Halloween night in Langley: the practical guide

Halloween lands on a Saturday this year. That means a late night, a lot of kids on the road, and a lot of questions about fireworks. Here is what we could confirm.

Light and timing

The sun sets at about 5:51 pm on the 31st, and it is properly dark by around 6:30. Most little ones will be out in the dark from the first doorbell. We could not honestly give you a forecast this far out, so check the weather the day before.

Fireworks: two Langleys, two rulebooks

Langley is two municipalities. They do not agree on fireworks, so the street you are standing on matters.

City of Langley. The City’s Fireworks Bylaw No. 2603 says nobody may sell fireworks here. Under-18s may not have or set them off. Anyone else needs a display permit, applied for at least 10 business days ahead, with a certified supervisor and liability insurance. Fines can reach $10,000 per violation. Sparklers and toy-gun caps are left out of the bylaw’s definition. The bylaw dates from 2005, so if you are unsure, call the City on 604-514-2800.

Township of Langley. The Township’s page says you need a Fire Department permit to sell, give, trade, possess or discharge fireworks. For a public event, you apply at least 10 days ahead. Fireworks cannot go off within 50 metres (150 feet) of anything flammable. Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 6061 sets court fines of $2,000 to $50,000, or a bylaw notice ticket. Here, the bylaw’s definition of fireworks lists sparklers, so they are not exempt like they are in the City.

Short version: on Halloween night, a permit is the line in both places. Last-minute backyard fireworks are not a thing we can recommend.

Bothered by bangs? The Township takes complaints through its online form. After hours, it points people to the RCMP non-emergency line. Questions for the Township Fire Department: 604-532-7500 or [email protected].

Public fireworks displays

We did not find one. Neither the City’s events calendar nor the Township’s events page lists a Halloween fireworks display for October 31, as of October 22. If that changes, the organiser’s own page is where we will point you.

Events on or around the 31st

The City’s calendar shows nothing for Halloween night itself. The Township lists Halloween activities from October 23 to 31 at its recreation and arts and culture facilities: a potion-making session, a spooky swim, a Halloween night ride and a costume skate. Most need registration, and the page does not post times or prices. Start at the Township’s Halloween page. For the fort, tours and the rest, see our Halloween in Langley page.

Daytime on the 31st, a few things are already on our events page, all for kids:

• Murrayville Library Halloween storytime, 1 to 1:30 pm, free. Details
• Willowbrook Shopping Centre trick-or-treating, 2 to 4 pm. Loot bags for the first 1,000 kids in costume. Details
• Trick or treat at the City of Langley Library, 2:30 to 4:30 pm, free. Details
• Boo at the Zoo at the Greater Vancouver Zoo, 10 am to 6 pm, with costume parades at 11 and 2. Details

Want a look at the neighbourhood? Our haunted map pins the decorated streets and scare walks. It never shows home addresses, only blocks.

Safety on the street

These tips come from ICBC’s Halloween release, in our own words.

If you are walking:

• Be easy to spot. Lighter costumes, reflective tape on costumes and treat bags, and a flashlight or headlamp all help.
• Pick a familiar, well-lit route and stay off busy main roads. A group is easier for drivers to see.
• Use sidewalks and crosswalks. With no sidewalk, walk at the road’s edge, facing traffic.
• Teens should cross once on each side of the street, not zigzag.

If you are driving:

• Go slower than the limit on residential streets, and keep your phone away.
• Leave early. Do not pass a car that has stopped. It may be letting a child cross.
• Watch driveways, lanes and parking lots too. Kids with candy on the brain dart.

ICBC counts, on average, 152 injuries in 517 crashes across the Lower Mainland in the 24 hours of October 31 (2019 to 2023). That is a good reason to slow down.

Having a drink at a party? Plan the ride home before the first one.

Pumpkins on November 1

Both municipalities take food scraps in the green cart. The City’s list includes produce and plant trimmings. The Township’s list includes fruits and vegetables. Neither page mentions pumpkins by name. Bags are the real trap: both ban plastic bags, including ones labelled compostable. Paper only.

Township carts have a weight cap (36 kg for the 80 L cart, 109 kg for the 240 L). Extra organics can go out in paper bags or marked cans, up to 20 kg each. The City runs an extra yard waste pickup from October 19 to November 27, but it is for yard waste in paper bags, not food scraps.

We did not find any pumpkin drop-off or smash event in either municipality. Look up your collection day at the City’s page or the Township’s calendar.

Spotted something out of date? Tell us.