Trick-Or-Treat Hours in Washington Twp. Set By Ordinance

Halloween’s trick-or-treating hours are set for 2 to 9 p.m. per township ordinance on Thursday, Oct. 31 this year. 

The ordinance was established more than three decades ago and comes with a set of provisions surrounding the Halloween holiday and trick-or-treating hours, according to the township code book.

While trick-or-treating hours are set by ordinance 74-4, an ordinance for parental responsibility is also on the books as ordinance number 74-3, which states:

“It shall be unlawful for any parent or guardian to permit, suffer or allow any juvenile in his or her care to be in any public place between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. of each and every day during the period from October 28 until November 1, inclusive, of each year.”

A violation of that ordinance, as well as one pertaining to a curfew ordinance of the same time frame, states anyone who violates the times and is found guilty could perform community service and may be subject to a fine of up to $1,000. Parents, the ordinance says, could be subject to performing community service with their violating juveniles for up to 90 days as well.

Halloween in Washington Township found different days and times in the past two years due to major storms that cut power to large portions of the community.

Super Storm Sandy came into town on Oct. 28 and knocked out power – and filled roads and walkways with debris and electrical lines – for two weeks for many town residents.

In 2011, a nor’easter dumped a foot of snow on the township just before Halloween, closing schools, roadways, and knocking out power to the majority of Washington Township residents for more than a week.

The full Halloween curfew and trick-or-treat hours can be found in the township code book here. 

Do you agree with the township’s trick-or-treating times? Should they be changed?