There’s been a lot of fuss this year about the decision to move Trick-or-Treating to Friday, October 30.
The number of people questioning the decision makes it clear that many have forgotten the time-honored tradition of Double Halloween in Carson City.
To newcomers, it must seem like an odd decision, but it is not a new one. Up until the new millennium, trick-or-treating in Carson City fluctuated with the Nevada Day Parade. This is because, if your Nevada history holds, Nevada’s birthday is also on Halloween!
However, when Parade Day became standardized to the last Saturday of the month, it meant that unless October 31 falls on the last Saturday of the month, trick-or-treating will always be held on Halloween night.
This year, because October 31 is on a Saturday (aka: Parade Day), it means for a brief moment, the community will get to throw it back to ye good ol’ days of Double Halloween.
How is this a good thing, you may ask?
Imagine being a young whipper-snapper growing up in this community before the change occurred. In the planning process, you would, of course, plan to trick-or-treat on Carson City’s night.
But for the second round of trick-or-treating, you could choose to head to Gardnerville, Dayton, Reno, or even up to the lake if you could convince your parents to drive up and down the mountain all for the sake of getting those rumored King-sized candy bars at every house.
My parents, however, were never convinced by this reasoning, so I can’t say for certain if it was true.
By being able to celebrate Halloween twice, it means you can choose two costumes, two groups of trick-or-treating pals, and of course, double the candy haul!
But, in all seriousness, the most important reasoning to separate parade day from trick-or-treating day should be obvious to everyone who has been in town during Nevada Day Parade celebrations: for the safety of children and pedestrians.
While I don’t have any data proving that Nevada Day is the rowdiest day of the year, it is one of the highest days for arrests for drunk driving and general tomfoolery from the public.
Keeping kids off the streets, often in dark costumes and unlit neighborhoods, is more important than a date on the calendar.
It is the duty of every Carson City resident, and every Nevadan, to make sure Halloween stays safe for all, so please:
Embrace tradition. Embrace Double Halloween.
This Editorial is the opinion of Co-editor Kelsey Penrose, and not a reflection of the opinions of the Carson Now staff at large. However, it should be the opinion of everyone, since any argument against Double Halloween would be ridiculous.
