October is here and with it comes a flurry of Halloween events. These celebrations can be a lot of fun, but also really difficult for families with food allergies. We try to make Ollie’s life as normal as possible, but there are surely big celebrations we’ve passed on attending as we weren’t sure how it would work with his allergies. This year, I reached out to as many events as I could to introduce the idea of the Teal Pumpkin Project and see if they’d be willing to incorporate it into their event. Below is a list of allergy-aware Vermont events happening this month!
essex halloween celebration
when: Wednesday, October 24th at 5:00 PM
where: Champlain Valley Exposition (105 Pearl Street Essex, VT 05452)
the details: A night of treats, games, crafts, and prizes. Ollergy will even be there with a table! We will have teal pumpkin project coloring sheets for the kids and posters for families who wish to take one home to participate on Halloween. Come say hello!
event link: http://www.ejrp.org/halloween-celebration-1024.html
trunk-or-treat
when: Friday, October 26th from 6:00 – 8:00 PM
where: Bombardier Park – Milton Town Recreational Fields (39 Bombardier Road Milton, VT 05468)
the details: Children can “trunk-or-treat” from vehicles in the park. At least 20 of the trunks will have a non-food option. Amazing! There will also be Halloween music, apples and cider, pumpkin carving (BYOP), and more!
event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1102530796583150/
halloween howl
UPDATE: THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER!
when: Saturday, October 27th from 2:00 – 6:00 PM
where: Oakledge Park (Flynn Avenue Burlington, VT 05401)
the details: This is an entirely candy-free event! It’s important to note there is still other food for sale. Children can enjoy a hayride, themed haunted walk, crafts, face painting, music, fortune telling, and more. Ollergy will also be there with a few teal pumpkin kits to giveaway as we hope to spread the message to the hundreds that usually attend this event.
event link: https://enjoyburlington.com/event/halloween-howl/
trick-or-treat street
when: Sunday, October 28th from 1:00 – 4:00 PM
where: Church Street Marketplace (Church Street Burlington, VT 05401)
the details: Trick-or-treat all of Church Street! Each and every table will have a candy offering and a teal pumpkin bucket with a non-food treat.
event link: https://www.churchstmarketplace.com/do/trick-or-treat-street-1
hinesburg fire station halloween party
when: Wednesday, October 31st from 6:00 – 8:00 PM
where: Hinesburg Fire Station (10340 Route 116 Hinesburg, VT 05461)
the details: Stop by this allergy-friendly party which will offer peanut and tree nut free candy, Lofthouse cookies, and non-food treats. What could be better than a teal pumpkin touch a truck?!
allergy-aware vermont
Do you know of an allergy-aware Vermont Halloween event? Are you planning a Halloween event and trying to figure out how you can incorporate the Teal Pumpkin Project? Please let me know! I know there are tons of other events happening. I’m sure many of them are allergy-aware, but if I didn’t hear back from the organizer, I didn’t want to add it to this list. I’m happy to update this post at any point. Please don’t hesitate to reach out now!
I also want to remind you that these events are by no means food free. All of the events involve candy or food in some capacity. This can still be complicated for someone with food allergies to navigate. We often attend things like this and are vigilant about cleaning hands and staying away from heavy food areas. This year Ollie’s costume will also have gloves, which should help protect his skin.
I’m really excited about all of these events and their efforts to help create an allergy-aware Vermont! If you’re local, be sure to say hello if you see us at any of these celebrations!