Halloween Trick or Treating

Updated on September 23, 2010
T.L. asks from Cuba, MO
21 answers

When is your town doing Trick or Treating? I have heard everything from Friday night, Saturday afternoon, Saturday night, and Sunday night. What is the norm?

If I got to have a say I would have said Satuday afternoon from 3-5 since it is daylight out and would be much safer for everyone.

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K.I.

answers from Seattle on

Hmmm, interesting...i have never heard of designated Trick-O-Treating times? We go on Halloween after it gets dark!

3 moms found this helpful

J.G.

answers from San Antonio on

I had no idea that places have designated "times" to Trick or Treat. We've always gone in my parents' neighborhood on Halloween night (no matter what day of the week it was). We'd start a little before dusk. We'd get home at dark. Everyone is there to hand out candy, so I guess the norm for San Antonio, TX is about 6pm, 7pm, 8pm. No trick-or-treaters after 9pm ever.

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J.B.

answers from Atlanta on

We trick or treat on Halloween. If you come around any other time -there will be no candy. I've never heard of anyone trick or treating at another time. Is this something they schedule in your town every year?

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L.U.

answers from Seattle on

Does your town have specified times?? Wierd!
We just go out on Halloween night as soon as it's dark (or a touch before that) and go for an hour or two. We also understand the "halloween rule" of if the porch light is OFF that means you don't want trick-or-treaters! Can't tell you how much I hate it when people don't follow that one!
L.

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J.B.

answers from Kansas City on

It's so funny you asked this because I had never heard of such a thing as towns scheduling it until we were talking with a friend from Ohio about it last year. Growing up in KC, we trick-or-treated Halloween night, regardless what day of the week it was, and that's what our kids do, too. After dinner, so usually no earlier than 5:30pm, and until bedtime, so some of the older kids go til 9pm or so. (We turn out our light around then to discourage the teenagers who are too old to get candy in our opinion.)

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

We trick'o'treat on Oct 31st, as soon as it gets dark... Although Iknow many who start earlier.

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A.C.

answers from Washington DC on

When I was a kid in Ohio we trick or treated ON halloween as soon as it got dark until our feet or bags couldn't take anymore. Then in my late teens or early 20's most of the cities changed it to a certain day of the week for very specific time periods. Which worked out for the most part ... but kinda spoiled the fun if you ask me.

Since leaving Ohio we're back to celebrating and doing trick or treating ON halloween night. From dark till we run out of candy OR get tired of answering the door OR see only teenagers (anyone over the age of about 13 is too old to be trick or treating in my opinion) and adults coming to the door.

Usually locak newspapers carry the information or a local news stations website will have information if there is a time other than halloween night for trick or treating.

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G.B.

answers from Tulsa on

Since Halloween is on Sunday this year I would think that each town would discuss it at the city meetings and decide. I would say that no towns would not be trick or treating on a Sunday. Call your city offices.

Our town has a city wide carnival, just different organizations, in the downtown area. It costs a couple of dollars and they get a wrist band and can play everything.

We also have a "Trunk or Treat" at our church. The cars back into the parking places so their trunks face the sidewalk. The parents sit in their trunks, or on the tail gates, and pass out candy. The kids have no reason to go into the parking lot or between cars. Then we go into the gym and have games, like a bean bag toss, ring toss, go fishing, face painting, cake walk, etc...just like a school carnival. We also have some yummy, sometimes more healthy, refreshments. We have made homemade root beer, (got the extract and stuff from a catalog online and the bottles from Conoco) and home made ice cream for floats, all kinds of different things going on.

If you want to just bypass the going from door to door then call the newspaper, local churches, community groupls like your Chamber of Commerce, and try and find some parties. Our town has something going on for 3-4 evenings prior to Halloween.

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C.M.

answers from St. Louis on

Trick or Treating around here is 6-8pm on Halloween.

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L.T.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Halloween night either 6-8 or 6:30-8:30. Don't remember which.

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R.D.

answers from Kansas City on

I don't understand....your town does it at different times or days? I have never heard of such a thing! Here (in KCMO area) we ALWAYS Trick-or-Treat ON HALLOWEEN, no matter what the day of the week. The younger kids (up to around 4 or 5 years old) go out early, maybe just when it is starting to be dusk. Then as dusk settles in, the older kids (maybe the 4 - 9 age group) come out. Once it gets dark, the oldest kids start their rounds. I don't like giving candy to kids "too old." How old is that? Well, I don't know exactly, but if they look like they are driving around to different neighborhoods, that's too old!

You could call various places in town. Ask around about different events that weekend, like trick-or-treating at the amusement park, a church or other organization might have a Trunk-or-Treat, some of the malls may have a day or time when they offer treats, or maybe sponsored event at a community center.

Last year I took my son to a community center Halloween event sponsored by several companies. There were a couple of haunted rooms (but not too scarry for a 2 yo), some activities, and a huge room to walk around the outside 'booths' to get treats. Many were stickers, pencils, cheap toys, and temporary tattoos, but some had candy. Some tables had stuff with their company name on it to double as advertisement. It was an all-in-one stop for my little one.

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B.

answers from Augusta on

We don't have a set time, it's the traditional Halloween when it gets dark here.

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C.M.

answers from Dallas on

I'm not sure what the time to trick or treat is here. We usually set out right before the sun sets, because we have little ones. Every year on Halloween I have a pot luck party. Everyone brings some food to share, kids plat and then we all set out as a group in our neighborhood. It's super fun!

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S.B.

answers from Kansas City on

we go on halloween after it gets dark. What fun is it in the daylight? :-)

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J.P.

answers from Chicago on

YOu could call your village and ask them or the non emergency police dept. number and ask if your town has designated times. In Illinois, we have set times to trick or treat. I don't mind that at all. Usually the time is around 5 til 8 unless it falls on a weekend & then it starts a bit earlier like 3. I feel, the earlier the better for younger kids, but as my twins get older (8 yrs. now), they like going with me during the later hours because it's fun to trick or treat in the dark when you go up to a house that's decorated in a spooky way. If your kids are quite young, go earlier and don't over do it because it's just as much fun to the little ones to get back and help pass out candy at their own house while still in costume:-) (I recorded this on my camcorder when my kids where toddlers and it looked so cute because they felt so good holding the bowl and placing candy in bags.)

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D.P.

answers from Minneapolis on

It usually depends on the city. I grew up in Ohio where they always designated a day and time for trick or treating by neighborhood. Now I live in Mn where it is always on halloween and no set time (you leave your front light on if you are still handing out candy). i would check with your city to determine.

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E.R.

answers from Chicago on

Our town in Illinois always has specific times- usually something like 5-8 on Halloween. Littler kids go early, the bigger ones go a little later. It is normally not dark until about 7 or 7:30.

We actually all meet up at a neighbor's house for a big potluck dinner with chili, cornbread, hotdogs and salad. All the kids love it and the moms and dads all take their pictures in the driveway before we head out. We do as many blocks as we want to (more now that our kids are all about 10) and then stop off back at the 'host' house for a candy swap- the kids LOVE to set up their candy and swap for favorites! Then we all go home, usually around 9 pm. It's awesome :)

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E.A.

answers from Erie on

In the city it's always Halloween night from 6-8. But the outlying suburbs and smaller communities do it at different times and days.

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T.F.

answers from Dallas on

It is a big party for our neighborhood, especially homes around me. Most of us are set up outside, a band plays, lots oa candy and when kids are done, we have adult fun! We always do it on Halloween.

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A.F.

answers from Columbus on

I don't know when ours is this year, it was Thurs 6-8 last year. I think most towns try to avoid the weekends b/c lots of people are not home.

L.A.

answers from Austin on

The school Annual HOOT Carnival in our neighborhood is on Friday.

I have heard a lot of parties will be on Saturday and Trick or Treating over all is always on Oct. 31st.. no matter what day it falls on.. Kids in our neighborhood tend to begin at about 5:00.. They are the youngest.. I turn off my lights at 8:00..

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