Local malls gear up for trick-or-treating hours

Want to celebrate Halloween tonight at a local mall? Here are four local malls offering trick-or-treating hours.

Posted 12:46 p.m. Oct 31, 2016 — Updated 4:20 p.m. Oct 31, 2016

Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

Happy Halloween!

Most of us will be out in neighborhoods, trick-or-treating with our kids. Be safe!

Others will head to one of the region's malls to celebrate. But don't head to just any mall. Several larger malls in the region, including The Streets at Southpoint, stopped handing out candy a few years ago or never participated. Others had fall festivals over the weekend. (UPDATE: Triangle Town Center will have trick-or-treating tonight).

And Safe 'N Sound Halloween at Cary Towne Center, a long-running Halloween night event co-sponsored by the town of Cary, is no longer. As I've written before, that event was changed and moved to another date. Halloween was celebrated at the Cary mall on Saturday.

Here's the rundown of mall trick-or-treating hours.

If you go, one word of caution: I've heard lots of complaints from parents over the years that their kids don't get much candy at the mall events. Some pull in more coupons than anything else. Most of the complaints come when it's stormy outside and the malls are packed with families escaping the stormy weather. That won't be an issue tonight. Just be prepared.

Here's what's happening at local malls:

Crabtree Valley Mall, Raleigh: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., tonight. For kids 10 and under. The evening includes visits from local college mascots and free costume photos in Center Court.

Crossroads, Cary: Boo Fest is 3 p.m. to 5 p.m, today. There will be treats, face painting, carnival games, and more. It's in the parking lot near Old Navy.

University Place, Chapel Hill: The mall hosts trick-or-treating from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., tonight. Kids can take home a free, re-usable treat bag and visit all of the merchants to gather treats. Prizes for a costume contest will be awarded at 6:15 p.m. at the stage in three categories: Age 5 and under, Ages 6 - 12, and family group.

Carolina Premium Outlets, Smithfield: From 5 p.m to 7 p.m., tonight, kids 12 and under are invited to trick or treat through the center while supplies last. Get a list of participating merchants at guest services, which sits next to Dairy Queen. A costume contest also is planned.

Triangle Town Center, Raleigh: The mall will host trick-or-treating from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., tonight. Everybody 14 years and up are not permitted to wear masks.

Also ... not a mall, but it's a unique place to go trick-or-treating. The Executive Mansion, the home to the governor in downtown Raleigh, will be handing out candy, a Halloween tradition there, from 6 p.m to 8 p.m., tonight. It's at 200 N. Blount St., Raleigh.

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