Des Moines, Ankeny among central Iowa cities to postpone Beggars' Night due to stormy forecast
A central Iowa Halloween tradition is being postponed by some cities.
Beggars' Night, an annual trick-or-treating event, will be pushed back from Wednesday to Thursday in Des Moines. The city says the postponement is due to anticipated severe weather in central Iowa Wednesday night.
The new Beggars' Night schedule in Des Moines is from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31.
The Associated Press reports that this is the first time since 1938 that children in Des Moines will go trick-or-treating on 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.
Des Moines city leaders were the first to announce the delay, moving trick-or-treating to Halloween night instead of the traditional Beggars Night.
"It's looking at a 90 to 100% chance of thunderstorms. And there's just no point in taking that risk when you've got a beautiful day in the forecast coming up the next day. So I think it was an easy decision to make," Matt Anderson, Des Moines assistant city manager, said.
Following Des Moines' announcement, leaders in other metro suburbs also decided to delay Beggars Night, prioritizing safety due to the forecasted dark streets, rain, and wind. This includes Altoona, Ankeny, West Des Moines and more.
"For most cities, and certainly in Clive, if we're in a situation like this where we need to prioritize safety, we have a means to act quickly to make sure that we can get this done right," Peter De Kock, assistant Clive city manager, said.
Most residents expressed understanding and acceptance of the delay, emphasizing the importance of safety and the continuation of the candy tradition.
"The kids, as long as they go, it won't make a difference to them," Victoria Cole, a Des Moines resident, said.
Until Tuesday evening, Pleasant Hill was the only metro city not moving their beggars night, citing insufficient time for the city council to take action. However, shortly after 8 p.m., the city announced it had received an "official notice" from Polk County Emergency Management for the potential of severe weather, giving the city the ability to issue an emergency proclamation to move the date for Beggars' Night.
The Warren County town of Milo appears to be the only city in the metro area still planning to have Beggars' Night on Wednesday, rain or shine.
You can see a full list of Beggars' Night and trick-or-treat events in central Iowa here.
For the most part, the kids aren't too put out by the change of plans.
"I mean, it makes a difference. But you still get candy," Lucy Jaksich, a Des Moines 9-year-old, said.
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