Montreal·Photos

Montrealers celebrate Halloween in spooky fashion

Many young people will be out trick-or-treating and the Montreal police have issued some safety tips for the occasion.

From trick-or-treating to pumpkin carving, today is the last day to get in the spirit

Young Montrealers will be decked out in costumes and going door-to-door tonight. (Mauricio Lima/Instagram)

It's Halloween, and people across the city will be donning costumes or getting ready to hand out treats to roving children sporting horns, crowns and capes.

Many young people will be out trick-or-treating later on, and the Montreal police have put out some safety tips for the occasion.

Police are advising parents to keep a close eye on little ones and check the candy they receive in their loot bags. 

Police are also asking people not to wear face masks because they can obscure the wearer's vision and suggest that trick-or-treaters opt for costume makeup instead.

They are also warning that children should wear bright colours, bring a flashlight and only cross the street at intersections.

The province's retail council says Quebecers who dress up will spend on average $39 on a costume.

Marc Choran, owner of the Halloween Depot in Montreal, says the trend is for people to pick up their pieces last minute rather than planning in advance.

He told CBC that more and more kids as well as adults are opting for superhero-themed costumes this year.

Wonder Woman has been the most popular costume for girls of all ages.

"The last few years we've seen for little girls, they've been going towards superheroes," he said.

Seven-year-old Isabella Krejcar told CBC Daybreak that she's dressing up as Wonder Woman at school today.

Krejcar, who lives in Pointe-Claire, says she's excited "because she's a superhero, and she fights bad guys."

Meanwhile, Diogo D'sa is using the festivities as a chance to flaunt his love for the Star Wars franchise.

The 11-year-old from Parc Extension is dressing as a stormtrooper at school, where they will be holding a Halloween carnival.

"I like how you get scared and how you get a lot of candy," he said.

But while there's plenty of fun to be had on Halloween, it's important to keep an eye on family pets as well as kids, since tasty treats and busy streets aren't always welcoming to furry friends.

Some festive foods like chocolate can be toxic to dogs, and there are also choking hazards when it comes to small toys or decorations like glow sticks.

CBC Montreal wants your festive, spooky photos. The best pictures of the day will be used on CBC Montreal News at 6 p.m. and on our website.

You can email them to webquebec@cbc.ca, or send them via FacebookTwitter or Instagram.

With files from CBC Montreal's Daybreak and Simon Nakonechny