From Andy Beshear to Authentic, check out last-minute Kentucky costumes for Halloween 2020

There’s no official list of best annual holidays, but if it existed, Halloween would sit toward the top.

Yeah, the holiday’s going to look a little different this year. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Louisville health officials have urged those in the city to skip large gatherings and haunted houses and to avoid physical contact with anyone trick-or-treating.

Those sound like good ideas. But it’s been a long year — we deserve to break out the costumes for a night, even if trick-or-treating is going to be a little trickier. Staying in doesn't mean you can't dress up.

It’s been such a long year, in fact, that you may have forgotten to put a costume together. Luckily, we're here to help with a few last-minute costume ideas with a Kentucky twist. You might not win best-dressed on Hillcrest Avenue, but that’s a tough standard to meet. These are quicker ideas that’ll work in a pinch.

Let’s run down the list, in no particular order:

We’ll start with an easy one. Put on a suit or button-up shirt, comb your hair, get that Mr. Rogers impression ready and spend 5 minutes in the mirror practicing your favorite Beshear go-to quotes (“we can’t be doin’ that,” “we will get through this together” — you get the idea). Kids with siblings can make it a group costume and dress up as Dr. Steven Stack or sign language interpreter Virginia Moore. And whatever you do, don't forget your mask. (Again, you "can't be doin' that.")

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It’ll take a little effort, but if you don’t mind a pretty short haircut this can work. Wear a suit, Sharpie a Dunkman tattoo on your right leg if you want to take it to the next level and get your list of reasons why you’re not afraid to play UK ready in case anyone asks.

Here’s a great couple’s costume. Mitch should wear a suit while Amy needs Marine pilot gear — a combat helmet would really take this one over the top. If you’re Amy, spend all night taking shots at Mitch, and if you’re Mitch, spend Halloween night taking shots at Chuck Schumer. Need more inspiration? Spend 5 minutes watching TV these days and you’re guaranteed to see more than one ad for both candidates.

Wear red and put your L’s up. It’s as easy as that. Expect a little extra candy from families who liked watching Louisville’s president stand up to the NCAA this spring.

Yes, you’re the underdog. Yes, that kid in the Amy McGrath costume may be getting more attention than you. But you’re the candidate who’s going to bring unity to trick-or-treaters from all over this neighborhood. It’s the only costume on this list endorsed by Bernie Sanders and AOC.

The hair is everything with this one. You’ve got to get that swoop just right. Just be prepared to spend all night taking questions about absentee ballots.

Scratch that, you’re probably not fast enough to pull off a Tutu Atwell costume.

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Hang on, you’re probably not good enough at basketball to pull off Dana Evans, either.

OK, there’s no way you have a wardrobe cool enough to pull this costume off.

You definitely can’t own the post like AD, but let’s let it slide, he’s an NBA champion. Get your Lakers or UK jersey and pencil in your unibrow. It’s a great solo costume but a guaranteed title-winner if you pair it with LeBron James.

Dressing up as a person is a little easy, though, right? Let’s really go outside the box with a few other ideas:

All you need is a horse mask and some silks (green this year, with a yellow No. 18) to pull off going as the Kentucky Derby champ. Everybody bet on the kid dressed up as Tiz the Law to win this costume contest, nobody’s going to see you coming. To really tie it all together, show up for the party six months after it was initially scheduled.

The Louisville Zoo’s 14-month-old elephant calf is probably the most popular living being in the city right now. If you have something to use to make a trunk, this is a winner.

Chicken mask, muscle shirt and a crown or tiara. Get it?

Tell everyone you see about your Pulitzer Prize and be sure to mention how affordable a digital subscription is.

Lucas Aulbach can be reached at [email protected], 502-582-4649 or on Twitter @LucasAulbach.