Football playoff game on Oct. 31 is the reason
By Barb Pert Templeton
Halloween trick or treating in Marine City will take place the day after Halloween, on Saturday Nov.1 from 5 to 8 p.m. The change is due to the high school football team gaining a spot in a playoff game on Friday night.
Members of the Marine City Commission held a brief discussion about setting the new trick of treating date and hours at an Oct. 16 meeting.
Mayor Jennifer Vandenbossche said the topic has been a big discussion in the community, with the commission members and on social media over the last few weeks.
“We are again with the situation of Halloween falling on a Friday and very happily our football team will be in the play-offs again this year and that first playoff game will be on Friday, on Halloween,” Vandenbossche said. “So, we want to open it up for discussion on trick of treating hours, are we going to maintain on Halloween or are we going to move to Saturday, Nov. 1.”
Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Hendrick said she was in favor of moving it, she did it in the past and it worked out.
Marine City Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Hendrick was in favor of moving the city’s trick or treating hours to Nov. 1 due to a playoff football game on Oct. 31.
“Halloween is for the kids so when you have all the band and the football players and the cheerleaders and all the people going to the game the town is pretty empty for trick or treating,” Hendrick said.
The last time it was moved there was a bad storm that night anyway but the next night it was beautiful out, she added. “I’m not saying we’re going to get that again but it was just better for the kids and the parents and everybody else so they could participate,” Hendrick said. “And so, they could go to the game and the next night they could also go trick or treating.”
“Yeah, a lot of them have younger kids and aren’t able to enjoy both,” Commissioner Trish May said.
Vandenbossche said then parents aren’t having to split up and take one child to football and one trick or treating and then there are grandparents or members of the community without kids who’d like to support the football game.
Commissioner Sean O’Brien asked if there’s been any significant questions or push back from the public about moving the date?
“No, I think after the last time they’re kind of waiting to see if it ever happens again and we only do it when the two things collide,” Hendrick said.
“I’ve seen chatter online but I haven’t come across anyone being upset,” O’Brien said. “I don’t see a reason why we should be concerned on moving it.”
Hendrick said there are so many trunks or treats all around the area now kids are treating all month long, so it’s not quite the same as it used to be.
“Seems like the kids are the winners here, they can double dip, Friday and Saturday,” Attorney Robert Davis said.
“And kids can go to other communities if they want,” Hendrick added.
May then made the motion to approve moving the trick or treat hours to Saturday, Nov. 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. The commission unanimously approved the plan.
“We just have to make sure we get a good notice out of why it’s moving,” Hendrick concluded.
