Panola County’s municipalities and organizations are gearing up for the upcoming Halloween celebration.

With a concern for safety of the children at an all time high, many churches and organizations are planning events to keep children in a contained environment.

One of the more popular events are the trunk-or-treats which will be held in various places.

In Batesville, the Panola Partnership will host its annual Scare-on-the-Square Saturday, Oct. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be trunk-or-treat vehicles, costume contest and other activities.

In case of rain, the event will be moved to the Batesville Civic Center in the covered area west of the main arena.

First Baptist Church will participate in the Square-on-the-Square and will not have any activities Halloween night.

Pope Church of God will hold its Fall Festival, Sat., Oct. 27 beginning at 4 p.m.

South Panola High School will have a trunk-or-treat Halloween, Oct. 31, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the parking lot.

Crowder Assembly of God Church, 251 Sixth Street, Crowder, will have a Trunk-or-Treat event on Halloween night starting at 5:30 p.m.

Como will hold its trunk-or-treat Halloween night from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the park on Elder Frank Ward St.

Crenshaw will hold a trunk-or-treat Halloween night from 5:30 to 8 p.m. downtown and that will be the curfew.

Curfews

Some of the cities have set curfews for Halloween night.

The cities of Batesville and Sardis have a 9 p.m. curfew. Crowder and Crenshaw set 8 p.m. as curfew.

Safe Kids Worldwide published the following Halloween safety tips:

Walk Safely

• ● Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.
• ● Put electronic devices down, keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street.
• ● Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
• ● Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
• ● Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
• ● Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
• ● Join kids under age 12 for trick-or-treating. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, tell them to stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.
• Costumes for a Safe Halloween

• ● Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.
• ● Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
• ● Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
• ● When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.
• Drive Extra Safely on Halloween

• ● Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
• ● Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
• ● Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
• ● Get rid of any distractions – like your phone – in your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
• ● Turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
• ● Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Be especially alert for kids during those hours.