebrate the season in and around Freeport.”

At Wolfe’s Neck Center in Freeport, Pumpkin Hayrides are being offered for small family groups every Saturday in October with the opportunity to pick from their pumpkin patch. Other activities include music, a kid’s hay bale climb, scarecrows and treats from the Farm Café add to the festivities. Fees vary, pre-registration is encouraged. For more information, visit wolfesneck.org.

The Camp Sunshine Pumpkin Festival fundraiser is also being reimagined this year. Camp Sunshine provides retreats combining respite, recreation and support for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Camp Sunshine Pumpkin Festival events include:

• The Great Pumpkin Run/Walk/Roll runs Oct. 18-25. Participants can complete their registered race distance at their own pace and at a time and location of their choosing.
• Camp Sunshine is giving away 1,000 pumpkins on Oct. 21 & 22 in Casco and Freeport. Five hundred pumpkins will be available at each location on a first-come, first-served basis. Using a drive-thru system, the Freeport pick-up will be on the campus of L.L.Bean on Thursday, Oct. 22 from 3-6 p.m. An Official Pumpkin Carving Day is set for Saturday, Oct. 24, and will include ways to interact on social media.
• Families can search for more than a dozen massive two-story tall inflatable jack-o-lanterns around the greater Portland area Oct. 29-31. Participants who complete a pumpkin passport receive a $10 L.L.Bean gift card while supplies last.

Details on all the Camp Sunshine events can be at campsunshinepumpkinfestivals.org.

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