Children in Des Moines will trick-or-treat on Halloween for the first time in 86 years

For the first time in more than eight decades, families in Des Moines, Iowa, will spend Halloween night trick-or-treating.

Children used to take to the streets before Halloween on “Beggars’ Night,” a local holiday designed with community safety in mind.

This year, Beggars’ Night was moved to October 31 due to bad weather, allowing history to be made.

“To my knowledge, (Beggars’ Night) has never been moved or canceled since it was established after Halloween in 1938,” said Jen Schulte, assistant city manager for Des Moines. Associated Press.

Des Moines trick-or-treating

The Beggars’ Night tradition in Iowa began after Des Moines leaders raised concerns about Halloween-related mischief.

The city wanted to promote “healthy fun for kids,” according to the AP.

On Beggars’ Night, just like on Halloween, children go door-to-door looking for candy. But before they get a sweet treat, they are generally expected to tell a joke.

“Originally, children were encouraged to sing a song, recite poetry and provide some other form of entertainment, but over time a joke became the most common offering,” The Associated Press reported.

Beggars’ Night is typically celebrated on October 30, the day before Halloween, the article said.

Weird Halloween laws

Des Moines isn’t the only American city with notable Halloween-related regulations.

Elsewhere, there are policies that set a maximum age for trick-or-treaters, as well as curfews, according to Justice.

Some cities even ban certain costumes. For example, a city in Missouri won’t allow costumes with corsets, while a law in Alabama says you can’t impersonate a member of the clergy.

In Forsyth, Illinois, trick-or-treaters can be fined $750 if they ask for candy at a house with the porch light off, per Illinois politics.