What Time Is Trick-or-Treating Tonight? Typical Halloween Hours and How Towns Set Them

Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and in most places trick-or-treating happens tonight, Oct. 31, from late afternoon into the early evening. There is no national start time. Hours are set locally, usually by a city, village, township or police department, and they vary from town to town.

What time is trick-or-treating tonight?

In many communities, official hours start somewhere between 3 and 6 p.m. and wrap up by 7 or 8 p.m. local time. A few examples announced for Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026:

• Pittsburgh: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., according to the city
• West Chicago, Illinois: 3 to 7 p.m., according to the city

Because Halloween is on a weekend this year, some towns opened up earlier afternoon hours. Others kept a traditional evening window. If your town hasn’t posted anything, the common rule of thumb is that trick-or-treating begins around dusk and winds down a couple of hours later.

What time does trick-or-treating start, and who decides?

Local governments decide. Some publish official hours each year on their website, social media or a news release, as Pittsburgh did on Oct. 8. Others simply follow tradition and leave timing to neighborhoods. Homeowners’ associations, apartment complexes and community groups sometimes add their own guidelines or host “trunk-or-treat” events at set times.

Trick-or-treat hours near me: how to check

• Look at your city, town or village website, or the local police department’s social media pages
• Check local TV and newspaper sites, which often round up area hours
• Ask in neighborhood groups or your HOA
• When in doubt, follow the porch-light rule: a lit porch generally signals that a home is welcoming trick-or-treaters

The clocks fall back early Sunday, Nov. 1, so tonight is the last evening of daylight saving time. That means it stays light a bit later than it will next week, but it still gets dark during typical trick-or-treating hours.

How to trick-or-treat safely

The American Red Cross says children are more than twice as likely to be struck and killed by a vehicle on Halloween than on any other day of the year, citing the Journal of the American Medical Association. Its tips, along with those from Pittsburgh and West Chicago officials:

• Be visible: Add reflective tape to costumes and treat bags, choose lighter colors, and carry a flashlight or glow stick
• See clearly: Use face makeup instead of masks when possible, and skip decorative contact lenses
• Avoid trips: Pick costumes that fit and aren’t long enough to drag
• Walk smart: Stay on sidewalks; if there are none, walk facing traffic. Cross at corners or crosswalks, and never between parked cars
• Stick together: Adults should go with young children. Older kids should have a planned route and a set return time
• At the door: Visit only homes with porch lights on, and never go inside a stranger’s home
• Check candy: Inspect treats before eating and throw out anything unwrapped or opened. West Chicago asks residents to contact police about possible tampering

Drivers should slow down and stay alert, especially after dark, the Red Cross and both cities said. If you’re handing out candy, keep your porch and walkway well lit and clear of leaves and obstacles.

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