I understand that we do not want to create any unnecessary hazards or dangers on Halloween, but why do we need to postpone everything? Halloween is October 31, not November 3! Why can't we be informed of the neighborhoods where there are still live power lines and close those neighborhoods specifically. The children in those neighborhoods could still enjoy Halloween with friends in other neighborhoods. My children would much rather go to another neighborhood with friends tonight than have to miss Halloween. Many roads don't have sidewalks, and the residents of those neighborhoods already drive to other areas for safe trick or treating anyway. Why can''t this be the solution for the neighborhoods with power outages and wires. This decision to postpone until November 3 makes no sense, and it is especially unfortunate for children, like mine, who have unchangeable plans for Saturday night and will now have to miss a holiday that they love and look forward to every year. I'm sure that the residents who have plans to attend the HWRHS musical on Saturday night may also be angry about this decision, not to mention all the high school students who worked so hard to perform a show for an audience that may now be trick or treating instead of showing up to enjoy what is sure to be a wonderful performance. What an unfortunate decision this is for everyone.

It's too bad that parents aren't able to make these 'safety' decisions on behalf of their own children anymore. There are more streets in town that are safe to travel on, than not. I feel bad for all those kids who have been waiting all day to go trick or treating, only to come home from school to find out they can't go. Maybe it would've been better to make this decision yesterday. What happens if there's too much snow on December 25th? Will the town cancel Christmas too???

Halloween is a privately organized event and therefore the towns and police have not authority to change the times. If they want to impose a curfew or close roads, they can do that for everyone not just children in costumes celebrating Halloween.
And yes...Saturday evening is also Flag Football (which as been reschedule all season due to Mosquitoes) and other scheduled events.
Many neighborhoods such as Wm. Fairfield are dark due to lack of street lights year round, but trick-or-treating there has never been deemed unsafe.

Saturday is also the big fundraising dinner at the community house. This was a terrible decision, especially so close to when trick or treat was supposed to start. Parents in these two towns are more than capable of determining what is safe for their children, and should have been allowed to in this particular situation. Between this and the pumpkin festival/bonfire decision I am very disappointed in our town this season.

Can we please remember that there are still almost 900 people in Hamilton & Wenham who do not have power. A little more important methinks than Fauntleoy & Griselda having to wait a couple of days to get their candy.

Griselda?

me thinks those people would love to get out of their dark house for a couple of hours

Page, Heidi, Jess and Michelle- it's scary isn't it? So sad that a local government is infringing upon us this way.

This really stinks...there are so many neighborhoods that do have power.! And i think this is just rediciulous..its for the kids so stop giving us crap about it!

I heard that the Fourth of July will be on the 7th this year because of all the dangers of fireworks on the Fourth.

What does "told him that the company could not assure him that all wires on the ground would not live by the start of Trick-or-Treating at 5 p.m." mean? Are they going to kill them all before 5pm?

Also expect kids from kids from other towns to be heading over to Ham-Wen for Halloween Part Deux this weekend!

BREAKING NEWS - - - Saturday has been canceled in Hamilton, MA...deemed unsafe as the sun may appear at some point during the daylight hours. Stay tuned...

I have tweeted , instagramed and facebooked that Hamilton Wenham will be the only towns on the north shore having Halloween on Saturday night…… better stock up on candy.

The reality is that the Police from both towns are, to my knowledge, only recommending that Halloween trick or treating be postponed. They are not interested in enforcing this and I believe they would not as long as no mayhem was breking out. The intentions were good. what is wrong with this is the way it was communicated. The message should have stated that it is a recommendation and that certain streets would be closed. This could seemingly have been fixed as qickly as it was miscommuniated and that is the real shame here. Had we enough room and candy, i would open the doors here, but we don't. Sorry.

I too am a bit fired up about this... my reasoning here.... http://hamilton-wenham.patch.com/articles/letter-to-the-editor-does-the-decision-to-postpone-trick-or-treat-scare-you

I usually have around 150 or so trick or treaters come to my door. Bill, those are interesting names. Bah humbug. Are you one of those with your lights off on Halloween? Thank you to the 30 or so kids who came by tonight, it helped restore my faith that there are people able to think for themselves. Just when I thought that we couldn't top calling off school for a week for roof snow removal... Wham.....once again, an impressive town decision. Just wondering though..... How is it safe enough to allow our kids to walk to school today, but not go trick or treating ? Priceless!

It also lists the concern being of people walking down "completely" unlit streets. Ummm common sense says Yah... Maybe not that way. Please make sure to make reminder phone calls to everyone to bring FLASHLIGHTS with them on Saturday night.

Does anyone here know who made the decision to cancel Halloween? It's ridiculous and once again childhood is being taken from our kids. First it was mosquitoes now its darkness. What next? We are responsible people, can raise our kids responsibly and don't need to be told by town government what we can and cannot do.