Scary Forecast Prompts Some Halloween Changes

McKeesport, West Mifflin maintaining Thursday trick-or-treat hours

By Staff Reports
The Tube City Almanac
October 30, 2019
Posted in: Announcements

(Illustration courtesy Clipart-Library)

A windy, wet weather forecast has spurred several municipalities to change or reschedule their Halloween activities, but McKeesport is not one of them.

Trick-or-treating will proceed as scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, said a spokeswoman for McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko.

"This decision was made because it is very difficult to communicate any changes effectively in a timely manner," the spokeswoman said. "Changes may be easy for some, but please consider families who have made adjustments to their work and/or personal schedules with Halloween in mind."

The National Weather Service in Moon Twp. is predicting a cold and windy Halloween night, with as much as a half-inch to an inch of rain, an overnight low of 35 degrees and winds from 16 to 20 mph with gusts as high as 40 mph.

Temperatures are expected to drop from a daytime high near 70 to 64 degrees in McKeesport by 6 p.m. Thursday and 60 degrees at 7, meteorologists said.

Friday is predicted to be clear but cold, with a daytime high of 47 and a low overnight of 30.

A "trunk-or-treat" event scheduled for Grandview Avenue residents has been moved into the fellowship hall of Beulah Park United Methodist Church, 1615 Grandview Ave., a spokesperson said. That event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m.

Dravosburg, North Huntingdon Twp. and South Versailles Twp. (Coulter) are among the communities that have announced that trick-or-treating and other activities have been rescheduled.

Dravosburg's parade for borough resident children will begin at 5 p.m. Friday, and trick-or-treating has moved to 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday.

In North Huntingdon, trick-or-treat will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday.

Coulter firefighters announced that trick-or-treating for South Versailles also has been moved to 6 to 8 p.m. Friday.

As of this writing, no other Mon-Yough communities have changed their Halloween celebration hours.

Duquesne is planning a Halloween party and parade beginning at 4 p.m. at the Duquesne Education Center, South Fourth Street. A spokesperson said prizes will be provided for the best costumes, the Duquesne police will provide treat bags and there will be free food and music in the school gymnasium. The event is sponsored by the city, the Duquesne-West Mifflin Boys & Girls Club and PRIDE.

Elizabeth Twp. officials said trick-or-treating remains scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday for the same reasons cited by McKeesport. Police in Jefferson Hills said trick-or-treat will go on from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday as planned.

North Versailles Twp. police said trick-or-treating hours are 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday. Police as well as Fire Department of North Versailles will be watching township streets and roads.

A spokesperson for Port Vue police said trick-or-treat hours in the borough are from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Police will have a total of three police cars in service as well as one officer on foot patrol in the Portsmouth Drive area. Vigilant Hose Co. firefighters also will be patrolling, the spokesperson said.

A West Mifflin borough spokesperson said the decision to keep "trick or treat" hours from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday was made "after very careful consideration" and said any updates would be posted on the borough's website as well as Facebook.

In Pittsburgh, Cara Cruz, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Safety, said that although the "weather forecast is less than ideal," the city is maintaining its established trick-or-treating hours of 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

"Although some children may not want to add gloves, hats or water-resistant jackets and footwear to their super hero or princess costumes, this may be essential to enjoying the night comfortably," she said.

Pittsburgh officials suggest that "parents ensure their children’s costumes are reflective, light in color and that any masks or makeup provide full visibility for crossing streets," Cruz said. "Adding small clip-on lights to the front and back of a costume can also provide another measure of visibility."

Originally published October 30, 2019.

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