Old-fashioned, door-to-door trick-or-treating is not all that Ames has in store for Halloween this year. Many local businesses and organizations are taking part in age-old traditions and some new ones, too.

The Ames Main Street District is holding its annual trick-or-treat Friday. Letitia Hansen, manager of the Octagon Center for the Arts, 427 Douglas Ave., is on the promotions committee for the Main Street District.

“There will be approximately 20 local businesses participating this year,” she said.

All district businesses opting to participate in the event will have candy available for children who come in during their regular business hours, Hansen said.

The Main Street District trick-or-treat has been in effect for several years, she said. It gives children the opportunity to dress up in their costumes on Friday and safely trick-or-treat at local businesses.

The Main Street District also is hosting its first-ever Main Street pumpkin tour. Hansen said businesses have the opportunity to display decorated pumpkins in their front windows.

Businesses have the flexibility of decorating the pumpkins however they choose, Hansen said. “There really aren’t any strict rules about the pumpkins,” she said.

Some of the businesses participating include: Octagon Center for the Arts, 427 Douglas Ave.; Everts Flowers, Plants and Gifts, 412 Burnett Ave.; American Country, 327 Main St.; Cooks Emporium, 313 Main St.; Worldly Goods, 223 Main St.; Olives, 308 Main St.; and Jet Print, 305 Main St., which will display an unusually large pumpkin in its window.

Hansen said the pumpkins have been on display since Oct. 16, and the display will continue until the end of October. Maps of businesses displaying pumpkins will be available at any of the participating businesses.

North Grand Mall, 2801 Grand Ave., also will be hosting its annual trick-or-treat and costume contest Sunday.

The costume contest will be from 3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m., with trick-or-treating at mall stores from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

A total of nine prizes will be donated by stores, awarded in three categories for three age groups.

Continuing a tradition started last year, Mary Greeley Medical Center, 1111 Duff Ave., will distribute free bright orange reflective bands to anyone who wants them.

Andrew Zalasky, community relations director at Mary Greeley, said officials are planning to hand out at least 1,000 bands this year.

“Last year was the first year that we did this, and we had such a good response that we just had to do it again,” Zalasky said.

The sticky orange bands are large enough to fit across children’s backs or down their arms and automatically glow when hit by light.

Zalasky said the bands are just one more thing parents should have to keep their kids safe.

“If we can keep one kid out of our hospital, then we feel like we’ve done our job,” he said.

The bands are available at Mary Greeley’s west entrance.

Trick-or-treating in Ames will be held Sunday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.