Some confusion, but Halloween on Halloween in Nevada this year

Scott Sonner

Thursday, Oct. 26, 2000 | 5:40 a.m.

RENO, Nev. - For the first time in decades, thanks to a change in the celebration of Nevada Day, most of the state's little ghosts and goblins will be ringing doorbells for tricks or treats on the same night - Halloween.

But the shuffling of the holiday calendar hasn't been without some confusion.

"I've gotten a ton of calls," said a dispatcher at the Washoe County Sheriff's Office.

"Nobody has come out and said, 'This is the day.' I don't know who decides, but it's not us," she said.

Many parts of Nevada - from Las Vegas to Elko - have stuck to the historical celebration of Halloween over the years and the customary trick or treating on October 31.

"We've always been very traditional," said Kevin Melcher, director of elementary education for the Elko County School District.

But some places, including Reno, Sparks, Carson City and Fallon, have juggled the celebration depending on which day the witching day fell.

That's because October 31 also is Nevada Day, a state holiday marking Nevada's entry into the United States in 1864.

"There is always confusion every year between Halloween and Nevada Day," Reno city spokesman Chris Good said.

"It's been such a mishmash, I remember kids coming two nights in a row," Sparks Mayor Tony Armstrong said.

With no school scheduled on the Oct. 31 holiday in the past, many communities decided it made more sense to send the kids out begging for candy on Oct. 30.

"The idea was they wouldn't be wired at school from all the candy the night before," said a school official at Diedrichsen Elementary School in Sparks, who asked not to be identified.

But all that changed with a ballot initiative voters approved switching the celebration of Nevada Day to the Friday closest to the 31st - in this case, Friday, Oct. 27.

The move left some wondering whether Halloween would be celebrated on Nevada Day eve - Oct. 26.

"Thursday, October 26th is not scary," Good said. "It's way too early for spooks and goblins.

"We are expecting Halloween to be the 31st," he said.

Ditto for Carson City, where the Nevada Day parade and accompanying festivities previously pushed Halloween celebrations to Oct. 30.

"To assure the safety of trick or treaters, we've usually done it the day before," Carson City Mayor Ray Masayko said.

"But for the first time in many years, this year we're able to do it on the traditional Halloween."

Good said he didn't know who was responsible for the decision to stick with Halloween night in Reno. Neither did Washoe County school officials.

"I don't know who you'd call," said a spokeswoman at the Nevada Department of Education.

"You've stumped me," said Jack Finn, press secretary to Gov. Kenny Guinn.

"All I know is the governor and the first lady will be passing out stuff on Tuesday night (Oct. 31)," Finn said.

One of the few exceptions in the state is Fallon and Churchill County, where trick or treating will occur on Monday, Oct. 30.

"I'm not sure why," said Beverly Swirczek of the Fallon Police Department. "The mayor picked the date and he's out of town."