Central Ohio communities have split trick-or-treating between Thursday, Oct. 29, and Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31, despite a regional planning recommendation to move the event when Halloween falls on a weekend. The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission recommends holding “beggar's night” on the Thursday before Halloween in those years, citing safety and conflicts with football games, community events and increased road traffic. Many communities aren't following the recommendation this year.
The Thursday Schedule
Bexley will hold trick-or-treating from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29. Blendon Township scheduled hours from 6 to 8 p.m., while Canal Winchester set its hours from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Circleville also scheduled its event from 6 to 8 p.m.
Chillicothe's hours are 6 to 7:30 p.m. Columbus scheduled 6 to 8 p.m, as did Dublin and Gahanna. Grove City and Perry Township also set hours from 6 to 8 p.m.
Groveport will hold trick-or-treating from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Heath and Hebron chose the same hours. Hilliard's schedule is 6 to 8 p.m., while Johnstown set its hours from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Lancaster will hold the event from 6 to 7:30 p.m. London and New Albany each scheduled 6 to 8 p.m. Newark's hours are 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Obetz, Pickerington, Prairie Township and Reynoldsburg will each hold trick-or-treating from 6 to 8 p.m. Upper Arlington, Washington Court House and Westerville also scheduled 6 to 8 p.m. West Jefferson set hours from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; Whitehall will hold the event from 6 to 8 p.m.
Halloween Night Schedules
Bellefontaine will hold trick-or-treating on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Delaware and Galena each scheduled hours from 6 to 8 p.m. Gambier chose 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Genoa Township's hours are 6 to 8 p.m. Marion will hold the event from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and Marysville set its hours from 6 to 8 p.m. Mount Vernon scheduled 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Orange Township and Pataskala will each hold trick-or-treating from 6 to 8 p.m. Plain City set its hours from 5 to 7 p.m. Powell and Worthington each scheduled 6 to 8 p.m.
The regional planning commission's recommendation addresses scheduling a community event, not setting one schedule for the entire region. Its concerns include road traffic, football games and other community events when Halloween falls on a weekend. Communities set dates and hours for their own trick-or-treating. Twenty-eight chose Thursday; 13 chose Halloween itself.