More N.J. towns taking part in Trunk or Treat

Unless you’ve been under a rock for the last few years — or locked in a trunk — there’s a new sensation taking over Halloween.

It’s Trunk or Treat and it’s big — and growing — in Jersey. There are more than 50 events throughout the state.

The Lacey Chamber of Commerce hosted its first Trunk or Treat last year and more than 1,000 kids and their parents showed up. This year it’s taking place on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 24, at Gille Park in the Forked River section of Lacey.

There’s going to be face painting, temporary tattoos and lots of trunk-or-treaters.

“(Last year) everyone decorated their trunks and lots of them wore costumes themselves to go along with their trunks and they passed out candy and they had a great time,” said Denise Thatcher of Home Turf Yard & Home Maintenance in Barnegat.

Thatcher started the Lacey Chamber of Commerce Trunk or Treat. All kinds of frights came out.

“We had a cow, a mad scientist, a spider with spider webs, pumpkin patches and zombies — we had a lot of zombies,” said husband Alan Thatcher, also a member of the Lacey Chamber of Commerce .

Trunk-or-treating is a kind of Halloween tailgating where members of a local community decorate the trunks of their cars, trucks and SUVs, put candy or goodies inside, and then park in a parking lot, park or field so the trunk-or-treaters, who are usually on the youngish side, can get at them.

They’re usually organized by a town’s recreation department, a chamber of commerce or a local church. Some are restricted to town residents — others are open to all.

“It’s a safe environment and the parents feel more comfortable who they’re allowing their kids to take candy from,” Denise Thatcher said.

One of the biggest in Jersey — if not the biggest — is the one in Brick. This year’s is Oct. 23 at the township’s Drum Point Sports Complex.

There were more than 5,500 trunk-or-treaters and more than 65 trunks last year, said Dan Santaniello, director of recreation for Brick Township. When he started the first Brick trunk or treat 12 years ago, they only had 300 kids.

“It was very, very tiny. We were the first community to do this, now they’re everywhere,” Santaniello said. “We started at Windward Beach and the following year it was too large for Windward. That’s why we moved to the Drum Point Sports Complex.”

The Brick Trunk or Treat will include a haunted hayride, a parade of costumes and the first 200 attendees get a sugar pumpkin.

The exact number of trunk-or-treat events in the country is not known — but there are a lot, especially in rural areas.

“It started in churches in the ’90s because the churches did not want to celebrate Halloween as they saw it as a devil’s holiday,” said Lesley Bannatyne, a Halloween historian and author of “Halloween: An American Holiday.” “They did not want the kids not to have fun and they wanted to keep the costumes and keep the candy so they parked their cars in a circle and let the kids trick or treat in the church parking lots.”

It grew from there, along with the overall popularity of Halloween. At the Jersey Shore, a specific event boosted trunk or treat’s popularity.

“They started popping up more around here after (superstorm) Sandy hit,” Denise Thatcher said. “This was an area that was hit really hard and a lot of people were displaced. That’s when a lot of towns around here started to do the individual trunk or treats so the kids wouldn’t miss out of Halloween after the devastation of Sandy.”

Trunk-or-treaters do not see the trunkers taking the place of traditional trick-or-treaters. There’s room for everyone — and every little monster — around Halloween time.

“I’ve got two little ones who love it, they’re looking forward to it,” Santaniello said. “It’s now a ritual in our family.”

Chris Jordan: cjordan@app.com

NEW JERSEY TRUNK OR TREATS

Editor’s note: This is not a complete list. Call your local officials or check your town’s website to see if they are hosting an event.

Basking Ridge: 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 31, Somerset Hills Lutheran Church, 350 Lake Road, Basking Ridge. www.facebook.com/somersethillslutheranchurch.

Bedminster: 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 25, Pluckemin Presbyterian Church, 279 Rte 202/206, Bedminster. www.ppch.org. Rain or shine. Contact Michelle Menz at michelle@introsite.com if you want to bring your car.

Berkeley Heights: 11:30 a.m. Oct. 24, Berkeley Heights Police Department, 29 Park Ave, Berkeley Heights, www.facebook.com/BerkeleyHeightsPoliceNJ. Families who wish to participate must decorate their trunks and leave treats for other participants.

Boonton: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 24, Boonton High School parking lot, 306 Lathrop Ave, Boonton. www.boonton.org. Kids costume contest is 6 to 6:15 p.m. on Maple Avenue.

Brick: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 23, Drum Point Sports Complex, 60 Drum Point Road. 732-262-1075; www.bricktownship.net. The first 200 get a sugar pumpkin. Residents only — the rain date is Oct. 30.

Bridgewater: 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 25, Bridgewater United Methodist Church, 651 Country Club Road, Bridgewater. www.bridgewaterumc.org.

Denville: 1:30 p.m. Oct. 30, St. Mary’s Prep school parking lot, 100 Route 46. Private event for students of St. Mary’s Prep. 973-627-2606

Dunellen: 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31, Community Bible Church, 201 Whittier Ave., Dunellen. www.communitybiblechurchnj.com. Stop by as you’re trick-or-treating for candy, refreshments, air hockey or ping pong.

Egg City Harbor: 5 to 7 p.m. Oct 24, Knights of Columbus parking lot, 243 St. Louis Ave, Egg City Harbor. www.eggharborcity.org. For kids 12 and under. The $4 fee includes a treat bag, hot dog, chips and drink.

Flemington: 1 p.m. Oct. 24, St. Paul Lutheran Church, , 201 Route 31, Flemington. 908-782-5120 or www.stpaulnj.com.

Rain or shine.

Howell: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 29, Target parking lot, 4955 Route 9. Sponsored by the Howell Police Athletic League and Howell Policemen’s Benevolent Association. 732-919-2825.

Jefferson Township: 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 25., Lake Shawnee Club, 4 W Shawnee Trail, Wharton. www.lakeshawneeclub.org. It’s not necessary to decorate your vehicle to participate.

Lacey: 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 24, Gille Park parking lot, Bob Cort Lane, Lacey. www.laceychamberofcommerce.com. There will be face painting and temporary tattoos. Sponsored by the Lacey Chamber of Commerce.

Metuchen: Noon Oct. 25, Metuchen Senior Center, Center Street. metuchenchamberexchange.com/.The trunk or treating begins after a parade.

Montville: 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 30, Montville Community Park Amphitheater, 130 Changebridge Road, Montville. www.montville.net. Open to Montville residents. Organiers ask participants to bring a canned item for the Montville Kiwanis Food Pantry.

Pittstown: 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 30, Clinton Elks Lodge 2434, Sidney Road, Pittstown. www.facebook.com/ClintonElksLodge2434

Roselle Park: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 31, Roman Catholic Church of the Assumption parking lot, 113 Chiego Place, Roselle Park. www.assumptionrp.com. Candy, prizes and music.

Spotswood: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 31, Spotswood High School, 105 Summerhill Rd, Spotswood. www.facebook.com/groups/spotswoodrecreation/. Prizes for best decorated trunks, and there’s pizza, too.

Stafford: 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 24, Manahawkin flea market, East Bay Avenue. Food trucks, Beachwood Farms hayrides. Best costume contest on Instagram. $5 fee donated to Southern Regional High School and local foodbank. Radio station B98.5 will be on the scene. 609-233-0000.

Waretown: 5:30 p.m. Oct. 31 at Town Hall. Children are invited to wear costumes.