Metro sets no official trick-or-treat hours. Halloween 2026 drew a record 71 Open Streets block parties; Halloween 2027 falls on Sunday, Oct. 31. Safety tips and contacts.

Last checked Oct. 30, 2026. This page is updated each year. Facts come from the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT), Metro Parks and the Nashville Zoo. Sunset time from the NOAA solar calculator.

Halloween falls on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. Metro Nashville does not set official trick-or-treat hours, so the timing is up to families and neighborhoods. Sunset in Nashville that evening is a little before 6 p.m. Daylight saving time ends the next morning, Sunday, Nov. 1. Metro police non-emergency: 615-862-8600.

Updated Nov. 2: Halloween 2026 is over. NDOT had 71 Open Streets block parties booked for the night, a record, up from 41 in 2025. Halloween 2027 falls on Sunday, Oct. 31, and Open Streets permits stay free; this page will be refreshed for it in October 2027.

Updated Oct. 30: 71 Halloween Open Streets block parties are planned for Saturday, a record, according to NDOT’s Oct. 29 release. Find one near you on the Halloween Open Streets map.

Who to call

  • Emergencies: 911
  • Police non-emergency: Metro Nashville Police Department, 615-862-8600
  • Street problems, block party questions: hubNashville or 311 (615-862-5000)
  • Metro Parks programs: 615-862-8400

No official hours, but a few local norms

Neighborhood associations sometimes post their own times on their websites or social pages; check yours. Because Halloween is on a Saturday this year, expect more children out earlier and later than on a school night. A porch light on is the usual signal that a house is handing out candy.

Close your street: Halloween Open Streets

71 Halloween Open Streets events are scheduled across Davidson County on Saturday, NDOT and Walk Bike Nashville said in an Oct. 29 release. Last year NDOT issued 41 neighborhood street closures. NDOT called this year’s program a record, with participation up more than 73% on 2025.

  • Find one near you: the Halloween Open Streets map shows each event.
  • The block party (Open Streets) permit is free, and Walk Bike Nashville lends signs and cones at no cost.
  • The program is part of the city’s Vision Zero road safety work.
  • On streets that stay open to traffic, NDOT’s safety tips below apply.

“Street safety is a priority every day and Halloween night is no different,” NDOT Director Ryan Lynch said in the release.

Trick-or-treating and Halloween events

  • Boo at the Zoo, Nashville Zoo at Grassmere: through Sunday, Nov. 1, 5 to 9 p.m. nightly, with trick-or-treating for children, fall scenes and animal shows. Advance tickets are required; the zoo lists $19 Monday to Thursday and $23 Friday to Sunday for ages 2 and up, with parking $10. The Nov. 1 Día de los Muertos night is sold out.
  • Shelby Bottoms Ghostbusters, Shelby Bottoms Nature Center, 8 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24.
  • Creepy-Crawly Family Hike, Bells Bend Outdoor Center, 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 24 (Parks events).
  • Cheekwood Halloween Pooch Party, Oct. 24-25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., for dogs in costume.

Trunk-or-treats are run by churches, schools and community groups. In 2024 the Hispanic Family Foundation and the Metro Nashville Police Department held a trunk-or-treat on Halloween from 5 to 7 p.m., listed on Metro’s events calendar. No 2026 date had been posted when we checked. We will add 2026 trunk-or-treats here as organizers publish them; send yours through our contact page.

Safety tips from NDOT

  • Drivers, pay attention and watch for trick-or-treaters and other people walking.
  • Drivers, slow down. Roads will be busier, and slower speeds save lives.
  • Obey all signs and signals.
  • Walk on sidewalks where you can. Where there are none, walk facing traffic, as far left as possible.
  • Cross at crosswalks or corners, and look for cars in every direction.

A few more from us: add reflective tape or a glow stick to dark costumes, give young children a flashlight, and check candy at home before anyone eats it.

What this means for you

  • Want a car-free street to trick-or-treat on? Check the Open Streets map for the 71 block parties Saturday. Permits for future years are free through NDOT’s Open Streets program.
  • Driving Saturday evening? Expect children in the street in residential areas from late afternoon on.

Related guides: Halloween events, things to do this month, fall festivals and pumpkin patches and who to call at Metro.

Frequently asked questions

What are the trick-or-treat hours in Nashville in 2026?

Metro Nashville does not set official trick-or-treat hours. Halloween is Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026; most families go out around dusk, and sunset that evening is a little before 6 p.m.

Can my street close for Halloween in Nashville?

Yes. NDOT’s Open Streets program lets neighbors apply free for a block party permit to close a street to cars and borrow cones and signs. 71 Halloween Open Streets block parties are booked for 2026, up from 41 last year, and NDOT has published a map of them.

Is there trick-or-treating at the Nashville Zoo?

Yes. Boo at the Zoo runs Oct. 16 to Nov. 1, 2026, 5 to 9 p.m. nightly, with trick-or-treating stations. Tickets must be bought in advance.

Who do I call about a problem on Halloween night in Nashville?

Call 911 for emergencies and the Metro police non-emergency line, 615-862-8600, for everything else. Street problems can go to hubNashville or 311.