INDIANAPOLIS — With wet, cold weather on the way, some communities in central Indiana are opting to move or reschedule trick-or-treating to the weekend.
But what about Indianapolis? City officials say they are monitoring the weather.
As of Wednesday evening, Halloween trick-or-treating was still on as scheduled from 6-8 p.m. Thursday across the city. People downtown had mixed feelings about what should be done to trick-or-treating hours with inclement weather on the way.
“I don’t see anything wrong with keeping it on the same day. So if we miss it, what are you going to do next? Reschedule Christmas because it gets too snowy out? ‘Sorry, kids, Santa Claus couldn’t make it,’” said Indianapolis resident Devon Walton.
“I don’t know, depending on the weather, how people feel about their children going out in frigid temperatures. It’s going to be really cold. You have to dress them really warm. You have got to be mindful of the cold. It’s a pretty ‘rock and hard place’ question,” said Indianapolis resident Naomi Montgomery.
“I like the tradition. I think Halloween should be on the 31st because that’s just how we grew up,” said Brittany Wright.
At least five other area cities — including Muncie, Marion, and Pendleton — have already moved trick-or-treating from Thursday to the weekend, on a November date, ahead of the expected weather.
WISH-TV Meteorologist Marcus Bailey said during trick-or-treating hours we can expect to see some flurries, wind gusts up to 30 mph and wind chills in the upper 20s.
Office Genae Cook with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s public affairs division says making the decision to keep or change trick-or-treat hours is a fluid one and could change at any time.
“We think about the safety of everybody first, so if inclement weather moves in that’s a little more than what we expected, the city could take that opportunity to change days or change time,” Cook said.
Even with trick-or-treating on the line, people downtown agreed, the sweetness of safety comes first over any kind of candy.
“With some precaution, I think the kids can still have fun, and I think the city should just make sure it’s not anything too risky,” said Indianapolis resident Niharika Narain.
The last time Indy moved trick-or-treat hours due to weather was in 2013.
(PHOTO: WISH-TV)
