Parents beware: The area is not lacking in sugary sweets for the kids tonight for Halloween.

There will be fun for the whole family, too.

In Southampton County, trick-or-treaters can haunt up goodies from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., while in Isle of Wight County kids can prowl for candy from dusk to 8:30 p.m.

Downtown Franklin streets will be blocked from traffic as businesses there will play host to trick-or-treaters from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by a costume contest in the parking lot of Fred’s Restaurant.

Franklin city code states that trick-or-treaters must be younger than 12 years old, too.

Thirty-six businesses will participate in the Halloween festivities, according to Jack Norvell, president of the Downtown Franklin Association, who is co-hosting the event with sponsor Southampton Memorial Hospital.

“We’ll have good weather and lots of candy,” Norvell promised. “It’s nothing for a merchant to spend $50 to $100 on candy and then run out. We go all out for it.”

Norvell encouraged parents to come to the downtown party for the “safe environment” it provides.

“We know where the candy came from,” he said. “It’s not out of our sights.”

Organizers of a few local Halloween events are hoping to scare up participants, too.

The Sedley Firehouse will be the scene of this year’s Sedley Community Halloween Party from 6 p.m. to 8

p.m. The party, sponsored by the Sedley Woman’s Club, will offer treats for dinner, as well as children’s games and costume contest.

DJ House will spin tunes from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the first fall costume party from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Franklin Sportsman’s Association. The party, which is sponsored by the devastating divas of Delta Sigma Theta, is for ages 21 and up. Costumes are optional, but the $12 tickets will be reduced by $2 if you show up dressed in one.

Food, games and prizes are on the agenda for the Halloween alternative Fun Fest by Community Harvest Outreach at 7 p.m. at 5E Roberts Ave., Windsor.

Rawls Library in Courtland will get in on the Halloween action with a Family Halloween Bash from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Storyteller Lorraine Whitehead will read Halloween stories and guests are invited to bring their own pumpkins for drawing or carving. Face painting, candy and prizes are all on tap. All ages are welcome to the bash, which will be presented in partnership with the area 4-H extension office. After that, the library will turn haunted from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.