DES MOINES, Iowa — Families across the metro are changing plans because cities are delaying Beggars' night until Halloween (Thursday night) due to the threat of severe weather.
More than a dozen cities have joined the list of originally planning Beggars' night for October 30th before moving it to October 31st. That's after metro cities have been closely looking at the weather, and a majority of them say it was a no-brainer to move the trick or treating event to a different night.
"Seeing that, it's going to be potentially a dangerous situation with lightning, we just thought it was in everybody's best interest to give as much notice to the families as possible so they can arrange their schedules," said Matt Anderson, the Deputy City Manager for the City of Des Moines.
The City of Des Moines said it was a simple move to change the day, all it took was an announcement and discussions with the National Weather Service.
On Wednesday morning, the City of Milo agreed to move Beggars' Night to the day of Halloween. Prior to the decision, Milo had been one of the last cities in the metro to not move the event because of the expected severe storms.
The City of Waukee said it had to navigate a few more steps. Waukee is required to hold a special City Council meeting to approve the change, that meeting is happening on Wednesday.
"It actually takes a resolution by city council to change the date, so we needed a little bit of time," said Heather Behrens, Director of Marketing and Communications for the City of Waukee. "But luckily, because the forecast was a few days early, we were able to listen to residents and hear their concerns about the storms and get city council together. We need at least 24 hours' notice to get them for a special meeting."
Pleasant Hill originally said Beggars' night will still happen on Wednesday, rain or shine.
As of 8 p.m. Tuesday night, Pleasant Hill says an official notice from Polk County Emergency Management allows them to issue an emergency proclamation to change the date.
Now, Pleasant Hill will hold Beggars' night on Thursday, but that's after many parents voiced concerns.
Local 5 spoke with a Pleasant Hill parent before this decision was changed.
"My daughter still remembers the derecho of 2020, and then she also remembers the tornado, of course, and that alone, they're not going to want to go out in the severe thunderstorm or in severe weather at all," said Jenne Reedholm, a Pleasant Hill Resident.
Initially, in response to the pushback from the community, the Mayor of Pleasant Hill, Sara Kurovski, said in a Facebook Post, "unless you are made of sugar, you won't melt. I sure didn't when I was out trick or treating growing up."
The mayor's post added to frustrations.
"To be completely honest, I couldn't believe that she said that. I thought it was very, very tone deaf, especially because, again, with all the tornadoes and severe weather that we have had," Reedholm said.
You can find a full list of Beggars' Night schedules here.