The night of tricks, treats, costumes and candy approaches, and local towns look toward safer, community-focused alternatives to the tradition of going door-to-door on Halloween.

One such alternative is Wesson’s annual Halloween in the Park. Municipal Clerk Angela Hester and a community of volunteers coordinate the event as part of the town’s “Play-it-Up” initiative. There will be games, live music and food at the Wesson Park on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. Of course, there will also be plenty of trick-or-treating to go around.

“We usually have around 2,000 people,” Hester said. “It gives the parents a safe place to not have to worry about their kids running around town. That’s what we designed it for — to give people something else to do.”

If the park gets rained out, the event will take place at the old school at 1047 8th St. in Wesson. Hester said they have plenty of candy, donated by the local community and businesses. Games include Plinko, pumpkin bowling, ghost toss and more.

“We are very excited for the event this year,” Hester said.

Trunk or Treat at First Baptist Church

First Baptist Church Brookhaven will host its 10th annual Trunk or Treat on Wednesday from 5:30 until 7 p.m.

“It’s a good, family friendly event, we say generally from ages pre-school through sixth grade,” organizer Lisa Furlow said. “All the community is welcome. This is definitely not just for us. This is for everybody.”

Booths will share Bible stories, and — in addition to their trunk or treating — the church will also have pizza, soft drinks and baked goods for sale. There will also have bounce houses available for children — though the threat of rain might bring the festivities indoors to the gym.

“We generally have really good attendance,” Furlow said. “We were a little hindered last year by the weather.”

Last year, Furlow said the changing weather brought the trunk or treating indoors and then back out again, causing confusion and disrupting the event. This year, the church will make a decision today to do one or the other.

Other locations

• St. Francis Catholic Church will hold its trunk or treat Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

• Easthaven Baptist Church will hold its trunk or treat Wednesday from 6 until 7:30 p.m., rain or shine.

• Clear Branch Baptist Church will hold its trunk or treat Friday from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Corrected to change the time of the Wesson event.