The sounds of eager footsteps and families laughing could be heard echoing through the night Sunday, Oct. 31, as children ran from house to house collecting candy, thrilled to once again celebrate Halloween in a more normal fashion. 

After over a year and a half of holidays being downsized, forced inside, or celebrated virtually, Halloween, a holiday celebrated predominantly outside, was a great low-risk way to kick off the holiday season. 

According to the National Retail Federation, one of the largest retail trade associations, “While Delta and other variants remain a concern, vaccines and other measures have made consumers feel more comfortable resuming many of their pre-pandemic activities, including celebrating Halloween.” 

They predicted that “this year, two-thirds (65%) of consumers plan to celebrate one of America’s favorite holidays, up from 58 percent in 2020.”  

Halloween fell on a Sunday this year which meant a weekend full of fun and festive events for community members of all ages. 

On Friday, Oct. 29, downtown Santa Rosa held their annual trick or treating and costume contest where, from 4-6 p.m., stores and restaurants handed out candy to young children dressed in costume with carnival games, bounce houses, and screening of Halloween movies for everyone to enjoy. 

On Saturday, Oct. 30, The Rohnert Park Community Center Complex hosted a Halloween carnival and Día de los Muertos Celebration with a haunted maze, costume parade, magician, and more.   

 At Sonoma State University, Student Involvement and Associated Students hosted several Halloween-themed events on Friday and Saturday for students and the campus community to participate in.  

Some of these events included a haunted Halloween scavenger hunt, a Disney-themed Halloween party, and pumpkin carving. 

Off campus, students and locals could be seen, and heard, celebrating at the local Cotati bars throughout the weekend.

While it is exciting to be able to celebrate holidays again with others, it is also important to remain vigilant and remember that the COVID-19 virus is still a threat. SSU COVID-19 regulations urge members of the Seawolf community to continue wearing masks around others and being conscious of your actions to protect yourself and the community.