Downtown Lexington still held its annual Halloween event, with changes and restrictions to ensure compliance with COVID-19 safety standards.

Normally, some downtown streets would be closed and trick-or-treating would be confined to a two-hour window.

The event looked different this year, said Rebecca Logan, executive director of Main Street Lexington. There were no street closures and trick-or-treating took place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We did this to discourage a large crowd in a condensed period of time. Not all businesses are participating, but those that are will leave a bowl of candy outside their doors,” Logan said.

Businesses like Just Games and Sugar Maple Trading Company participated in handing out candy.

Logan said events like these are especial- ly important for the local community during this stressful time.

“We feel there’s a mental health aspect to this situation,” she said. “There’s a sizable group of folks that think our children, especially the little ones, need something fun to look forward to.”

But modifications must be made to ensure social distancing and pandemic safety. Main Street Lexington had staff downtown on Saturday and provided masks to trick-or-treaters.

Alongside pandemic safety, the Lexington Police Department was present downtown to keep trick-or-treaters out of harm’s way.

Lt. Michael Frost, acting police chief, said that the police department had officers on bicycles around downtown to ensure everyone’s safety, especially with the recent public safety concerns from Washington and Lee University.

But he said Halloween does not usually bring safety concerns in Lexington.

“You’ll definitely see more of us out, but that’s not necessarily because we think something is going to happen,” Frost said. “But we always have to be prepared.”

The Police Department also held a candy drive through, another pandemic-appropriate take on Halloween.

Other Halloween events in the area included a Trunk-or-Treat at Maury River Middle School, a drive through event at Glen Maury Park in Buena Vista and a haunted house put on by the Goshen volunteer rescue squad.

Though different, the Halloween events were crucial to providing a sense of normalcy to kids in the area.

“They are weary of being stuck at home and want something normal to do,” Logan said.

Tamara Duvall, who was handing out candy in front of Lexington’s Demoratic headquarters, said she was pleased with how the event turned out.

“I think the total has been close to other years because it’s been spread out across seven hours,” she said. “It’s harder to get as many volunteers because of the stretch of time and because of the pandemic. In other years we’ve had people all along here, but I think it works.”