Trick-or-Treating in Boston: A Guide

Photo by Chris Devers on Flickr/Creative Commons

Trick-or-treating returns to Boston tonight, with Halloween festivities expected to bring thousands of costumed kids to the streets.

For those scoping out the best spots to roam for candy, it’s pretty well known that the best-of-the-best can be found in Beacon Hill, which has long been a destination on this spooky holiday. But there are many other stretches worth hitting for impressive decorations and sugary treats. Consult our insider’s guide for tips.

The city is once again warning drivers to drive slowly, be aware of all the children flooding the streets in hot-spots, and expect some delays.

Boston Police has also released its annual list of tips for celebrating safely:

• Parents should establish a route for children, stay within familiar areas and surroundings.
• Remind kids not to enter stranger’s homes or vehicles.
• Remind children to avoid homes without an outside light.
• Attach your phone number & address to your children’s costume.
• Take a flashlight.
• Be sure clothing & costumes are bright, reflective and flame resistant.  
• Set rules about not eating treats until kids get home.
• Be sure to inspect all treats before allowing kids to eat them.
• When in doubt, throw it out! Candy that has been opened should be thrown away. Any homemade treats or fruit should be inspected closely.  
• Never cross the street from between parked cars.
• Watch open flames from jack-o-lanterns as they can catch costumes and long wigs on fire.
• Make sure that fake knives, swords, and guns are made from cardboard or other flexible materials so as to avoid accidental injury.
• It is also important to ensure that your home is safe and accessible to trick-or-treaters.  
• Keep a porch light on.
• Move jack-o-lanterns off the porch where kids get bunched up if they are trick-or-treating in groups.
• Remove objects from your yard that might present a hazard.
• If driving, drive slowly all evening. You never know what creature may suddenly cross your path.
• Report any suspicious or criminal activity to the police.  
• Last but not least, set a curfew. Trick-or-treating should go no later than 8:30pm. 

Contributing to the crowds, for sure, will be some pretty decent weather this evening, with peak hour forecasts calling for temps in the lower 50s and upper 40s.

[Halloween Forecast] Dry with diminishing winds this evening as temperatures fall through the 40s. 🎃 pic.twitter.com/VvlJjATzJb

— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) October 31, 2017

For grown-ups, there are plenty of Halloween festivities to enjoy tonight, including a Nightmare Before Christmas Boston Pops concert and a pirate-themed Halloween cruise.

All the revelry is expected to cause some significant traffic troubles in several Boston neighborhoods tonight, particularly thanks to a slate of road closures in Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, South Boston, and the South End. The city on Monday released this year’s list of closures, which begin as early as 3 p.m., and no parking orders, which begin as early as noon:

• Marlborough Street, Back Bay, will be closed to traffic from Berkeley Street to Fairfield Street, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

• Pinckney Street, Joy Street to Charles Street
• Mt. Vernon Street, Joy Street to Charles Street
• Chestnut Street, Walnut Street to Charles Street
• West Cedar Street, Revere Street to Chestnut Street
• Anderson Street, Myrtle Street to Pinckney Street
• Branch Street, Charles Street to Spruce Street

• Monument Avenue, Warren Street to Monument Square
• All of Monument Square
• Winthrop Street Monument Street to Common Street
• Common Street, Winthrop Street to Adams Street
• Adams Street, Common Street to Winthrop Street
• Park Street, Common Street to Winthrop Street

• Monument Square, both sides, around the entire Square
• Winthrop Street, both sides, from Monument Square to Common Street
• Common Street, both sides, from Winthrop Street to Adams Street
• Adams Street, both sides, from Common Street to Winthrop Street

• Dunster Road, Jamaica Plain, will be closed to traffic from  Centre Street to Dane Street from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Tyndale Street, Roslindale, will be closed to traffic from Guernsey Street to Ainsworth Street from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Mendum Street, Roslindale, will be closed to traffic from Fairview Street to Walter Street from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM.
• South Street, Roslindale, will be closed to traffic from Lesher Street to Washington Street near Healy Field from 5:30 PM to 8 PM
• Musgrove Avenue, Roslindale, will be closed to traffic from South Street to Washington Street from 5:30 PM to 8 PM

• Beckler Avenue, South Boston, will be closed to traffic from K Street to the end, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m..

• Rutland Street, South End, will be closed to traffic from Tremont Street to Shawmut Street, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m..

Looking for some more Halloween hot spots? City Hall released a list of its own recommendations for popular trick-or-treating locations:

• Marlborough Street from Berkeley Street to Fairfield Street in the Back Bay from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

• Monument Square in Charlestown from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

• Butler Street from Richmond Avenue to Branchfield Street in Dorchester from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Ocean Street from Welles Avenue to Ashmont Street in Dorchester from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

• St. Andrew Road from Bayswater Street to Annavoy Street in East Boston from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

• Morville House (100 Norway Street) in the Fenway from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Colchester Street from Neponset Valley Parkway to Millstone Road in Hyde Park from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

• Centre Street from Green Street to Eliot Street in Jamaica Plain from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Connolly Library (433 Centre Street) in Jamaica Plain will be hosting a Halloween Parade to Hyde Square starting at 3:30 p.m.

• Tobin Community Center (1481 Tremont Street) in Mission Hill from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

• Hawthorne Street at Cedar Street in Roxbury from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

• West Broadway at Dorchester Street to East Broadway at L Street in South Boston from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Local businesses with an orange sign will be welcoming Trick-or-Treaters to candy.

• Pembroke Street from Tremont Street to Columbus Avenue in the South End from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

• Corey Street & LaGrange Street in West Roxbury from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.