What is Beggars’ Night and why has the Des Moines custom been postponed?

BEGGARS' Night is simply a unsocial Halloween contented that has been observed successful Des Moines for astir a century.

Here's everything you request to cognize astir the spooky solemnisation and wherefore it has been postponed successful 2024.

Beggars' Night is chiefly celebrated successful Des Moines, Iowa — arsenic good arsenic immoderate surrounding communities.

It is simply a unsocial contented that occurs connected October 30th, the nighttime earlier Halloween.

What is Beggars' Night?

The customized involves children going door-to-door to cod candy, but with a distinctive twist — the kids indispensable archer jokes oregon riddles to homeowners earlier receiving their treats.

For example, a kid mightiness ringing the doorbell and accidental "Trick oregon treat?" followed by a gag like: "What did the clergyman accidental erstwhile the religion caught connected fire?... Holy smoke!"

This playful enactment encourages youngsters to get to cognize their neighbors successful a harmless mounting portion having a batch of fun.

History

The origins of Beggars' Night tin beryllium traced backmost to concerns astir information and vandalism associated with accepted Halloween celebrations.

Established successful 1938, it was intended to supply a safer alternate for young trick-or-treaters by moving the festivities to a nighttime erstwhile less unsupervised children would beryllium retired and about.

Over the years it has go a cherished section tradition, mounting Des Moines isolated from astir of the United States, wherever Halloween is typically celebrated connected October 31st.

While galore cities crossed the state observe Halloween with assorted events and activities — haunted houses, costume parties and parades — Beggars' Night's absorption connected jokes and riddles fosters a unsocial consciousness of camaraderie among participants.

Postponement of Beggars' Night 2024

Beggars' Night 2024 has been postponed successful Des Moines and respective surrounding communities including Altoona, Urbandale and Waukee.

The superior crushed for this postponement is the forecast of imaginable terrible storms connected the primitively scheduled date.

City officials made the determination to prioritize the information of children and families participating successful the event.

As a result, Des Moines and astatine slightest 13 different metro cities person rescheduled Beggars' Night to Thursday, October 31st.

According to Des Moines Assistant City Manager Jen Schulte, it's the archetypal clip successful caller representation that Beggars' Night has been moved.