Mayor Tony Vauss, the Municipal Council and Department of Public Safety continue a beloved Halloween tradition designed to give children a safe place to celebrate and families peace of mind

IRVINGTON, NJ — October 30, 2026 — Costumes, candy, laughter and a few friendly scares will take over Civic Square as Mayor Tony Vauss, the Irvington Municipal Council and the Department of Public Safety welcome families to the Township’s 2026 Safe Halloween Event on Friday, October 30, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 1 Civic Square, in front of Police Headquarters.

For nearly a decade, Irvington’s Safe Halloween celebration has transformed the heart of the Township into a festive gathering place where children can enjoy the excitement of Halloween in a supervised, family-friendly setting.

The evening will feature costumes, Halloween fun, candy-filled goody bags and an opportunity for children and parents to celebrate alongside Irvington police officers, firefighters, municipal employees and community leaders.

What began as another community event has grown into a treasured Irvington tradition. Nearly 3,000 children and family members participated in 2025, making Safe Halloween one of the Township’s largest annual family celebrations.

For Mayor Vauss, however, the purpose has always extended beyond candy and costumes.

Safe Halloween represents a philosophy that has guided much of Irvington’s community programming: children deserve positive experiences in their hometown, parents deserve places where their families can feel comfortable and secure, and public safety works best when relationships between residents and first responders are built before an emergency ever occurs.

“Children should be able to look back on growing up in Irvington and remember joy,” Mayor Vauss said. “They should remember that their community cared about them, that their police officers and firefighters were there for them, and that their hometown created opportunities for them to laugh, play and simply enjoy being children.”

That philosophy is particularly meaningful in a Township that has experienced substantial improvements in public safety.

Irvington recorded an approximately 51 percent reduction in overall crime and a 72 percent reduction in violent crime between 2014 and 2021. In 2025, the Township recorded just one homicide — the lowest annual homicide total in Irvington’s modern history.

Under Mayor Vauss’s administration and the leadership of Public Safety Director Tracy Bowers, Irvington has combined strategic policing, technology, intelligence-led deployment and interagency cooperation with an equally important investment in prevention, youth engagement and community relationships.

Safe Halloween brings those two sides of public safety together.

Instead of children encountering police officers and firefighters only during an emergency, they have an opportunity to meet them while carrying candy buckets, wearing costumes and enjoying an evening with their families.

Instead of Police Headquarters representing only law enforcement, for one evening it becomes part of the backdrop for laughter, celebration and neighborhood togetherness.

And instead of asking families simply to avoid unsafe situations on Halloween, Irvington provides them with a positive alternative.

“Public safety is also about creating an environment where people feel connected to the community and connected to one another,” Mayor Vauss said. “When our children know that their community values them and our families know that we are here for them, we are building something much larger than one event. We are building trust.”

Over the years, Irvington’s Halloween celebrations have included supervised trick-or-treating, children’s attractions, entertainment, pumpkin activities and thousands of treats. The program has continued to grow because families have embraced the opportunity to celebrate together in a secure and welcoming environment.

That same commitment can be seen throughout Irvington’s broader calendar of youth and family programming, from holiday celebrations and toy distributions to National Night Out, recreation activities and other community events designed to bring residents and public servants together.

Mayor Vauss credits that success to the people who continue to make those programs possible.

“This is a team effort,” Vauss said. “I thank our Municipal Council, our Department of Public Safety, our police officers, firefighters, municipal employees and everyone who continues to give their time and energy to our young people. Every time we invest in a child, we are investing in Irvington’s future.”

This Friday, that investment will once again take the form of costumes, smiling faces, Halloween treats and perhaps a few spooky surprises.

But behind the fun is a serious purpose: providing children with a safe place to celebrate, giving parents peace of mind and strengthening the connection between the people of Irvington and those who serve them.

2026 SAFE HALLOWEEN EVENT

Friday, October 30, 2026
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
1 Civic Square
Irvington, NJ 07111

Families are encouraged to bring the children, wear their favorite costumes and join the Township for an evening of safe frights, sweet treats, candy-filled goody bags and community fun.