The scheduling of Halloween trick-or-treat night for Friday, Oct. 31 is putting some pressure on a number of Catasauqua Area School District families this year.

Junior Councilperson Dakoha Zalinsky pointed out a conflict that has arisen in some families at the Sept. 23 North Catasauqua Borough Council meeting.

While trick-or-treat night is actually on Halloween day this year, Oct. 31 is also Senior Night at the Catasauqua High School football game. On this game night, CHS senior football players, marching band members and cheerleaders are honored, walking out onto the field, escorted by their proud parents, before kickoff.

In families with younger brothers and sisters, family members must choose between the fun of trick-or-treating and the observing significance of Senior Night.

"In families with younger siblings, you have to decide, do you go to the football game and support your older child or take your younger child trick-or-treating?"

Zalinsky added, describing the dilemma many families are facing because of the conflict.

With a game on trick-or-treat night, she said there will be an increase in vehicular traffic on borough streets for costumed children to deal with as many drive to Alumni Field in Catasauqua for the game.

Children could also find a number of neighbors not at home to hand out candy because they are at the game, Zalinsky said.

Mayor Bill Molchany Jr. explained the decision about scheduling a trick-or-treat date is made jointly with Catasauqua, so that all area children are participating on the same night. When different nights are selected by nearby townships and boroughs, carloads of youth from neighboring municipalities often go out multiple nights, and residents end up handing out candy to complete strangers.

"With all the municipalities having it on the same night, it makes things a lot easier," Molchany said. "You're always going to have this problem when [Halloween falls on a Friday]."

Councilman Bill Nothstein commented that Oct. 31 only falls on a Friday night, causing the conflict, once every seven years.

Zalinsky indicated it is not a problem that will affect her family.

"I am an only child," she said. "It's just something I was asked to bring up."