On Saturday, Oct. 31, the sun sets over Monument at 5:59 p.m. Downtown's Safe Trick-or-Treat ends at 6. The Palmer Lake Pub's Halloween party starts at 6. The family events run while it's light, and the adult event takes over once it's dark.

The rest of the Tri-Lakes calendar for late October follows the light just as closely. Halloween is also the last evening before daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1. At that point clocks move back to 1 a.m. That makes Oct. 31 the last evening this year when a 4 p.m. start still leaves nearly two hours of daylight on the clock.

Why the Downtown Event Ends When It Does

Downtown Monument's Safe Trick-or-Treat runs from 4 to 6 p.m. in the business district around 2nd Street, Limbach Park and nearby shops. It's free and open to all ages. Merchants hand out the candy instead of households. The businesses named this year include Covered Treasures Bookstore, Lolley's Ice Cream, Monument Pharmacy, the Monument Fire Department and the Monument Police Department.

The organizers have said outright that the timing is part of the appeal. In The Gazette's Tri-Lakes Tribune coverage, Terri Hayes, president of the Monument Chamber of Commerce, said businesses handed out candy to about 800 kids last year. She also said, "the time frame is attractive to parents because the event is held when it is still light outside." In the same article, Nathan Wessells, the chamber's director of membership and financial operations, called it a community staple where "businesses open their doors to kids."

About 800 kids in a two-hour window, in a compact downtown, makes parking the part to plan for. The Tribune lists three lots:

• Lewis-Palmer District 38 Administration Building, 46 N. Jefferson Street
• Limbach Park, 151 Front Street
• Saint Peter's Church, 55 North Jefferson Street

Two of the three are on North Jefferson, a block apart. Limbach Park is a parking option and part of the trick-or-treat route, so it's likely the first lot to fill.

Oct. 31, Hour by Hour

Downtown isn't the only event on Oct. 31. Across the Tri-Lakes area and Black Forest, Halloween events are spread from midday into the night with little overlap, so one family could attend several in order.

The Cipriani Loop event is a joint effort by two businesses that face each other across the loop. Hidden Gems, a local art and bookstore, is at 1445. The SunDance Studio, a gymnastics and dance studio, is at 1450. According to the Monument Independent's Tri-Lakes Halloween guide, the hosts are advertising more than thirty trunks and a slime bar run by Hidden Gems. It ends at 3, which leaves time to get downtown by 4.

At Colorado Kids Ranch, Oct. 31 is the last day of the season. The farm is open Wednesday through Sunday through Oct. 31. Pumpkins cost $4 to $12 on top of admission, and the $45 season pass covers visits through Oct. 31 plus Christmas at the Ranch. If you planned to pick pumpkins before carving, that morning is your last chance there.

After 6 P.M., the Night Moves to Palmer Lake

The Palmer Lake Pub event is the only one on the Oct. 31 list aimed at adults, and the only one that starts after dark. The Tribune describes it as a casual indoor gathering with drinks, snacks, costume contests and live music. The Colorado Springs-based Miss Defiant Band starts at 6 p.m. and plays rock from the 1980s on. Admission is free.

The pub is at 876 Hwy 105. Downtown trick-or-treating ends at 6, and the band starts at 6, so a household could hand off the kids and head west on 105 as it gets dark.

The Two Weeks Before Follow the Same Pattern

Oct. 31 is the busiest day, but the Tri-Lakes Halloween season starts well before it. The lead-up events follow the same pattern: daytime events for families, plus a few early evening slots that end close to sunset. Here's the calendar in order.

1. Sat., Oct. 17, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Covered Treasures Bookstore book signing with authors Jan MacKell Collins and Carolyn Sherrow.
2. Sun., Oct. 18, 10:30 a.m. to noon. The 12th annual Palmer Lake 0.5K at 104 CO-105.
3. Fri., Oct. 23, 5 to 7 p.m. St. Peter Catholic School Trunk or Treat, 55 Jefferson St.
4. Sat., Oct. 24, three events. A Covered Treasures signing from noon to 2 p.m. with Lynn Horton and Donna Guthrie, a Monument Cemetery tour from 2 to 3 p.m., and Harvestfest at The Church at Woodmoor from 1 to 4 p.m.
5. Sun., Oct. 25, 4 to 6 p.m. Shana's Place Trunk or Treat, 201 Pinecrest Way, Palmer Lake.
6. Fri., Oct. 30, 5 to 7 p.m. SPLASH Halloween Trunk or Treat at the Palmer Lake Baseball Field.

The weekday evening events can't avoid the dark. Sunset moves earlier by a minute or two each day through the second half of October, and the two Friday trunk-or-treats run past it.

The weekend events end within a few minutes of sunset. The Friday events, which have to start after the workday, end about an hour after dark. If you're bringing small children, the second half of each Friday event happens after sunset, so jackets and flashlights are worth packing.

A Few Details Behind the Listings

The Palmer Lake 0.5K is a joke with a real cause. The course is 546 yards. Runners get a donut at the halfway point and beer or root beer at the finish. Awake the Lake puts it on, and the race's registration page lists base prices of $40 for adults, $20 for children under 12 and $15 for dogs, before processing fees. All proceeds go to Awake Palmer Lake for improvements to parks, trails and the lake. With fees, an adult entry comes to $43.40.

The cemetery tour is a history walk. It meets at 800 Eighth Street in Monument and is led by authors Michael Weinfeld and John Howe. The Town of Monument and Strong Town Tri-Lakes sponsor it. The OCN listing asks people to contact John Howe at 719-487-1047 to join and doesn't list a price. It starts at 2 p.m., so you could go straight from that day's Covered Treasures signing.

The St. Peter event is open to the public. OCN's listing says "All are welcome." The Monument Independent lists it as free for all ages, with a trunk-decorating contest and concessions. It's at the same North Jefferson church that serves as a downtown parking lot on Oct. 31, so the St. Peter's lot gets used for Halloween two Fridays in a row.

Fall Mountain Farm's Autumn Adventure runs Thursday through Sunday. The farm is at 16300 Mount Herman Lane. The Frontier Pass costs $11 to $20 depending on the day and covers everything except the hayride and a pumpkin. The Adventure Pass, at $19 to $28, adds both. The farm opens at 10 a.m. on open days, and closing times vary by date. The Independent lists Friday, Oct. 30 as an open day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Check the farm's site for hours before you drive out.

The OCN calendar asks readers to confirm event details a day or two ahead, because times and dates can change after publication. That's especially wise for the Friday events, since weather on a late-October evening at this elevation can change the plans.

Once clocks fall back on Nov. 1, the same 6 p.m. that marks the switch from trick-or-treating to the band on Halloween will come about an hour after dark by the clock.

Seasonal timing affects more than Halloween in the Tri-Lakes area. It shapes when homes show best and when buyers come out to look. If shorter days have you wondering what your Monument home is worth, Dolby Haas can put together a current, data-driven estimate for you. Get a Free Home Valuation.