BONDURANT, Iowa — In case the gigantic skeleton towering over their front yard doesn't give it away, Halloween is a favorite time of year for the Rush family in Bondurant.
"We've been here for about 16, 17 years, and every year we do a huge display," said Amanda Rush.
But in 2022, that display had to be up a bit sooner.
Bondurant City Council approved a proposal that shifted Beggars' Night in the town to the last Saturday of October. And now that the big day's come and gone, residents say they saw a pretty big change.
"The past couple of years, we had maybe 10 kids, and we had about 70 kids this year. We had enough candy—just enough—and we were not expecting the turnout and it turned out amazing," Rush said.
Several Bondurant residents said the new policy brought more kids out for Beggars' Night than ever before. And it's not just the young candy hunters that are benefitting.
"I think it's a lot less of an inconvenience to parents, and even the kids. You know, the kids don't have to worry about hurrying up and getting home and I like it," said Kathy Rupe, another Bondurant resident.
Reviews about the time change were glowing among residents who spoke to Local 5. They hope a few other metro towns might join in the fun in the future.
"I think next year if they keep it like this, it's just gonna get better as the community grows," Rush said.
Due to how the Beggar's Night policy is set up, future years could have the holiday held even earlier, or on Halloween itself. Bondurant's 2023 Beggar's Night will be held on October 28.