In 2023, most places in the US and UK did traditional trick-or-treating on Halloween itself: Tuesday, October 31, 2023 , typically in the early evening (around 5:30–8 p.m., often with a “sweet spot” near 7 p.m.).

However, the exact day and time can vary by city or neighborhood, because many communities set their own “official” trick-or-treat hours or even shift them to a nearby evening or weekend. For example, some cities and neighborhoods scheduled community trick-or-treat nights on Saturday, October 28, 2023 , instead of the 31st.

How it usually works

  • In many areas, kids go door to door on October 31 by default, unless local authorities announce something different.
  • Typical hours are roughly 5:30–8:00 p.m. , starting around dusk so it’s dark enough to feel like Halloween but early enough for families with younger kids.
  • Some regions publish specific city-by-city schedules listing exact dates and times (e.g., 6–8 p.m. on Oct. 31, or 5–7 p.m. on Oct. 28).

Special “National Trick or Treat Day”

There is also a newer observance called National Trick or Treat Day , which is set for the last Saturday in October to give families a guaranteed weekend celebration. In 2023 this day fell on a Saturday late in October, and some events used that day for organized trick-or-treating or “trunk-or-treats,” but it does not replace traditional Halloween night in most communities.

So what should you follow?

If you’re trying to pin down “what day is trick-or-treating 2023” for your area:

  1. Assume Halloween night (Tue, Oct 31, 2023) is the default.
  1. Check your city or town website, school district, or local news for any special trick-or-treat hours or if they moved it to a nearby date like Saturday, October 28.
  1. Remember that some neighborhoods also host extra events on the last Saturday of October under “National Trick or Treat Day,” in addition to Halloween itself.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.