2 Illinois Towns That Ruin Halloween With Strict Trick or Treating Laws

Some Illinois towns will slap you with hefty fines if you're too old or out too late on Halloween night.

The Great Halloween Debate

Any year that Halloween falls on a weeknight, a ton of hullabaloo goes down on when, or when not to, have trick-or-treat hours.

A couple of weeks ago Pecatonia, the village where I live, decided to move trick-or-treating times from October 31 to Sunday, October 29 this year with the hopes it would make things less stressful for working parents and community members. This change was not accepted well by residents, so village board members ultimately changed it back to Tuesday, October 31.

While I see reason in both sides of the great Halloween debate, ultimately I am on the side that provides the most fun for trick-or-treaters. As long as kids are respectful and not on a mission to cause mischief, I don't care what age, times, or day they go out to trick or treat, BUT, I do understand many Illinois cities and towns are not as lucky in the kids-who-behave-on-Halloween category.

Illinois Towns With Strict Trick-or-Treating Laws

Every city, town, and village throughout Illinois has established trick-or-treat curfews they expect residents to follow, but only a handful of places will actually fine you if they're ignored.

According to an article from illinoispolicy.org;

Halloween-specific curfews enshrined in law pop up all over the state: From Chicago suburbs such as Orland Park (7 p.m., and a maximum $200 fine for a violation) and Palos Heights (7 p.m., $200 maximum); to central Illinois’ Oakwood (8:30 p.m., $500 maximum); to southern Illinois’ Maryville (9 p.m., $750 maximum).

The Illinois Policy article also mentions two towns that take the Halloween party pooper regulations even further...

1. Belleville, Illinois

According to IllinoisPolicy.org, Belleville, Illinois has the strictest Halloween laws in the entire state. First off, it's illegal to trick-or-treat beyond eighth grade, and getting caught will land you a $1,000 fine. Secondly, if you are over the age of twelve and want to wear a mask in public on any other day that is not Halloween, you have to get permission from Belleville's Mayor and Police Chief first. (Dang!)

2. Forsyth, Illinois

If police in Forsyth, Illinois catch you "approaching" a house that has its porch lights OFF on Halloween, you could receive a $750 fine no matter what age you are or how close you actually got to the home's front door. (Now that's some real boo-sheet!)

One More Halloween Warning

If you know someone who attends Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, or you plan on going there for some Halloween fun, be aware that police watch SIU's campus like a hawk near Halloween due to a long history of damaging mischief taking place there. Just be a nice ghost and behave!