Ben Garbacz/Daily Mining Gazette A fairy princess and Batman load up on goodies during Houghton's Treat Street Oct. 18. Youngsters with food allergies can enjoy Halloween Friday at the Allergy-Friendly Artificial Dye-Free Trunk-Or-Treat At Barkell Elementary in Hancock.

HANCOCK — An alternative trunk-or-treat option is coming to Hancock Friday with the Allergy-Friendly Artificial Dye-Free Trunk-Or-Treat for Halloween. The event will take place from 5-7 p.m. in the Barkell Elementary School parking lot and will provide treats to trick-or-treaters with certain health limitations which excludes them from many candies.

This Trunk-Or-Treat event was created by Danielle Wesley, a mother of a daughter who cannot have particular food dyes. Wesley wanted a safe space for trick-or-treating for children of similar health limitations, and decided to create it. “It’s a free event, and I wanted to give families with food allergies and dietary concerns a safe space to be able to participate in Halloween,” she said.

Wesley explained when taking her child trick-or-treating, it was easy to sort out the candy and leave her daughter feeling excited. However now that her daughter is seven, she notices the large amount of candy she cannot have once it has been sorted. “It’s hard to go out trick-or-treating each year and come home and have to get rid of about 75 percent of the treats that she gets. So the main idea behind this event is that each child and family gets to come to this event and ideally keep 100 percent of the treats and the gifts that they get. They get to go home and enjoy everything that they got, and not have to be sad or feel not included because they have to get rid of so many things,” she said.

The treats which will be available at the trunk-or-treat will be free of allergens like dairy, nuts and gluten and contain no artificial dyes. Small toys, trinkets and other items will also be passed out to children.

The event is open for those looking to pass out candy, and there are brands Wesley suggests which can be purchased at the Keweenaw Co-op or online. Some of these brands include YumEarth, That’s It, Candy Tree, Hippeas, Skinny Pop, Tree Hugger Gum, No Whey! Foods and Free2b.

Those looking to participate need to bring the original bags or boxes providing the ingredient list of treats and decorate their vehicle in a family-friendly Halloween theme. Interactive games such as corn hole and ring toss are welcome to the trunk-or-treat. Those wishing to participate can send Wesley an email at daniellevergreen.co@gmail.com, but there will be backup spaces set aside for those who do not send an email.

“One of the main reasons behind this event was to make all the kids happy and feel like they’re included,” Wesley said. Parents who would like to learn more about the event can do so by visiting the event’s website, https://tinyurl.com/2025inclusivetreat.