It's never too early to start preparing for Halloween! You'll need to put together a contest-winning family costume and fill bags with the best Halloween candy. But once the kids are ready and brimming with excitement, they will want to know what time trick-or-treat 2023 starts. This year, the holiday falls on a Tuesday, which makes things a bit tricky for parents dealing with bedtimes (not to mention teachers at school on Wednesday). We've all spent time peeking out of our front door to see when the other kids in the neighborhood start out on their adventures. Here's what you need to know about trick-or-treat 2023.
Generally speaking, you can expect candy-hungry youngsters—especially toddlers and early elementary-aged kids—to show up at your door as soon as the sun starts to set, or even a bit earlier (think between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.). Older elementary kids, tweens, and teens (just how old is too old to trick-or-treat?) will likely keep knocking until 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., or the time stated by your local curfew laws. Keep your front porch light on as long as you’re willing to accept trick-or-treaters. When curfew hits, you run out of candy, or you’re just ready to call it a night, turn off your light.
If you are making the trick-or-treat rounds yourself, start early and you might even make it back in time to watch a Halloween movie, either a family-friendly one or a classic scary one.
Check your local news outlets for exact trick-or-treating times, as well as the most recent safety guidelines. Stay safe out there, and happy Halloween!
- Atlanta: Local news outlets suggest trick-or-treating from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., on average.
- Baltimore: 6 p.m.
- Boston: Local news outlets suggest 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., on average.
- Chicago: Local news outlets suggest 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., on average.
- Cincinnati: Local news outlets suggest 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., on average.
- Cleveland: Local news outlets suggest 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., on average.
- Dallas: 6:30 p.m.
- Denver: Local news outlets suggest 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., on average.
- Houston: 6:30 p.m.
- Indianapolis: Local news outlets suggest 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., on average.
- Las Vegas: Local news outlets suggest 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., on average.
- Los Angeles: 6 p.m.
- Miami: 6:30 p.m.
- Milwaukee: Local news outlets report that trick-or-treating is on a community-by-community basis.
- Minneapolis: 6 p.m.
- New Orleans: 6 p.m.
- New York: 6 p.m.
- Oklahoma City: 6:30 p.m.
- Philadelphia: Local news outlets suggest 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., on average.
- Phoenix: Local news outlets suggest 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., on average.
- Pittsburgh: Local news outlets suggest 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., on average.
- St. Louis: 6 p.m.
- Salt Lake City: 6:30 p.m.
- San Antonio: 7 p.m.
- San Diego: 6 p.m.
- San Francisco: 6 p.m.
- Seattle: Local news outlets suggest 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., on average.
- Washington: Local news outlets suggest 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Is Trick-or-Treat Always on October 31?
Yes! Even though Halloween falls on a Tuesday this year, most communities choose to keep the event on Halloween night, rather than moving it to the weekend. If your neighborhood has decided to participate on another day, you're likely to hear about it on neighborhood Facebook pages. Look for trunk-or-treat events and local festivals the weekend before.
Katie Bowlby is Digital Director at Country Living, where she covers gift guides, product reviews, crafts, and TV shows like Yellowstone. She’s currently stitching up a cross-stitch pattern for the magazine’s next issue
