Beggar's Night in suburban Des Moines was postponed due to forecast rain

Due to predicted rain, the city of Des Moines has begun moving Beggar Night from Wednesday to Thursday.

Instead, Beggar's Night for Des Moines residents will be held on Halloween evening from 6 to 8 p.m. “to provide a safe and festive trick-or-treating experience for the children and families of Des Moines,” according to an on Press release sent out Tuesday morning.

Most other metropolitan communities joined the plans with announcements received Tuesday.

More: Here's where the Beggars' Night festivities take place around the Des Moines metro:

What's the forecast for Wednesday in Des Moines?

Wednesday will see a high of 75 degrees and a low of 44 degrees. Rain is expected to begin Tuesday evening and continue throughout Wednesday. According to the National Weather Service, there is a 100 percent chance of rain Wednesday evening.

A few strong to severe thunderstorms are possible Wednesday afternoon and evening, with the greatest danger in parts of southern Iowa, the NWS forecast says. There is a “minor risk” of severe weather in Des Moines, including damaging winds and the possibility of a tornado.

Halloween Thursday will be mostly sunny with a high of 53 and a low of 34 degrees with clear skies.

Are other central Iowa cities moving Beggar Night?

Most other cities have followed suit and will be moving Beggar Night Trick-or-Treating to Thursday, October 31st from 6 to 8 p.m. due to the weather forecast in the metro area.

These cities include:

• Ankeny
• Altoona
• Clive
• Indianola
• Johnston
• Norwalk
• Urbandale
• Waukee
• West Des Moines

How do Des Moines locals celebrate Beggar's Night?

The Des Moines Register staff explains what exactly Beggars' Night is and shares the Des Moines tradition.

Pleasant Hill makes a late decision to change Beggars' Night

Pleasant Hill officials initially said the city could not reschedule trick-or-treating. In a post, officials said the date for trick-or-treating will be determined by a city council resolution. Open meeting laws require the city to provide public notice 24 hours before a council meeting, meaning the date is too short to call a meeting to make a change.

“Also, the date has never been changed in the past,” the post continues. “Many plan their calendars and additional holiday activities around Beggar’s Night, which takes place on October 30.”

The city announced late Tuesday that it had found a legal way to make the change and would postpone the change until Thursday.

What is Beggar's Night?

Traditionally, trick-or-treating events and meet-ups take place throughout the subway on Beggar's Night in the evening hours of October 30th, the evening before Halloween.

The tradition began about 80 years ago to curb violence and vandalism that had become an annual problem in Des Moines on Halloween night.

Traditionally, children have to tell a joke to get a treat.

Bondurant and Windsor Heights recently broke with tradition and instead held trick-or-treating on the Saturday before Halloween.

Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter at the Register. Contact her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.