In a first since 1938, Des Moines, Iowa, kids will trick-or-treat on Halloween – WKMG News 6 & ClickOrlando
WEATHER ALERT
Scott Mcfetridge
Associated Press
Published:
Updated:
Scott Mcfetridge
Associated Press
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
A Frankenstein mask is seen on display at The Theatrical Shop, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in West Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
DES MOINES, Iowa – For the first time since 1938, children in Des Moines, Iowa, will go trick-or-treating on Halloween.
Going door-to-door for candy on All Hallows’ Eve has long been commonplace throughout the country. But not in Des Moines, where Iowa’s capital city took a different approach more than seven decades ago in hopes of tamping down on hooliganism.
Recommended Videos
Instead, Des Moines children don their costumes on Beggars’ Night, typically the day before Halloween. And besides screaming, “Trick-or-Treat,” children are expected to tell a joke before receiving a treat.
This year, Beggars’ Night was set for Wednesday, but because of expected heavy rain and thunderstorms, officials delayed trick-or-treating until Thursday, which to the rest of the country is the normal Halloween.
“To my knowledge, it has never been moved or canceled since it was established after Halloween in 1938,” Assistant City Manager Jen Schulte said. “However, the safety of our residents, families and children is always our top priority and led to the change in this year’s scheduled Beggars’ Night.”
The city began its unusual custom at the suggestion of a former city parks director as a way to reduce vandalism and promote more wholesome fun for kids. Initially, children were encouraged to sing a song, recite poetry and offer some other kind of entertainment, but over time a joke became the most common offering.
Beggar’s Night also has limited hours, typically running from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Many of Des Moines’ suburbs also adopted the Beggars’ Night tradition and chose to shift the celebration to Halloween this year.
“I didn’t realize we were that much of an anomaly because for us, this is normal,” said Debbie Westphal Swander, who owns a costume shop in West Des Moines. “We’re going to be in sync at least for this year with the way the event is celebrated everywhere else.
“The big picture for me is, it’s absolutely about the kids. That’s the most important thing.”
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Recommended Videos
TV Listings
Email Newsletters
RSS Feeds
Contests and Rules
Contact Us / Follow on Social Media
Careers at WKMG
Closed Captioning / Audio Description
Public File
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Do Not Sell My Info
FCC Applications
EEO Report
Disability Assistance
If you need help with the Public File, call (407) 291-6000.
At WKMG, we are committed to informing and delighting our audience. In our commitment to covering our communities with innovation and excellence, we incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to enhance our news gathering, reporting, and presentation processes. Read our article to see how we are using Artificial Intelligence.
Copyright © 2024 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings.
