Oak Park trick-or-treaters get an extra half-hour on Halloween 2026 after the Village Board unanimously voted to move the recommended start time from 4 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The board approved the change at its Tuesday, Sept. 29, meeting, as first reported by the Wednesday Journal. The recommended window for trick-or-treating on Saturday, Oct. 31, is now 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The original resolution on the board's agenda, RES 26-275, listed hours of 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The board amended the start time during the meeting after Village President Vicki Scaman called for the earlier slot.

"My feeling is that 4 p.m. is a late start on a Saturday for our little ones who will be really ready to go out," Scaman said.

The 4 p.m. start had been Oak Park's standard. The village's OP/FYI community newsletter listed the same 4 p.m. start for Halloween 2025, and the board set identical hours in prior years.

Trustee Derek Eder proposed creating a standing ordinance that would set recommended trick-or-treat hours for future years based on whether Halloween falls on a weekday or weekend. The goal is consistency so the board does not revisit the question each October.

Village Manager Kevin Jackson said staff supports the idea and would prefer a permanent framework.