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The chilly fall air could not stop trick-or-treaters from taking to Manchester’s downtown square to enjoy the annual Safe-on-the Square trick-or-treating event Tuesday Oct. 31.

A community tradition for nearly a decade, it has been hosted by The City of Manchester, Manchester Police Department and Manchester Fire Department since last year.

“We are community people, community folks, we serve the community every day and this is a great event for the children and the families to come out here and have a safe place to trick-or-treat,” Fire Chief George Chambers said during the event.

Chambers said the event, which welcomes businesses and nonprofit organizations to set up around the town square to distribute candy provides a nice option for children living in areas of the city or county where there might not be many places to trick-or-treat.

“This gives them the opportunity to come out here and meet a bunch of folks and see a bunch of folks and get a lot of candy,” he said. “It is just a great time, it really is.”

New for this year was a haunted house located in the open lot between Bush Insurance and Owens Provision and Apparel.

Coffee County government donated $1,000 to contribute to the event

Alderman Joey Hobbs said that previously that the kid-friendly haunted house would follow Safe on the Square from 5:30-8 p.m.

The haunted house was a collaboration between the Parks and Recreation Department, Manchester Fire Department and the County Health Welfare and Recreation Commission.

Brooxie Caldwell and Tina Taylor of Autumn Oaks Assisted Living donned pink curlers in their gray wigs as they handed out candy.

“She is Mildred and I am Maxine,” Caldwell said. “She is the classy and I am the trashy.”

Caldwell said that while the original plan was to have some of their residents come up to the square with them to pass out candy to the trick-or-treaters, the weather was just too cold.

“We have 25 apartments, so we gave them candy and we are trying to get some of the kids to go up there and trick or treat,” she said.

“This is our second time, we went last year too.

Manchester area residents Jeremy and D.J. Estill were on hand with their son and nieces for the event.

D.J. said it was the second time her family has participated in Safe on the Square.

“It is a good event, they can get a whole bunch of candy in a public place, so that way we can keep up with them and they can’t go too far,” she said. “Everybody in the community is paying attention to it.”