Safety concerns have changed what activations look like this year, yet centers have proven creative and resilient. From drive-thru trick-or-treating to augmented reality experiences, here’s a sampling of COVID-19-safe activations that centers have enacted so far this year and have planned through the holidays.

RELATED: Holiday activations: Shopping centers balance safety and engagement

Late summer/early fall

TV show set pop-ups
Fourth Wall, a company that rebuilds TV show sets, opened a pop-up at Pointe Orlando, featuring designs from Monica’s apartment from Friends and Eric’s basement from That ’70s Show. Customers booked appointments online, and the sets were cleaned between visits.
May – September
Pointe Orlando

Ballet on the Beach
Miami City Ballet dancers took up residence in a vacant retail storefront on Lincoln Road. Shoppers could watch from the street as dancers practiced pirouettes and performances. This partnership among the Miami City Ballet, the Lincoln Road Business Improvement District and the Comras Co. offered up a safe way to enjoy ballet.
July 20 – Sept. 24
Lincoln Road, Miami

Art walk
West County Center hung local artists’ interpretations of the center’s signature dove insignia on the first floor. Shoppers voted for their favorites via text. The pieces later were auctioned off and the proceeds divided between the artists and the St. Louis Artists’ Guild.
Sept. 8 – 30
West County Center, St. Louis

Ski swap
To help guests gear up for the slopes at affordable prices, The Shops at South Town hosted a ski swap. The center also held a premiere of the skiing-related movie Tanner Hall Forever in the parking lot.
Sept. 29 – Oct. 4
The Shops at South Town, Sandy, Utah

Fall Fest Fridays
Parents looking for socially distanced activities were invited to bring their kids to participate in arts and crafts from pumpkin decorating to candy necklace making.
First four Fridays of October
Pinecrest, Orange Village, Ohio

Fall Fest 2020
Northpark and 13 local community partners welcomed guests to an inaugural Community Give-Back Event benefiting the Mississippi Food Network. Attendees drew messages of hope and inspiration at the Chalk Walk and left handprints at the Community Mural.
Oct. 17
Northpark, Ridgeland, Mississippi

Day of the Dead
In honor of Dia De Los Muertos, Plaza La Alameda and Panorama mall installed colorful, flower-filled community ofrendas, or altars, and invited people to bring pictures of their loved ones.
Oct. 20 – Nov. 3
Plaza La Alameda, Walnut Park, California

Oct. 21 – Nov. 5
Panorama, Panorama City, California

Scenic backgrounds
With traveling restricted these days, Belfair Towne Village has created a seasonal photo backdrop that celebrates the festive colors of the season.
Oct. 21 – Nov. 30
Belfair Towne Village, Bluffton, South Carolina

Pumpkin patch
To celebrate Halloween and kick off the holiday season, Azalea Regional Shopping Center installed a community pumpkin patch.
Oct. 23 – Nov. 23
Azalea Regional Shopping Center, South Gate, California

Drive-thru luminaria
In place of Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society and the FGCU Cancer Research Program hosted a drive-thru luminaria event. Guests could purchase a luminaria bag in honor of someone touched by cancer.
Oct. 24
Miromar Outlets, Fort Myers, Florida

Fireside Sounds on the Square
Colony Square, a mixed-use complex in Midtown Atlanta, will host a concert series during which guests can relax over s’mores and fire pits in their own socially distanced squares.
Fridays Nov. 13 – Dec. 18
Colony Square, Atlanta

An entire season in one parking lot
Walmart hosted contact-free fall experiences in participating stores’ parking lots. At Halloween Camp, guest could make glow-in-the dark slime and Halloween masks. At Gameday Marketplace, customers were encouraged to don their favorite college team gear and shop at farmers markets accompanied by drumlines. For Halloween, participating stores transformed their parking lots into spooky streets for trick-or-treating.
Throughout the fall
Participating stores

Halloween

Virtual Haunted House
Fox Valley Mall in Aurora, Illinois, hosted a free, interactive Virtual Haunted House, visitors could navigate spooky rooms from the safety of their own homes.
Oct. 1 – 31
Virtual

Deadly Drive-In
In the Rosedale Center parking lot, guests experienced the thrills and chills of a haunted house from their cars. Actors dressed as demons and ghouls surrounded customers’ cars, smearing the windows with fake blood during the 30-minute interactive experience.
Oct. 15 – 31
Rosedale Center, Roseville, Minnesota

Scavenger hunt
Families participating in a “mystery adventure” received maps and the chance to discover 18 doors, each hiding a trick or a treat, throughout The Shops at Hudson Yards.
Oct. 25 – Nov. 1
Hudson Yards, New York City

Car concert
Alpharetta, Georgia, mixed-use community Avalon hosted a drive-in, Halloween-themed concert. Guests were encouraged to decorate their cars in spooky decor and don costumes while jamming out to a popular local band.
Oct. 30
Avalon, Alpharetta, Georgia

Pet party
Berkshire Crossing, tenant Pet Supplies Plus and Berkshire Humane Society hosted a pet costume parade/contest. The center provided both human and pet treats and encouraged customers to donate pet food for the Berkshire Humane Society's pet food bank.
Oct. 31
Berkshire Crossing, Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Character Crawl photo ops
From safe distances, children could get photos with cartoon heroes like Pikachu, Buzz Lightyear and Spider-Man. They also picked up coupons to be redeemed that day for free treats from places like Dairy Queen and The Cookie Corner.
Oct. 31
Windward Mall, Kaneohe, Hawaii

Winter holidays

Big Santa
At Ala Moana Center, guests can pose in front of the center’s Big Santa, a new version of which debuts this year. Made up of 2,500 square feet of fiberglass and nearly 2,000 pounds of resin, Big Santa will perch on the center’s parking deck and wear a mask.
Opened Nov. 1
Ala Moana Center, Honolulu, Hawaii

A Merry Little Shop & Stroll
At check-in, visitors to JLL-managed shopping centers receive swag bags and “passports” with maps calling out participating stores, where they can win prizes for participating in activities. Along the way, they also can meet elves and enjoy live music. Registration is required.
Most run Nov. 6 – 21
Participating JLL-managed centers

Tree lighting with a livestream option
In October, the Outlets at San Clemente invited guests to the installation of a 125-foot, 20,000-pound tree said to be the largest Christmas tree in the world. Celebrations continued with a socially distanced tree lighting ceremony. Guests had the option of watching in person or via a livestreamed, big-screen broadcast visible from their cars. A screening of the movie Home Alone followed.
Nov. 7
Outlets at San Clemente, San Clemente, California

Kids-only shopping
Select Westfield shopping centers are unveiling Kids Markets, kids-only shopping experiences that will allow young customers to shop for their families by appointment.
Nov. 12
Westfield Galleria, Roseville, California
Westfield Garden State Plaza, Paramus, New Jersey

Dec. 3
Westfield Valley Fair, Santa Clara, California

Red Kettle and Angel Tree give-back campaign
Outlets of Little Rock and The Salvation Army invite guests to visit the center’s Angel Tree to pick an ornament and purchase a requested holiday gift for an under-served child. The campaign kicks off with a performance by The Salvation Army Brass Band Ensemble.
Nov. 13 – Dec. 13
Outlets of Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas

Wireless chat with Santa
After navigating a winter wonderland scene filled with 10,000 white lights, children will be able to talk to Santa through a two-way, high-end wireless communication system with a headset, microphone and speaker.
Nov. 16 – Dec. 24
Bridgewater Commons, Bridgewater, New Jersey

Capitol Building tree before it heads to Washington
Guests can get a photo with the tree that will decorate the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building. They also can say hi to Santa and enjoy local music.
Nov. 17
Asheville Outlets, Asheville, North Carolina

Photo-framed live Santa
Ala Moana Center will offer contactless photos with live Santa, who will be stationed behind a giant picture frame.
Nov. 20 – Dec. 24
Ala Moana Center, Honolulu, Hawaii

Alternative tree lights
In lieu of tree lighting celebrations, Bayer Properties and creative service agency 3DWD have created nostalgic, holiday-themed, Instagram-ready murals that will utilize QR codes to create an interactive experience via guests’ smartphones.
Late November – mid-January
Bayer Properties centers

Tour holiday decor
Birmingham lifestyle center The Summit will turn a vacant retail space into a winter wonderland. Attendees can walk through 10 decorated rooms, including an upside-down Christmas room and a room with a life-size North Pole mailbox.
Nov. 20 – Jan. 3
The Summit, Birmingham

3D scavenger hunts
Select Westfield shopping centers are rolling out Holiday Hunt, an augmented reality scavenger hunt. By scanning QR codes on their phones, guests can search out visions like flying Santa sleighs and a snowman.
Opens Nov. 20
Participating Westfield centers

12 days of tree lightings
Alpharetta, Georgia, mixed-use center Avalon will allow community members to experience the magic of the tree lighting experience on 12 separate days. Instead of one big event, the center will offer separate celebrations that include rooftop cocktail hours, live music and light and firework shows.
Nov. 22 – Dec. 3
Avalon, Alpharetta, Georgia

FaceTime with Santa
Via Hudson Yards’ free Santa Station: A Virtual Visit augmented reality app, guests can walk through mounds of snow, pose for pictures alongside polar bears and video chat with Santa. The app uses geolocation, so guests must be onsite.
Opens Nov. 22
Hudson Yards, New York City

Augmented reality journey to Santa
Centennial shopping centers will offer its own augmented reality experience. On their way to visit Santa, guests can walk through sets inspired by The Polar Express, Elf, A Christmas Story or A Charlie Brown Christmas. An app allows users to insert themselves into scenes from the movies. Then, masked guests can talk and get pictures with Santa, also masked, from a safe distance. Registration is required.
Nov. 27 or 28 at most properties – Dec. 24
Centennial centers

Virtual game with real prizes
Guests who download the Rosedale Center app can play Rosedale Dash, an augmented reality game with real prizes. They can collect virtual shopping bags and coins throughout the center a la Pokemon Go, and some bags will contain prizes that customers can pick up at Guest Services.
Nov. 27 – Jan. 1
Rosedale Center, Roseville, Minnesota

Virtual test drive of Santa’s sleigh
Rosedale Center guests can help Santa deliver gifts around the world through augmented reality. The Experimental Long-Range Flight Simulator, or E.L.F.S., will give guests a sleigh’s-eye view of what Santa sees every Christmas Eve, from mountaintops to oceans to monuments. Tickets will be available for purchase online, and the center will scan them touch free upon entrance.
Nov. 27 – Dec. 24
Rosedale Center, Roseville, Minnesota

The Grinch’s Grotto
Inside the Grinch’s Grotto, made to look like the Grinch’s cave, guests will be photographed next to the Grinch holding signs with phrases like, “You’re a mean one, 2020.” Spaces are limited to ensure social distancing.
Opens Nov. 27
Participating Westfield centers

Gingerbread house contest
Colonie Center invited the public to submit handmade and decorated gingerbread houses to be judged by shoppers. The gingerbread houses will be displayed in the center’s common areas or a vacant storefront. Those who text their votes will be entered to win a gift card, and the winner will win a holiday shopping spree.
Dec. 1 – 20
Colonie Center, Albany, New York

The North Pole experience
The rooftop terrace of Establishment, a popular, upscale bar and restaurant at Colony Square in Midtown Atlanta will become a winter wonderland set inside an igloo. Guests can reserve the rooftop for a group outing or holiday party.
Begins Dec. 9
Colony Square, Atlanta

Behind-the-Plexiglass photos
Shopping center operators like Westfield, Taubman and JLL are partnering with holiday photo provider Cherry Hill Programs to provide photos with Santa, who will sit behind Plexiglass and wear a mask. At many locations, registration is required.
Times vary
Participating JLL-managed centers

JingleRing
Brookfield Properties and Tanger Outlets have partnered with JingleRing, which provides personalized, online visits with Santa. Guests choose the ethnicity, the language and the message they want Santa to impart, as well as whether Mrs. Claus will participate.
Virtual

New Year’s resolution head start
Shoppers are invited to an outdoor family Zumba class. Music, party favors and giveaways also will be part of the fun.
Dec. 31
The Shops at Montebello, Montebello, California