Hellertown Resident Launches Petition to Change Trick-or-Treat Date

A Hellertown resident is petitioning for a change in the borough's Trick-or-Treat date.

Kristin Eisenhart has launched a Change.org petition requesting that the date be changed from Friday, Oct. 25, when Trick-or-Treat is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m., to Sunday, Oct. 20, from 4 to 6 p.m., after the Saucon Valley Spirit Parade.

The spirit parade—combined with the 4-County Firemen's Parade—will be held at 2 p.m., at the conclusion of a Spirit Weekend that will feature fireworks, a concert in Dimmick Park, a 5K race and numerous other family-friendly events.

Until several years ago, Trick-or-Treat in Hellertown was held on a Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m.

The day and time were changed after residents complained that some Trick-or-Treaters from Bethlehem—which has long held its candy dash on the last Friday of October—were coming to Hellertown to "double-dip."

Wrote Rose Strong, "it's absolutely necessary to have our trick or treat at the same time as Bethlehem, whenever that may be. When Bethlehem's would get rained out, we got hit with three times the kids, at least. We either ran out of candy or had to go to the store and buy more. If people run out, that's not fair to Hellertown kids who don't get any, and not everyone wants to/can afford a huge stockpile of candy to accommodate 100+ extra kids. (No lie.)"

In comments posted on Hellertown-Lower Saucon Patch's Facebook page, several residents opined that the "double-dipping" had worked both ways, with some Saucon Valley children Trick-or-Treating in Bethlehem in the years when the two municipalities scheduled their events on different days.

Meanwhile, others said they would prefer that Trick-or-Treat be held on a Sunday afternoon again, or on the evening of Oct. 31, as it is in some municipalities and in many parts of the country.

"October 31st is Halloween," wrote Andrea Paparelli. "Plenty of other places do it on that night, including Williams Township, where I grew up. I don't understand why it is such a drama issue here."

Kathleen Burke Sunder, however, said she preferred it when Trick-or-Treat was on a Sunday.

"There was plenty of time in the daylight for the younger children to trick or treat, (and) most parents are off from work on Sunday so they'd get to enjoy it too," she wrote. "I saw whole families camped out on their front lawns on those Sundays having a great time... It was neat."

According to Eisenhart's petition, the family atmosphere that existed during Trick-or-Treat before the change to a Friday evening is one of the reasons it should be changed back.

Returning Trick-or-Treat to a Sunday afternoon would also "relieve the burden of parents having to get off work early and speeding home to get their children in their costumes and ready for the 6 p.m. trick-or-treating start time, on a work night," she said.

What do you think? Do you plan to sign the petition? Tell us when you would prefer Trick-or-Treat be held, and why.