photo by: Ashley Golledge

People trick or treat in downtown Lawrence on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019.

Downtown Lawrence Inc. has decided to cancel its annual trick-or-treating event and community Halloween party because of the coronavirus pandemic and related health orders.

DLI Executive Director Sally Zogry said in a news release Wednesday that holding the events would go against the current public health orders and that it would be irresponsible to encourage thousands of children and families, especially people from outside of the community, to converge downtown on Halloween.

“We are concerned for the health and safety of our community as well as that of our business owners and employees,” Zogry said.

Currently, health orders prohibit gatherings of 45 or more people where individuals in one location are unable to maintain 6 feet of distance with only infrequent or incidental moments of closer proximity. The release states that the annual Lawrence Zombie Walk, presented by the Granada and 1313 Mockingbird, will also take a hiatus this year because of COVID-19 and gathering restrictions.

DLI plans to hold virtual Halloween-themed events, including costume contests, jack-o’-lantern displays and potentially a ghost tour. Events will be announced soon on DLI’s social media sites, mobile app and its website, downtownlawrence.com.