Madison’s Freakfest canceled again

(NBC15)
Published: Sep. 17, 2021 at 12:12 PM CDT
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MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Rising COVID-19 cases have once again forced Madison to nix Freakfest.

The downtown Halloween celebration was canceled for the second year in a row on Friday, with Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway calling the decision “common sense” for keeping the community healthy.

“As I’ve said before, alcohol and COVID don’t mix well. I’m asking everyone to be responsible and safe if they celebrate Halloween or Homecoming that weekend,” she added.

The trick-or-treat portion of the Downtown Madison Family Halloween, that was set for October 27, has been scratched as well. However, Halloween itself downtown isn’t a thing of the past. The Downtown district is still planning “mini-events and activities” for the last week of October and will have updates here.

Health officials recommend anyone who attends the events or any other festivities coming up continue to mind the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for gatherings, by getting vaccinated, wearing a mask, avoiding crowded spaces, and avoiding direct contact with trick-or-treaters.

For trick-or-treating, Public Health Madison & Dane Co. recommends giving the treats outdoors and washing hands before handling the treats, in addition to the other safety precautions. It did not provide any recommendations for the tricks.

“Layering other prevention strategies, like masking and distancing, on top of vaccination also helps limit disease spread,” PHMDC Director Janel Heinrich noted.

In its statement announcing the cancellations, the Mayor’s Office pointed out that the seven-day rolling-average for new cases in Dane Co. has risen from 14 per day two months ago to it current rate of 106 per day.

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