New Brunswick·NewMunicipalities across New Brunswick are coming up with different ideas on how to handle a scary forecast for Halloween. Some are hosting indoor events, while others are postponing the holiday altogether. Environment Canada issued special weather alerts across province for heavy rain, gusting windsIsabelle Leger · CBC News · Posted: Oct 30, 2025 2:53 PM EDT | Last Updated: 24 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesSome municipalities in New Brunswick have postponed Halloween over fear that heavy winds and rainfall forecasted for Friday could pose safety risks. (Ethan Cairns/CBC)Some municipalities in the province have been spooked by high winds and heavy rainfall in Friday night’s forecast, causing them to postpone trick-or-treating traditions. Bathurst and Nouvelle-Acadie were the first in the province to announce that Halloween events — including knocking on doors for candy — would be pushed to Saturday instead. Environment Canada has issued special weather alerts for much of the province for Friday, with between 25 and 40 millimetres of rain and gusting winds of 70 kilometers per hour expected. Rainfall warnings have been issued for some areas, including Fundy National Park and Saint John, where as much as 60 millimeters of rain can be expected. Luc Foulem, the communications manager for the City of Bathurst, said the decision to postpone Halloween was based solely on safety. “It’s one thing to go tick-or-treating with a bit of rain and cloudy conditions, but when we’re talking about substantial amounts of precipitation and a substantial amount of wind, then we’re talking about a different situation altogether,” Foulem told CBC Radio’s Information Morning Moncton. “It just takes one injury to send things awry, that’s one too many,” said Foulem. Luc Foulem, spokesperson for the City of Bathurst, said the decision to postpone Halloween was solely based on safety risks. (Serge Bouchard/Radio-Canada)He said there was some concern that children would decide to “double-dip” and go knocking on doors in search of candy two nights in a row, but that ultimately did not sway the city’s decision.“So be it,” said Foulem. He said there has been a lot of discussion on social media since the city announced the postponement, some angered by the decision with others who agreed with it. Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview have all decided to keep trick-or-treating on Friday, as usual. LISTEN | Bathurst postpones Halloween over frightful forecast:Information Morning – Moncton8:04Halloween postponed for a day in Bathurst as wind and rain forecastedLuc Foulem is the communications manager for the City of Bathurst.City of Fredericton spokesperson, Shasta Stairs said in an email to CBC News the city was not aware of other municipalities deciding to postpone the event. “Residents who plan to welcome trick-or-treaters are encouraged to take extra care when preparing their properties,” she said. “Please ensure that all decorations are securely fastened to withstand seasonal weather, including moderate winds, and are safe for wet conditions. This helps prevent accidents and supports a safe environment for everyone.” Environment Canada has issued special weather alerts across the province, and rainfall warnings in some areas, where as much at 60 millimeters of rain could be expected Friday. (Jane Robertson/CBC)The City of Saint John did not respond to a CBC News request for comment Thursday. Mychèle Poitras, communications coordinator for the city of Edmundston, says that municipality is taking another approach. Instead of postponing Halloween activities, such as trick-or-treating, the city is relying on their annual indoor events to provide parents with a warm alternative. “We’re not going to change the date of Halloween, parents are able to decide for themselves if their children should be out trick-or-treating,” said Poitras. The city is hosting a day full of free events at the Edmundston Sports Pavilion, including inflatable games, swimming, rock climbing and — of course — candy. Poitras said the city has been hosting that event for about a decade, but she’s never seen a forecast as poor as the one set for Friday. Maryse Levesque, community development manager for the Village of Kedgwick, said her municipality is opening its community centre to parents and children who want to enjoy Halloween fun without getting wet. “We’re a small town so we noticed people starting to be worried about their small ones, so we started on this idea so everyone could come and stay safe from the rain and the wind,” Levesque. ABOUT THE AUTHORIsabelle Leger is a reporter based in Fredericton. You can reach her at isabelle.leger@cbc.caWith files from Information Morning Moncton
Halloween in November? Heavy rain, winds spook some municipalities into postponing the holiday
