Lakeland + Polk County Trick or Treat Hours for 2023

First things first…

When is Trick or Treating Near You in Lakeland, FL?

Here in Lakeland, we go trick or treating in neighborhoods on October 31, no matter what day of the week it is. I’ve lived here almost my entire life and Halloween has always been celebrated on October 31. Of course there are plenty of church trunk or treats and community events other nights prior to Halloween, but people traditionally go door to door in neighborhoods on Halloween night.

The same goes for Winter Haven Trick or Treat, Auburndale Trick or Treat, and almost all other cities in Polk County.

Frostproof, FL is an exception – they have a Halloween street dance and city wide trick or treating on the Saturday before Halloween.

What time does Trick or Treating start in Lakeland?

There are no set Trick or Treating times in Polk County – we see people start as early as 5pm, with most people heading out between 6-7pm at dusk, as it is getting dark.

When does Trick or Treating end?

When you turn off your front porch light. 😉

In all seriousness, most places we’ve gone out it seems the festivities are wrapping up by 9pm, especially when Halloween falls on a school night. If you live in a neighborhood that gets trick or treaters, we suggest turning off your porch light and any visible lights at the front of your house when you’re ready for the doorbell to stop ringing. If you’re trick or treating, a dark house is a sign either no one is home OR they are done for the evening.

What day is Trick or Treating in Bartow, Florida?

In 2021, the Bartow City Commission passed a resolution to have trick or treating in the City of Bartow on Saturday, October 30, 2021 from 6:00pm – 8:30pm. After a lot of confusion last year, for 2023 there is confirmation that Trick or Treating in Bartow, FL is on Halloween night – October 31, 2023. The popular Bartow Halloween Parade and Carnival will be held on Thursday, October 26, 2023.

Where is the best place to trick or treat in Lakeland?

There are a lot of great options! If you live in a decent size neighborhood (20+ houses) we can almost guarantee there will be houses giving out candy. Find a neighbor to ask about past Halloween nights. For anyone not in a neighborhood that is trying to figure out where to go for Halloween, visit our list of the Best Places to Trick or Treat in Lakeland, or search the Lakeland Moms Group and read through comments on recent posts asking this exact question.

Be sure to check out our list of Safety Tips for Trick or Treating – we cover flashlights, reflective tape, candy precautions, and more.

{If you’re a Lakeland native these might seem like funny questions, BUT we’ve discovered many communities in other cities and states have set times OR always do trick or treat the Saturday before Halloween – which is why anyone moving to town might be asking!}