Halloween on a Saturday: Utica and Rome Police Expect Bigger Trick-or-Treat Crowds Oct. 31

Halloween lands on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, and police in Rome and Utica told the Rome Sentinel they expect more trick-or-treaters than usual. Neither city published official trick-or-treat hours in that report; see our Utica trick-or-treat guide for hours and walking routes.

Rome: Police will run a normal Saturday shift backed by Volunteers in Police Service. North Rome usually draws large groups, and officers often help with barricades and traffic there.

Utica: Officers will be on patrol and want families to flag them down if they need help. Some city neighborhoods still see big crowds.

Quick reminders:

• Add reflective tape or a flashlight once it's dark, and stick to sidewalks and crosswalks.
• Go in groups with an adult, on a route you know.
• Keep cannabis edibles and medicines locked away at home.
• Swallowed a button battery from a light-up costume? Get emergency care right away. Upstate NY Poison Center: 1-800-222-1222, 24/7.

Driving? Extra DWI patrols run through Oct. 31.