San Rafael, CA – Local families can safely celebrate the spookiest of holidays by planning to visit the Halloween Fair Food Drive-Thru Spooktacular at Marin Center in San Rafael.
Be ready for all sorts of surprises during the Halloween Food Fair Drive-Thru Spooktacular.Between October 23 and November 1, adults and kids may don their costumes and prepare to be spooked with family-friendly haunted surprises and activities while staying inside their cars as a precaution against the contagious
COVID-19 coronavirus. The event is presented by the Marin County Department of Cultural Services and endorsed as a fun holiday alternative by doctors from the
Marin County Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Admission to the Spooktacular is $10 per car.
At the Spooktacular, festive treats will range from drive-thru Halloween-themed Fair food including pumpkin and ghost candy apples, black-and-orange cotton candy, giant corndogs, giant turkey legs, funnel cake, churros, kettle corn, caramel corn, and strawberry lemonade, to name a few items. Also added to the menu are Greek gyros, tri-tip sandwiches, ribs, and deep-fried Oreos. A selection of holiday-themed adult beverages will also be on offer.
Attendees will drive through a series of Spooktacular “lands” featuring animatronic dinosaurs, skeletons, Halloween favorites, and much more.
From 3-6 p.m. October 31, the drive-thru will also feature live entertainment by the Las Gallinas Sanitary District Non-Marching Band, aka The Sewer Band, performing Halloween and spooky tunes at the fairgrounds. The Marin County Free Library will give out free mini activity books, bookmarks, stickers, and pencils from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. October 31 and November 1.Those events do not have a separate entry fee. Attendees can also download the Spooktacular Drive-Thru Tunes playlist on Spotify to play in their cars.
Operated by the same team that presents the Marin County Fair each year, the Spooktacular will prioritize the safety of its guests and vendors. All event personnel will wear face coverings and gloves and will sanitize surfaces frequently as they deliver properly packaged food.
Marin HHS’ Public Health Division released safe celebration guidelines, urging residents to seek at-home, drive-thru and virtual festivities for Halloween and Dia de los Muertos. HHS is strongly discouraging customary activities like door-to-door trick-or-treating or large multi-household parties, which can be high risk for COVID-19 transmission. Traditional celebrations encourage touching surfaces like doorbells, door handles, and candy bowls, and make it more difficult to maintain physical distancing.
All year long, traditional holiday activities often promote the congregating and mixing of households, which increases the risk of transmitting COVID-19. Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County Public Health Officer, is encouraging families to adopt new ideas and modify festive customs to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Marin HHS urges all residents to remember that gatherings are not allowed under local and state health orders.
Holiday revelers need to maintain vigilance with wearing proper face coverings, practicing physical distancing and good hygiene, and keeping other personal protection measures in mind.
Cultural Services and HHS offer more safe alternatives for celebrating Halloween or Dia de los Muertos online. The full guidance (English) (Spanish) is available at Coronavirus.MarinHHS.org.