What does football have to do with trick-or-treating in Ohio? More than you might think

Did you know trick-or-treating doesn't always happen on Halloween night in the U.S.?

In some central Ohio communities, the date depends on which day of the week Oct. 31 falls.

Residents are used to the tradition by now. About two decades ago, communities adopted a model that says if Halloween falls on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, trick-or-treating will take place the Thursday before. If Oct. 31 falls on any other day, trick-or-treating goes on as planned.

The tradition, often referred to as "Beggars Night," follows a formula proposed by the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, or MORPC, to spread out Halloween festivities.

According to public media outlet WOSU, Columbus once held a large downtown parade and Halloween celebration, leading the city to spread out the festivities. More recently, MORPC developed the scheduling formula in part to prevent Halloween from conflicting with Friday and Saturday football games.

Individual municipalities decide whether to follow the recommendation, and typically post signs letting residents know when the community will observe the tradition.

If you've just moved to the area, it's worth double-checking the date before stocking the candy bowl.