When are Memphis trick-or-treat times? What to know for Halloween 2025

The weather in Memphis will be relatively chilly on Halloween, with temperatures dropping to the upper- and mid-40s even as the sun sinks beneath the horizon.

But while Mother Nature may encourage some trick-or-treaters to head indoors early, the City of Memphis itself makes no such official recommendation.

Although some neighborhoods controlled by homeowners associations set specific trick-or-treat hours, Memphis has no rules regarding the Oct. 31 tradition.

Of course, the usual curfew rules apply. Minors 16 and younger are supposed to be off the streets between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. (Halloween, in case you haven’t noticed is on a Friday this year.) The weekday curfew begins an hour earlier, at 10 p.m.

Most other Mid-South municipalities also don’t set trick-or-treat hours, although they may suggest a certain time frame. For example, the Olive Branch Police Department, on its Facebook page, writes that “most citizens… usually choose to conduct Trick or Treating to celebrate Halloween from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm.”

Safety tips for trick-or-treaters

Whatever their approach to Halloween, officials everywhere stress the need for caution on a night when more kids than usual are on the streets — and when those kids may be in dark costumes that make them less visible to motorists, or wearing masks that reduce their vision and make motorists less visible to them.

A news release from the Germantown Police Department, for example, offers these safety tips for trick-or-treaters:

• “Costumes: Make sure costumes are flame-retardant and kept short to prevent tripping. Use makeup instead of masks, and have children wear comfortable shoes.
• “Visibility: Wear light-colored clothing or add reflective tape to costumes. Carry a flashlight if trick-or-treating after dark.
• “Accessories: Make costume props (knives, guns, swords) from cardboard or flexible materials.
• “Supervision: Younger children should always be accompanied by an adult, and older children should travel with friends, never alone.
• “Planning: Set time limits, map out a safe route, and remind children not to take shortcuts or enter a stranger’s home.
• “Treat Safety: Only allow children to eat treats after returning home and inspecting them. Stick to treats in their original wrappers.”