HALIFAX -- Many Maritimers are getting creative with Halloween this year, coming up with unique, fun and safe ideas so that children can still enjoy trick-or-treating.

Michelle Myers is busy collecting candy donations for her trunk-or-treat event in Eastern Passage on Saturday.

"COVID has challenged all of us into trying to come up with a new way of doing things," she said.

She says the event, which has been approved by public health, will see 500 children in their separate bubbles make their way to a number of zones lots to gather treats from dozens of vehicles from a safe distance.

There's even volunteers along the way to ensure everyone follows public health guidelines. 

"We've seen so much hurt and sadness and anxiety in our kids and just to see the excitement, the pure genuine excitement," Myers said. "I've been in tears from some of the messages I've received, it's been absolutely fantastic."

Unique, safety-first events will take place all across the Maritimes this halloween. .

The town of Woodstock, N.B., cancelled its traditional trick or treating after feedback from the community.

"The majority of council, after talking to some of our seniors in particular, were very concerned about trick or treating door to door," said Woodstock mayor Arthur Slipp.

Instead, they’ll hold a drivethru event whereby participants will be asked to stay inside their cars as candy is handed out.

A similar, physically distanced event will also take place in Dartmouth at the NSCC Akerly parking lot.

"We're doing a car decoration, trick or treating, costume contest, with a live DJ and some trivia on the screen and of course a drive-in movie," said Aaron Peck of N.S. Pop-up Cinema.

Meanwhile, homeowners around the region are coming up with their own solutions to safe trick or treating.

"This Halloween, we decided we were just going to get a six-foot table and pass and slide the candy to the kids," said Arta Rexhepi of Dartmouth.

"We don't really want to cancel Halloween."

Others took to social media for some pre-planning, asking parents in their community to confirm if their child would be trick-or-treating this year.

"I asked for their first name, ages, likes, dislikes, that any of those kids may have," said Kim Munroe of Middle Sackville, N.S."Ithen put together some really special treat bags for each and every one of them."

Many parents say for the most part Halloween will be business as usual, except with a slight twist -- their children will be wearing masks when they go trick or treating and they'll stay close to home, only going to houses in their neighbourhood.