Aurora announces Halloween trick-or-treat hours, free drive-thru

Aurora has been ranked as one of the best cities in the country for trick-or-treating; and the City of Lights is preparing for another safe and fun Halloween this year.

As an alternative to door-to-door trick-or-treating, the City of Aurora is hosting the second citywide Trick-or-Treat Drive-Thru from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, at Phillips Park, 1000 Ray Moses Drive. Parents can bring children dressed in costumes - and even decorate their vehicles - to receive free special treat bags for every child in the vehicle.

Registration is mandatory for the Trick-or-Treat Drive-Thru. The event is open for Aurora residents only, and an adult in the vehicle must present identification with an Aurora address. More than 4,000 parents and children participated in last year's event.

Registration opens at 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 21 at www.aurora-il.org/Halloween.

Designated trick-or-treat hours in Aurora are 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31.

Following state and federal health guidance, families are encouraged to trick-or-treat outside and to not gather in large groups. Costumes should incorporate medical masks or cloth face coverings. Masks that generally come with costumes do not protect from viruses. In addition, trick-or-treaters are reminded to wash their hands before and after participating in activities.