Storm slams Halloween for second year in a row

Kids in New England may lose out on trick-or-treating for the second year in a row.

Dozens of towns all over the Northeast are canceling or rescheduling Halloween festivities for Hurricane Sandy.

Last year, an October nor'easter disrupted trick-or-treating, parades and parties from Maine to Maryland.

Many cities, including Gloucester, Mass., asked people to celebrate Halloween this past weekend because residents may be coping with power failures, downed tree limbs and rain on Oct. 31.

"Every child in the city and their families want to enjoy a safe Halloween tradition without the concern, confusion or fear that a favorite holiday will be jeopardized by the storm, so we are urging neighbors to have children celebrate early in good weather, without concern for public safety issues that might arise as a result of the storm," Mayor Carolyn Kirk said in a written statement.

Other communities celebrating early include Vineland, N.J., and Kittery, Maine. In Dover, N.H., and Oxford, N.J., trick-or-treaters will wait until next weekend.

In central Pennsylvania, police said the 70th annual Mercersburg Halloween parade was canceled following a state of emergency declared by Gov. Tom Corbett. It was only the second time in 70 years that the parade was canceled.

Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, N.J. canceled its Halloween dance parties this week.

Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence is making a contingency plan for the annual Jack-O'-Lantern Spectacular, which features thousands of carved pumpkins along a zoo trail. Organizers plan to move the largest and best-carved gourds - about 125 - inside before the storm.

For the other 5,000? "They will be left to the mercy of the storm," zoo spokeswoman Janet Mariani said.

Cathy Davis of Arlington, Va., says she won't decorate for Halloween at all.

"I was like, 'Eh, it will just be blown away anyway,' " she said. "What's the point?"

USA Today