Chippewa Valley families heading out for Halloween on Saturday, Oct. 31, will find neighborhood trick-or-treating scheduled for the early evening across the area.
Eau Claire and Altoona have neighborhood trick-or-treating from 5 until 7:30 p.m. Chippewa Falls and Menomonie are scheduled from 5 until 7 p.m., while Augusta and Arcadia have a 4-to-7 p.m. window. The times are based on event information supplied to organizers, and individual neighborhoods and organizers may vary.
There are daytime options as well. Downtown Eau Claire businesses will welcome trick-or-treaters from 10 a.m. until noon, Oakwood Mall's Mall-O-Ween begins at 4 p.m., and Rockin T-R Ranch has family-friendly fall activities starting at 11 a.m.
Halloween traces its roots to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off spirits. Over the centuries, those traditions evolved into today's costumes, jack-o'-lanterns and trick-or-treating.
Daylight Saving Time also ends early Sunday morning, so residents are reminded to turn their clocks back an hour.
