KEENE VALLEY — Around 1 p.m. on Halloween, children in grades 1-6, disguised with makeup and costumes homemade or store-bought, poured from the school into an unseasonably warm day and began to walk, single file, from Market Street to state Route 73 and on to the Keene Valley Neighborhood House.

It was the traditional KCS parade, and, true to tradition, parents and other enthusiasts had gathered expectantly along the route to watch. At the Neighborhood House, an assisted living facility, the children entertained the residents with a vocal performance of Halloween themed songs.

During the emergency phase of COVID-19 pandemic, the Halloween parade, like so many other aspects of ordinary life, was disrupted, and the Neighborhood House was off limits to trick-or-treaters, even those willing to sing for their supper. Residents and entertainers alike evidently enjoyed the event.

Back at KCS, students in all grades, K-12, participated in various activities for the remainder of the day, rather than returning to their studies.