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Over the next 10 days, hungry children will descend upon the streets of Mercer and Auglaize counties in search of sugary sweet candy. To maximize the Halloween havoc and high jinks, The Daily Standard has prepared a trick-or-treat guide complete with times, safety tips and what type of candy to expect.
The following trick-or-treat and Halloween events are scheduled throughout the area.
• Burkettsville: Trick-or-treat, 2-4 p.m. Sunday.
• Celina: Parade, 2 p.m. at the Bryson Park Memorial Amphitheater; trick-or-treat, 4-6 p.m., Sunday.
• Chickasaw: Trick-or-treat, 1-3 p.m., Sunday.
• Coldwater: Parade, 1:30 p.m. starting at the pool in the park and ending at the depot; trick-or-treat, 2-4 p.m., Sunday.
• Fort Recovery: Costume parade, 3 p.m. with judging at 3:30 p.m. at Van Trees Park; trick-or-treat, 4-6 p.m., Sunday.
• Mendon: Costume judging, 3:30 p.m.; trick-or-treat, 4-6 p.m., Oct. 31.
• Minster: Trick-or-treat, 6:30-8 p.m., Oct. 29.
• Montezuma: Trick-or-treat, 6-8 p.m., Oct. 31.
• New Bremen: Cider Time parade, 1:30 p.m. with line up starting at 1 p.m. in the South Main Street parking lot behind the Lockkeepers House; trick-or-treat, 3-5 p.m., Sunday.
• New Knoxville: Trick-or-treat, 2:30-4 p.m., Sunday.
• North Star: Trick-or-treat, 2-4 p.m., Sunday.
• Osgood: Trick-or-treat, 2-4 p.m., Sunday.
• Rockford: Rocktoberfest, noon, downtown Rockford; trick-or-treat, 5-6:30 p.m.; costume judging, 7 p.m., Oct. 31.
• St. Marys: Parade, 6 p.m., with lineup starting at 5 p.m. in the Chestnut Street parking lot; Hallo-Neon Nick trick-or-treat to follow, Tuesday; trick-or-treat, 6-7:30 p.m., Oct. 29. New this year is a large pumpkin drop sponsored by the Wayne Street Church at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday after the parade. A 265-pound pumpkin will fall from 40 feet in the air, creating a massive smash and a candy explosion.
• St. Henry: Parade, 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of Walnut and Washington streets; trick-or-treat, 2-4 p.m., Sunday.
• Versailles: Trick-or-treat, 2-4 p.m., Sunday.
To keep the night all treats and no tricks, the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal issued a series of safety tips to make the costumes and decorations the spookiest part of the night.
Halloween ranks among the top days for home fires in the nation, according to a release from the department.
The U.S. Fire Administration estimates that an average of 9,200 fires are reported to fire departments around the country over the three days around Halloween.
"Halloween should be a time of joy, imagination, and safe fun for families across Ohio," State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon had said. "By taking just a few simple fire safety precautions-like choosing flame-resistant costumes and using battery-operated candles-Ohioans can help ensure their celebrations are memorable for all the right reasons. Let's keep the scares on the screen and out of our homes."
The department issued the following tips for decorations:
• Keep all decorations, especially those made of flammable materials, away from heat sources.
• Use battery-operated candles or LED lights instead of real candles in jack-o'-lanterns and other light-up decorations.
• Ensure all electrical decorations are UL-listed and in good condition, including the power cords.
• Check that extension cords are not overloaded or running under rugs.
The department issued the following tips for costumes:
• Choose flame-resistant costumes and accessories.
• Avoid loose-fitting garments that could easily catch fire if they come into contact with a flame.
• If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough they can see out of.
• Add reflective tape to a child's costume and carry flashlights or glowsticks so others can see the child in the dark.
The department issued the following tips for trick-or-treating safety:
• Ensure walkways and porches are well-lit and free of debris.
• Replace any burnt-out bulbs in outdoor lighting fixtures.
• Keep carved pumpkins and decorations off walkways and stairs to avoid trip hazards.
• Remind children to always keep an escape plan in mind if they are at a party.
According to the National Retail Federation, Americans are expected to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween this year, but an agricultural economist at The Ohio State University says consumers are paying more while getting less, according to a CFAES news release.
"Record spending does not necessarily mean stronger consumer demand or a more generous Halloween," said Alexis Villacis, assistant professor at Ohio State's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences in the department of agricultural, environmental and development economics. "It can also reflect households paying more to preserve a tradition while adjusting what they purchase."
The Consumer Price Index for chewing gum and candy, which includes chocolate, was 8.1% higher in August than a year earlier, per the release.
According to the NRF, 31% plan to compare prices if costs are higher than expected, while 26% plan to look for coupons or sales. Villacis said shoppers may also switch stores, choose different package sizes or buy less.
While candy prices have increased, prices of cocoa - chocolate's key ingredient - have fallen sharply from their January 2025 peak. Yet shoppers haven't seen similar relief in the candy aisle.
Villacis said raw cocoa represents only one part of a chocolate product's final price, per the release. Manufacturers may still be working through cocoa or contracts secured when prices were higher. Processing, sugar, dairy products, labor, energy, packaging, transportation and retail costs also influence prices.
Cheaper cocoa does not mean cheaper chocolate right away, Villacis said.
His research also points to a cocoa market that has improved but remains vulnerable.
The International Cocoa Organization estimates the market shifted from a 492,000-ton shortage in 2023-2024 to a 37,000-ton surplus in 2024-2025, the release said. Cocoa production increased 8.5%, but the amount of cocoa processed fell 3.3%.
That relatively small surplus leaves the global cocoa market vulnerable after the severe 2023-2024 shortage that sent prices sharply higher.
