COVINGTON, Ga. – Those looking for a safer alternative to traditional door to door trick-or-treating should make plans to attend Scare on the Square, on Halloween night.

Hundreds of pounds of free candy, hayrides and games are all on tap for this festive event that is sponsored by City of Covington and Newton County public safety agencies.

“Halloween night can be a stressful time for parents,” said Covington Police Department Captain Craig Treadwell. “Parents typically don’t want to deprive their children of participating in Halloween activities, but are nervous about letting their kids go door to door. This is what drew us to create Scare on the Square and the response has been tremendous.

Originally occupying the center park portion of the Downtown Covington Square, the event grew and last year the event was expanded to encompass the entire downtown square area. The footprint for the event will remain the same this year, ensuring plenty of room for kids and parents to enjoy the festivities.

Entering its sixth year, event officials anticipate more than 4,000 little ghouls, goblins, princesses and their parents for this year’s edition of Scare on the Square. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. and will conclude at 7:30 p.m.