Why is Trick or Treat on a Thursday in Blair County? We Don't Know, But Others May Have It Right

Susie Crawford sent in this question last week:

I have lived in Altoona for 12 years now. I’m 68 years old. I’ve made many friends my age and they were born and raised here, and they can’t answer this question, so maybe you can, please.

Why does Blair county celebrate Halloween the last Thursday of October?? No one seems to know the answer. Do you??

Unfortunately, we did not know. We posted this to the Morrisons Cove Herald Facebook page:

We had a question today asking why Blair County always holds trick or treat on a Thursday. We did a really quick review, and found an Altoona Mirror article from October of 1964 announcing trick or treat in Altoona would be held on Thursday, October 29 because of important high school football games being played on October 30 and 31. In the years after that we found several articles announcing different Blair County municipalities holding Thursday trick or treat nights, including one from 1966 with two nights, Thursday and October 31. We were wondering if our readers had any ideas on why it’s held county wide on Thursdays.

Though we could not confirm or deny any of the responses, this is what we heard:

Milton Fields: There was a decision made sometime ago at the Blair County Chiefs of Police meeting to encourage the different municipalities to consolidate trick or treat to the Thursday before Halloween in order to reduce the amount of traffic in each Borough and for the safety of the citizens.

Chip Clarke: The influence of the media that would portray the “mischief night” violence in larger cities that would often escalate to burning vehicles and looting stores gave law enforcement agencies in smaller cities and towns the idea to move door-to-door soliciting of treats to a night other than the traditional October 31st, for public safety reasons. Just as Chief Fields stated above, it was a move made by local authorities for the good of the children and adults involved in the tradition. Plus, if different areas had different designated nights, organized groups would go from area to area over the various nights and create another potential problem. Not having it on a “football night” also makes sense in the sports loving towns of Blair County. If elementary schools still have Halloween activities on the 31st, it also gives kids another day to enjoy dressing up and having fun with their friends.

Tracey Collins: I heard it was because of the Keith-Roosevelt game... to keep some of the Jr high kids off the street... I have no sources for that claim though.

Gracie Bingham Swindell: Not sure but I would think, fewer adults are out at parties, less traffic yet it is toward the end of the school week

Matthew Edward: I think that should’ve been a question to County Commissioners and Altoona Mayor during Q&A! Agree whole heartedly.