Free trick-or-treating moves indoors this week in Canton, as the Stark County Sheriff's Office hosts its annual Trunk or Treat and Halloween Street Fair on Wednesday, October 21, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Stark County Fairgrounds, 305 Wertz Avenue NW. The outdoor street fair runs the full three hours with horses, adoptable dogs, classic vehicles and food trucks selling food for purchase, while trick-or-treating through the fairgrounds' Exhibition Hall runs from 5 to 7 p.m.
The event is free and open to the entire community, according to Stark County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office has also hosted a Trunk or Treat at the Exhibition Hall, according to the Stark County Sheriff's Office.
Why Law Enforcement Prioritizes an Off-Street Event
The timing is no accident. Crash data compiled by the Ohio State Highway Patrol and cited by the Greater Ohio Policy Center shows pedestrian-involved traffic incidents in Ohio peak annually in October, with most pedestrian crashes happening during late afternoon and evening hours. A study hosted by the National Institutes of Health found a 43% higher pedestrian-fatality risk on Halloween evenings compared with control evenings.
Stark County Sheriff George T. Maier received the National Sheriffs' Association's J. Stannard Baker Award for Highway Safety in 2014, according to the National Sheriffs' Association.
Families Can Still Trick-or-Treat Door to Door Later This Month
The fairgrounds event doesn't replace neighborhood trick-or-treating — it supplements it. Communities across Stark County, including North Canton, Perry Township and Plain Township, have separately set their official trick-or-treat hours for Saturday, October 31, from 3 to 5 p.m., per the Canton Repository.
Food Trucks, a Trolley and Adoptable Pets Round Out the Fair
Food trucks are part of the Halloween Street Fair. SARTA, the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority, is also taking part; the agency regularly deploys its decorated Woody the Trolley vehicle across Stark County for seasonal community outreach.
The Stark County Sheriff's Office Dog Warden Division is bringing adoptable dogs to the fair as well.
A Century-Old Venue Hosts a Modern Safety Tradition
The Stark County Fairgrounds spans 80 acres.
