Elmos, Tinkerbells and Hermione Grangers will roam the streets of Evanston today, using the three designated hours of trick-or-treating time from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. to snag as much candy as they can, despite the belief held by many Northwestern students that trick-or-treating is illegal in Evanston.
When or how this myth was fabricated is unknown, said both Evanston locals and NU students, but they agreed it may have spread because trick-or-treating hours have been limited.
Weinberg junior Jordan Shuler said she heard rumors that trick-or-treating was illegal from fellow students last year around Halloween, and many students said they were told similar statements.
While NU students said they had heard trick-or-treating is illegal, Evanston locals were taken aback when asked about the rumor and whether or not they had heard of the myth.
Evanston Mayor Lorraine H. Morton declared that the official time for trick-or-treating is between 4 and 7 p.m, said Joseph Bellino, deputy chief of the Evanston Police Department. The time period has been set since at least Oct. 2000, according to a City Council memo where then-City Manager Roger Crum was cited as announcing the times.
Bellino said this does not mean it is illegal to trick-or-treat afterward, but it is less likely that people will be willing to open their doors after 7 p.m.
Evanston resident Ellen Wagner said she has lived in Evanston for 15 years and trick-or-treating has always been popular.
“We get more than 200 trick-or-treaters every year, so the rumor that trick-or-treating is illegal is hard to believe,” she said.
Project Pumpkin, a yearly October event where local children come to Norris University Center for a few hours to trick-or-treat and play games, was created because of the limited time Evanston allows for Halloween, said Alyssa Kasten, co-chair of Project Pumpkin.
“(Evanston) kids can’t trick-or-treat for as long or to the degree other kids can,” the SESP senior said. “We want kids to be able to celebrate Halloween while having a safe place to do it.”
The time limit was put in place because trick-or-treating is safest when everyone is out at the same time, Bellino said.
Police are taking extra precautions today and will put additional officers on the streets. Police presence will deter misconduct and provide peace of mind for residents and trick-or-treaters, Bellino said.
Police also sent letters to stores, advising them to be cautious about selling eggs and other products that can be used for vandalism, Bellino said.
“There are things tied into this day you don’t see (on other days),” Bellino said. “Different acts of vandalism such as smashing pumpkins or egging houses go hand-in-hand with this particular evening.”
Reach Heidi Kim at [email protected].
