Halloween in Austin is normally one of those weekends when the city doesn’t need much of an excuse to party.

Costumes come out.

Bars fill up.

People pack into East Sixth Street.

Restaurants create themed menus.

And somebody inevitably takes Halloween way too seriously.

October 2020 was different.

The pandemic had changed almost every part of Austin’s entertainment scene, and Halloween was no exception.

But Austin businesses were still finding ways to create something resembling a normal October.

Nickel City, the East Austin bar known for its drinks and arcade games, transformed its Halloween concept into a pandemic-era version of Moe’s Tavern. The bar planned to bring back its Flaming Moe cocktail while implementing social-distancing requirements.

That was basically the Austin approach to Halloween in 2020:

If you couldn’t have the old party, find a creative way to make a new one.

October also brought several restaurant openings, proving that Austin’s food industry wasn’t completely frozen.

Thai Fresh opened Gati, a vegan ice cream shop in Holly after years of delays. The shop focused on coconut-milk ice cream and flavors inspired by Thai ingredients and desserts.

Meanwhile, chef Ling Qi Wu opened Qi, a new downtown restaurant building on the experience of Lin Asian Bar. The menu included items such as lobster dumplings and Sichuan peppercorn alligator.

The restaurant scene was changing, but the changes weren’t limited to downtown.

Two Hands, an Australian-inspired cafe, opened at Music Lane on South Congress. Its menu included avocado toast and cocktails, with both dine-in and takeout options.

Veracruz All Natural and Medici Roasting Company also joined forces on a new concept at Littlefield’s in Tarrytown, combining tacos and coffee in an outdoor-oriented setting.

That combination was almost perfectly suited to pandemic Austin.

People still wanted to eat.

They still wanted coffee.

They still wanted tacos.

But outdoor spaces and takeout had become much more important.

The beer scene was also showing signs of life.

Three new breweries — Vacancy Brewing, Willard’s Brewery and a second Last Stand Brewing location — were opening or preparing to open around the Austin area.

That might seem surprising today.

At a time when bars were struggling and large gatherings remained restricted, breweries were still betting on Austin’s appetite for craft beer.

The month wasn’t without bad news.

The city continued losing longtime businesses and venues, while the pandemic made it increasingly difficult for establishments dependent on nightlife and large crowds to survive.

Austin’s restaurant reopening rules were also continuing to evolve. Texas restaurants were permitted to operate dining rooms at 75 percent indoor capacity, while Austin bars faced different restrictions.

The result was a confusing environment for customers and business owners.

A restaurant could be open.

A bar might not be able to operate normally.

An outdoor patio could feel relatively safe.

A crowded indoor room was a different story.

Everyone was trying to figure it out as they went.

And then Halloween arrived.

Instead of massive parties, Austin’s October calendar became a collection of smaller, more controlled experiences.

Themed drinks.

Outdoor gatherings.

Limited-capacity events.

Takeout.

Costumes without the enormous crowds.

It wasn’t the Halloween Austin was used to, but it was still Halloween.

That’s what made October 2020 interesting.

The city didn’t simply shut down its personality.

It adapted it.

Restaurants experimented with new formats.

Breweries continued opening.

Coffee shops and taco concepts leaned into outdoor dining.

Bars created smaller themed experiences.

And customers learned to appreciate things they might have taken for granted before the pandemic.

A patio table.

A cold beer.

A taco.

A cocktail.

A night out that didn’t require standing shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of strangers.

October 2020 was definitely not normal Austin.

But it was still recognizable.

And perhaps that’s why the month is worth remembering.

Even when the city couldn’t party like it normally did, Austin businesses were still determined to give people something to celebrate.