Trick-or-Treat Night Will Come Early in the State College Area for 2026

Updated 4:36 p.m. July 28, 2026.

With Halloween falling on a Penn State football home game weekend, trick-or-treating will come a little early this year in the State College area.

The Centre Region Council of Governments General Forum on Monday voted to set the 2026 Trick-or-Treat Night for 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29, in State College Borough and College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, Harris and Patton townships.

The COG member municipalities have typically in the past moved the date of trick-or-treating out of traffic and safety concerns when Halloween coincided with a football home weekend, though it has been a few years since the need has arisen. Trick-or-treating was last moved to Oct. 29 in 2020, though had to be rescheduled for Nov. 1 because of heavy rain.

“In anticipation of potential traffic, parking, pedestrian safety and emergency response concerns, [Centre Region Parks and Recreation] staff solicited feedback from Centre Region police, fire and emergency management representatives regarding an appropriate date for Trick-or-Treat Night,” according to the agenda for Monday night’s General Forum meeting.

Consensus among the local safety agencies was to hold Trick-or-Treat Night on Oct. 29, with an inclement weather date of 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30.

State College Area School District students have no school on Oct. 29 and Oct. 30 for Act 80 days.

Centre Region Parks and Rec’s annual Halloween Parade is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 27.