Trick or treat schedule is set

As the weather cools and the sun starts to set sooner, Jay County residents are picking out their costumes for this year’s Halloween.
The county’s communities have settled on trick or treat times, with a couple that are slated prior to the holiday.
In Portland, families will have two different opportunities to trick or treat. Portland City Council set the date for this year’s residential trick or treating from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 29 in order to avoid having it on a school night.
Pennville Town Council also opted for the Saturday before Halloween, with its trick-or-treating scheduled fro 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 29.
Jay County Chamber of Commerce will host its merchant trick or treat night from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31 in Portland. So far, 27 businesses have signed up, and merchants who haven’t signed up yet can still get on the official trick or treat map by contacting the chamber before 5 p.m. Monday.
The chamber’s membership director, Pam Rogers, explained how the event can help parents who want a low-hassle Halloween experience and help merchants get noticed by members of the community that may have overlooked them.
“It can be kind of exhausting to haul kids all around town, but with our event you can take a nice walk from one end of downtown to the other,” Rogers said. “It’s also an opportunity for people to notice businesses that they maybe haven’t noticed before.”

The map for the merchant trick or treat will be available Wednesday at the chamber building, and can be picked up anytime before or during the event.
Dunkirk, Redkey, Bryant and Salamonia will all host their trick or treat hours on Oct. 31.
In Dunkirk, hours will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
In Redkey, festivities will begin with a costume contest at the former fire station, 210 W. High St. Contestants can register as early as 5:15 p.m. and the contest will begin at 6 p.m. Redkey’s residential trick or treat times will go from 6 to 8 p.m. In Dunkirk, residential times will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Residential trick or treat times are from 6 to 8 p.m. in Bryant and 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Salamonia.
Outside of Jay County, Geneva will also host a “Haunted Downtown” event from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 27. The event is hosted by Geneva Chamber of Commerce and a number of downtown streets will be closed. The time frame will also serve as the official residential trick or treat hours.
In Fort Recovery, Halloween will be celebrated on Oct. 30. It will start with a parade from the high school to Van Trees Park at 3:15 p.m. Costume judging will follow at the park at 3:30 p.m., and trick or treat hours will run from 4 to 6 p.m.