Halloween is just around the corner, and for families across central Iowa, knowing exactly when and where kids can safely go door-to-door can make all the difference in planning a fun and stress-free night. Whether your community celebrates on traditional Halloween or the beloved local custom of Beggars’ Night, here’s everything you need to know for 2026.
Beggars’ Night: Friday, October 30
Several central Iowa communities are holding their trick-or-treating on the evening before Halloween, continuing the regional Beggars’ Night tradition. Ames has rescheduled its trick-or-treating due to a Cyclone football game, moving festivities to Friday from 5:30–7:30 p.m. Runnells is sticking with its Beggars’ Night tradition, going from 6–8 p.m. Other Friday communities include:
• Gilbert — 5–7 p.m.
• Perry — 6–8 p.m.
• Van Wert — 6–8 p.m.
• Winterset — 5–7 p.m.
Halloween Night: Saturday, October 31
The vast majority of central Iowa communities are observing trick-or-treating on Halloween itself. Most towns have set hours of 6–8 p.m., though a few differ slightly. Here is the full list:
• Adel — 6–8 p.m.
• Alleman — 6–8 p.m.
• Altoona — 6–8 p.m.
• Ankeny — 6–8 p.m.
• Bondurant — 6–8 p.m.
• Boone — 5:30–7:30 p.m.
• Cambridge — 6–8 p.m.
• Carlisle — 6–8 p.m.
• Chariton — 5–8 p.m.
• Clive — 6–8 p.m.
• Colfax — 6–8 p.m.
• Cumming — 6–8 p.m.
• Dallas Center — 6–8 p.m.
• Dawson — 5–7 p.m.
• Des Moines — 6–8 p.m.
• De Soto — 6–8 p.m.
• Dexter — 5–7 p.m.
• Elkhart — 6–8 p.m.
• Granger — 5–7 p.m.
• Grimes — 6–8 p.m.
• Hubbard — 5–7 p.m.
• Huxley — 6–8 p.m.
• Indianola — 6–8 p.m.
• Johnston — 6–8 p.m.
• Knoxville — 6–8 p.m.
• Lovilia — 6–8 p.m.
• Marshalltown — 5–7 p.m.
• Maxwell — 6–8 p.m.
• McCallsburg — 5:30–7:30 p.m.
• Milo — 6–8 p.m.
• Minburn — 5:30–7:30 p.m.
• Mingo — 5–7 p.m.
• Mitchellville — 6–8 p.m.
• Monroe — 6–8 p.m.
• Nevada — 6–8 p.m.
• Newton — 6–8 p.m.
• Norwalk — 6–8 p.m.
• Ottumwa — 6–8:30 p.m.
• Pleasant Hill — 6–8 p.m.
• Polk City — 6–8 p.m.
• Prairie City — 6–8 p.m.
• Redfield — 5–7 p.m.
• Roland — 6–8 p.m.
• Sheldahl — 6–8 p.m.
• Sigourney — 6–8 p.m.
• Slater — 6–8 p.m.
• Story City — 5–7 p.m.
• Sully — 5–8 p.m.
• Urbandale — 6–8 p.m.
• Van Meter — 6–8 p.m.
• Waukee — 6–8 p.m.
• West Des Moines — 6–8 p.m.
• Windsor Heights — 6–8 p.m.
• Woodward — 6–8 p.m.
• Zearing — 6–8 p.m.
If your community is not listed here, check with your local city hall or school district for official times. You can also stay up to date with local Iowa news, weather, and community updates through resources like KCCI’s radar and traffic tools to help plan a safe evening out with the family.
For more local Iowa coverage, including stories such as Rob Sand withdrawing from the Iowa governor debate, Governor Reynolds announcing her first gentleman’s cancer diagnosis, and Iowa high school football first-round playoff pairings, visit KCCI on YouTube for the latest updates.