BOSTON – The kids Halloween costumes are ready, the candy bowl is set up at the front door – all that’s left is the trick-or-treating.
But is there a “right” time period for trick-or-treaters to walk around the neighborhood and ring the doorbell? What is too early and what is too late?
In Massachusetts, there are some cities and towns that are advising residents about trick-or-treating hours for Halloween. The times community officials have proposed so far in the state for 2024 range from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The city of Boston has not published any official trick-or-treating hours. In 2022, the Boston Police Department wrote in a blog post that “ideally, trick-or-treating should occur no later than 8:30 p.m.”
Worcester trick-or-treating hours
The city of Worcester says the “recommended hours” for trick-or-treating are between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Police are asking motorists to slow down and watch out for children crossing the street. They also tell parents to supervise children under 12 and inspect all collected candy before allowing children to eat it.
Other municipalities explain that they do not get involved in setting specific trick-or-treating times on Halloween.
“The hours are at the discretion of the parents,” the City of Waltham said.
Trick-or-treating hours in Massachusetts
Below, we’ve compiled a list of all the cities and towns in Massachusetts that have publicly shared recommended hours for trick-or-treating.
Acton: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Amesbury: 5:30-7:30 PM
Andover: 5-7 p.m
Chestnut brown: 5:30-8:00 PM
Beverly: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Brockton: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Charlton: 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Danvers: 5:30-7:30 PM
Dracut: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Garner: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Groton: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Hamilton: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Holden: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Leominster: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Littleton: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Lowell: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Methuen: 5-7 p.m
Newburyport: 5:30-7:30 PM
North Andover: 5:30-7:30 PM
West Boylston: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Weymouth: 4:30-7:30 PM
Westford: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Worcester: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
