Petition to move Halloween garners over 60,000 signatures

A petition to move Halloween to the final Saturday of October is gaining significant traction online, notching more than 62,000 signatures as of Thursday evening.

The change.org petition, launched by the Halloween & Costume Association (HCA), aims to reach 75,000 signatures. 

{mosads}HCA — a trade organization that serves as a nonprofit voice for businesses that manufacture, import and distribute Halloween products — supports the petition, which argues that moving the holiday could be safer for parents and children who are trick-or-treating.

The group said that 3,800 Halloween-related injuries occur annually, adding that 70 percent of parents do not accompany their children while they are trick-or-treating. 

“51% Of Millennials say Halloween is their favorite holiday, why cram it into 2 rushed evening weekday hours when it deserves a full day!?!” the group concluded. 

The group does not indicate how moving Halloween to a weekend would solve issues related to injuries and parental supervision.  

Halloween is celebrated each year on Oct. 31. A number of municipalities already hold trick-or-treating events on days other than Halloween to avoid possible incidents.