The City of Alliance has rescheduled its Trick-or-Treat night to Wednesday, Oct. 29, sparking backlash from residents who say the change is inconvenient and unnecessary.
Mayor Andrew Grove announced Thursday that the decision was made because the Alliance Aviators will host their first-ever OHSAA home football playoff game on Halloween night, Friday, Oct. 31. Trick-or-Treat will now run from 5 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 29, two days earlier than planned.
In a post on the city’s Facebook page, officials encouraged residents to leave porch lights on if they wish to participate and urged families to use caution while walking, recommending reflective clothing and adult supervision.
While city officials framed the move as a safety precaution, many residents expressed frustration online, saying the change disrupts long-standing traditions and family plans.
“This is really upsetting for those of us who have arranged our schedules around the date that was already set — Halloween!” wrote Desi Michelle.
Others, like Taci Alissa Rigby, said holding Trick-or-Treat on a Wednesday will be difficult for working parents and children. “A Wednesday instead of a Friday? That’s pretty inconvenient for most people,” she wrote. “Not to mention most kids will have their Halloween parties on Friday still.”
Several residents suggested alternative solutions, including limiting Trick-or-Treating near the stadium or moving the event to Saturday. Paula Bondoni proposed keeping the event on Halloween but avoiding the area around the football field. “Everyone gets what they want, everyone stays safe. It’s a win-win,” she commented.
A few commenters, however, supported the city’s reasoning. Marisa Mozden defended the change, citing traffic and parking concerns on game nights. “Alliance will have more traffic coming into town with the traveling of the other team and their fans,” she wrote. “People start arriving at the field around 5 so they can get a parking spot and a seat. There is literally no parking.”
But most commenters appeared to disagree with the city’s decision, with some vowing to Trick-or-Treat on Halloween night anyway. “Let’s just all go on Friday anyways,” wrote Andrea Marie, while another resident, Bob Klein, added, “Trick-or-Treat is Friday! This is the first time I had off for Halloween. Anything we can do to overturn this?”
Despite the pushback, the city has not indicated any plans to reverse the decision. In its announcement, the city concluded, “We wish you all a safe and Happy Halloween!”
