Thursday’s rainy forecast is pushing cities and towns to change their Halloween plans.
The town of East Lyme postponed trick or treating altogether due to the rain.
The town’s first selectman made the announcement on social media Wednesday morning, and immediately there were comments from people on both sides. Some agreed with the move, while others were upset about the last minute switch.
On Thursday morning, Nickerson posted that, if the rain holds off, he expects more people to go out for Halloween activities and hopes residents are prepared to welcome ghosts and goblins to their door, whether it is tonight or Saturday.
“My initial reaction was surprised,” Erin O’Connell, who works in town, said Wednesday. “I mean, we are in fall and the weather can be a little unpredictable, and sometimes with the holiday I feel like that gloomy weather kind of goes with it.”
With what some would call a spooky forecast predicted for Halloween First Selectman Mark Nickerson said he felt it necessary to move trick-or-treating to the weekend.
“We have, especially in the rural part of town, we have some streets that don’t have sidewalks and that don’t have a lot of street lights,” explained Nickerson. “It’s going to be dark and wet and windy on Thursday night.”
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Nickerson told NBC Connecticut he got dozens of calls from parents this week, leading him to officially push Halloween to a clearer night on Saturday.
But, not all parents are happy about the move.
“We feel really disappointed,” said Mayra Tapia.
Tapia said her son has been looking forward to getting into his ninja costume all week.
“Now, we are looking for another choices-- or maybe going to another town because we really want to go out. We don’t care about the rain,” Tapia said.
Joseph Brubaker’s grandson Joey would rather hang up his parrot costume until the weekend.
“I wouldn’t want to get wet,” 4-year-old Joey told NBC Connecticut.
“I think it’s a lot safer, and it’s a lot more fun for the kids if they’re dry and not soaked,” Joey’s grandfather said.
O’Connell says the local store she works at in East Lyme will keep handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, rain or shine.
“I think ultimately people are going to end up doing what they feel like, but safety first,” she said.
The town of Naugatuck has also chosen to move Halloween festivities to Saturday due to the rain.
For a list of indoor trick-or-treating options, click here.
