Pecatonica, Byron to change trick-or-treat hours this year

(WIFR) - Some stateline parents have a bone to pick with members of their local government, after officials choose to move trick or treating away from Halloween and onto October 29.

In Pecatonica, a few Facebook pages have amassed nearly 300 members. Based on a poll in the “Halloween in Pec” page, more than 500 residents feel they can’t let the October 31 tradition slip through their fingers.

Leaders posted on the Pecatonica Village Hall Facebook page that this year’s trick-or-treating will take place on Sunday, October 29. The post was quickly swarmed with angry comments.

One parent stressed how part of the fun is going to school in costume.

“Our schools have a parade for the kids where they wear their costumes and then rushing home and eating some dinner really quick and then going out for trick or treating, to have it change days would really kinda change the whole day,” said Tanya Wurtzel, a Pecatonica resident.

Pecatonica Village President Tom Heister says the village hall received multiple requests from residents asking them to move trick or treat times to Sunday.

“So many families, both parents have to work to make ends meet and on a Sunday afternoon hopefully it would be a greater chance that both parents would be home,” said Heister.

In Byron, Mayor John Rickard says students’ education is the reason for that city’s change to October 29.

“It was not gonna be a school day so we wouldn’t be trampling over the end of school to get things started and parents having to worry about homework,” said Rickard.

In the Pecatonica village hall Facebook post, one comment suggested attending the towns next board meeting, scheduled for October 5, to make their voices heard.

For the past two years, Roscoe made the decision to move trick or treating from Halloween to the weekend. This year, they will return to October 31, following a board of trustees vote.

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