Will County Gazette

Aurora received an early Halloween treat this year in the form of a designation as America’s third best city overall in which to go trick-or-treating, a study by the online finance resource SmartAsset said recently.

SmartAsset calculated its results using the following criteria: percentage of children under age 15, number of single-family homes per square mile, home affordability, special events, crime rates and weather. Aurora was among 252 cities under consideration.           

"Residents in Aurora seem to take Halloween pretty seriously," SmartAsset officials said. "Families can attend all sorts of events like the annual Pumpkin Weekends held at Blackberry Farm. During weekends throughout the month of October, kids can make crafts, listen to pumpkin stories and ride on a hay wagon."

Aurora’s rank bumped up considerably from last year, when its rating was No. 12. The Top 10 best trick-or-treat cities in the U.S. for 2016 are: 1. Nampa, Idaho; 2. Orem, Utah; 3. Aurora, Illinois; 4. Kennewick, Washington; 5. (tie) Longmont, Colorado and Dearborn, Michigan; 7. Elgin, Illinois; 8. El Paso, Texas; 9. Kenosha, Wisconsin, and 10. Olathe, Kansas.

Official trick-or-treating hours in the City of Aurora are 4-7:30 p.m. on Oct. 31. The city and the Aurora Police Department remind residents to accompany children and try to go while it is still light outside, stay on sidewalks, look both ways before crossing streets and use crosswalks when possible.

Families should choose flame-resistant, well-fitting and brightly colored costumes, wigs and accessories. Costumes should not block vision or present a tripping hazard.

Carry a flashlight and only visit homes with a front porch light on. Children should not enter homes unless they're with a trusted adult. Bring a cell phone while trick-or-treating in case of an emergency and only eat commercially wrapped candy and other treats.