When Is Trick-or-Treating 2026? Times, Days & What to Expect

Because Halloween 2026 falls on a Saturday, the vast majority of towns and neighborhoods will hold trick-or-treating on the evening of Saturday, October 31 — no rescheduling needed. When Halloween lands on a weekend, communities rarely shift the date, unlike mid-week Halloweens that sometimes get moved to the prior or following Saturday.

That means the candy run, the costume parade, and the porch lights all happen on the same day this year: Saturday, October 31, 2026.

Trick-or-treating usually starts around 5:30–6:00 PM, when it gets dark enough for porch lights and glow sticks to show up, and wraps up around 8:00–9:00 PM. Younger children tend to start earliest (around 5:30) and head home by 7:30; older kids and tweens keep going closer to 8:30 or 9:00.

A porch light left on means 'we're handing out candy.' A dark house or a turned-off light means skip it — the universal signal on most streets.

Some cities and towns publish an official trick-or-treat night and time, while others leave it to neighborhoods. Check your city or county government's website or local news in the week before Halloween for a posted time — especially if you live somewhere that adjusts for weather or shifts to a different night.

Our Halloween events near you tool can also surface community parades and trunk-or-treats happening around your zip code on and around October 31.

Pick a familiar, well-lit route in advance, keep young children within arm's reach, and agree on a meeting spot if a group splits up. Add reflective tape or glow sticks to costumes so drivers can spot kids in the dark, carry a flashlight, and stick to sidewalks.

Inspect all treats before kids dig in — skip anything homemade, unwrapped, or torn. Read our full Halloween safety tips for the complete checklist, and use LED candles inside jack-o'-lanterns so the glow stays fire-free near flammable costumes.