A Halloween debate is brewing across Connecticut and beyond: should there be an age limit for trick-or-treating? Many towns have already set age restrictions, typically capping it around 13 or 14 years old. Upper Deerfield Township in New Jersey recently made headlines for establishing an age limit of 12.

WRKI and WINE logo
Get our free mobile app

According to YouGov, a recent survey of over 5,000 Americans revealed that most believe trick-or-treating should end during the teenage years. A significant 43% suggested the cutoff should be between 13 and 16 years old. Specifically, 15% felt that 16 years or older was too old to trick-or-treat, while 14% chose 13 years old. There are also those who feel the limit should be even younger, with 10% advocating for 12 years, and a small percentage suggesting ages 11 and 10. Interestingly, 27% of respondents felt there should be no age limit at all.

This begs the question: if a teenager, complete with a beard and 401k, showed up at your door for candy, would you still hand over a Kit Kat? The conversation has resonated with many in Connecticut. Listeners from I-95 shared their thoughts, revealing a range of opinions on the topic.

Rob - Watertown: "I think the age limit should be somewhere around 13, but in that same mindset, you want to be able to provide an offer for so why not have a party or a gathering with all of their friends so that they can celebrate their holiday as well?"

Joe Italiano - Monroe: "Once you hit high school you should be either partying or out scaring the crap out of trick-or-treaters. My favorite Halloween as a kid was playing dead with my friend in his front yard made up like a graveyard and popping up when they would get close and scare the s-- out of them!"

John - New Milford: "Hey, good morning, guys question about cut-offs for trick-or-treaters. I believe if you’re in 12th grade of high school you’re still good; after that you have gotta start going to Halloween parties at the bars and clubs."

Jaybird32 - 06482: "My pal Nick brought me and another friend out to trick-or-treat when we were 16. He and the other friend were kids at heart. I thought it was a little ridiculous, but we could have been doing worse things at that age. That's what his mother said. It was a good light-hearted time."

Kevin - Dover Plains, NY: "Who's going to enforce it?"

Gary - New Milford: "I say no age limit because if you tell a teen no, what do you think they are going to do anyway?"

Fat, Drunk & Stupid - Shelton: "When we were young, we would go out the night before Halloween and terrorize people. It was called 'hell' night. It was kind of like the Purge for 14-year-olds."

Bill B. - Bethel: "Having kids of multiple ages I see the evolution of Halloween. My 17-year-old wants to hang with his friends in costumes and just walk around town having fun. My 15-year-old wants to go out with his friends and no dad in search of 'quality candy,' and my 12-year-old is still interested in getting as much candy as she can get. A very different experience from my Halloweens of the '80s in NYC. No eggs, toilet paper, or powder? This is the root of the problems with our youth of today. Haha. Have a great day, guys."

Southern Rock Joe - Carmel, NY: "If you're in a costume and not being a menace, I have candy for you. And nice little kids will get two."

John - Roxbury: "When you smoke your first cigarette, drink, have sex, or smoke pot, trick-or-treating is over."

The age limit debate for trick-or-treating is really just a fun glimpse into how we view childhood, and our love for free candy. Opinions are all over the map—some folks think 13 is ancient, while others are ready to hand out treats to anyone in a costume, even if they can legally vote!

What do you think?

What age?

My opinion: Anyone that is one day over 16 is too old to go trick-or-treating.


View this post on Instagram

A post shared by i95Rock (@i95rock)

Check out the Ethan, Lou & Large Dave Podcast on Apple and Spotify

Ultimate Guide: 5 Halloween Attractions Within Easy Reach of Danbury - 2024

I want the best out of every experience, especially when it comes to Halloween attractions. For me, what makes something "better" or "best" often depends on how close it is to my bedroom. I have zero interest in driving all over Connecticut to find a Halloween experience. If you feel the same way, you’ll love “5 Halloween Attractions Within Easy Reach of Danbury - 2024."

Gallery Credit: Lou Milano

5 Famous Connecticut Locations Many People Think Are Haunted

Connecticut is steeped in rich history from border to border. Real-world stories here are often stranger than fiction, leading many to believe that the Constitution State has a thin veil between the living and the dead. There is no shortage of ghost tales or ghost hunters in Connecticut, with numerous locations across the state thought to be haunted. Here are just five of the many places in Connecticut believed by some to be haunted.

Gallery Credit: Lou Milano

5 of the Creepiest Haunted Real-Life Places in Connecticut

Exclusive Photos, Videos, and Interviews on the Set of New Milford Horror Movie

"Candlewood" is a horror film that just finished filming in New Milford, CT. This is how the filmmakers described the project on their Indiegogo: 
 
"Candlewood is the first movie of three in the psychological/horror feature film franchise. A blended family moves from the city to a small town in Connecticut, where a local urban legend adds chaos and terror to an already fragile family dynamic. The staunch patriarch, who desperately wants his family to not see him as a failure but as the father that did everything, he could to keep his family together through difficult times. Candlewood follows a family leaving New York City for a simpler life in the country town of New Milford, CT. The haunting and mysterious true stories of missing hikers near a popular state park, Lover's Leap, coupled with the town of Jerusalem sitting at the bottom of Candlewood Lake gives credibility to our narrative. We bring to life the struggle of good vs evil and what happens when lifelong, outdated traditions are challenged." 
 
A while back I got in touch with the folks behind the movie, invited them on the I-95 Morning Show with Ethan, Lou and Dave and talked about the film, and shooting in New Milford. We spoke with Director Myke Furhman and Writer/Executive Producer Victoria Flores-Argue. During that discussion, I demanded to be in the movie, telling the duo that I have some experience acting on TV shows that never actually made it onto TV. Against all odds, they did invite me to participate and I visited the set on October 20th to shoot a scene that is important. I was extremely nervous and I had zero idea of what I was in for. Below are some insider moments from my day on-set and from others.  

Gallery Credit: Lou Milano

More From WRKI and WINE