Two of the country's best-known Chinatowns are turning their streets into Halloween block parties today. Families in San Francisco and New York can trick-or-treat past family shops and catch cultural performances in costume.

In San Francisco the 12th annual Chinatown Halloween Festival takes over Waverly Place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free afternoon brings Halloween games and cultural shows along with deals at neighborhood businesses beneath the alley's famous red lanterns.

Costumes are encouraged. Winners in each costume contest group get a $50 Chinatown dining gift certificate. Groups cover young kids, teens, adults and families. The first 100 children at Trick-or-Treat Lane also get a Halloween treat.

Lion dancers and local support

The festival is put on by the Community Youth Center of San Francisco with support from the city's economic development office. A lion dance troupe, a merchants group and a senior services nonprofit are helping out. Local farms and garden shops donated the pumpkins. It closes out a yearly series of Waverly Place gatherings that also includes a spring festival and a food celebration.

Trick-or-Streets on Mott Street

Across the country Manhattan's Chinatown is bringing back its Trick-or-Streets party on Mott Street between Canal and Bayard streets. It runs from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and admission is free.

The neighborhood partnership hosting the event says this year's edition is bigger than ever. Plans include trick-or-treating and giveaways, an acrobatic parade, a photo booth, face painting and balloon twisting. A live DJ and family games round out the lineup.

Local banks, grocers, social service groups and the city's open streets program are co-hosting. Organizers say the goal is simple: give families a safe and festive Halloween while drawing visitors to the small businesses that keep Chinatown thriving all year.