Halloween in the D started as push for public safety in Detroit, became a community tradition

Several families in Detroit will dress up their children this weekend and get them ready for Halloween in the D, which officials say is about unity and bringing the community together.

What started as an initiative to reduce dangerous activities around Halloween and promote public safety has become a staple for the city. And this year, officials celebrate the event's ninth anniversary, featuring three dozen trunk-or-treat events with Detroit police officers and firefighters on Halloween for even more family-friendly fun.

Detroit District 1 manager Steele Hughes said the city distributed 1.3 million pieces of candy last year. This year, they have 1.8 million.

"It's been an amazing thing," said Hughes. "It's gotten better each and every year. We went from just giving out candy to creating a full experience, not only for the families in the city, to as well as the team members."

Hughes, who has served as co-chair of Halloween in the D for the last four years, recalls bringing his cousins to the event before he was even part of the project. For him, contributing to the event's planning and execution meant not only bringing fun activities to families but also connecting them with first responders.

"It's about creating those first positive experiences. We'll have a whole generation of kids that will look back, and they'll remember going to a police precinct and having a good time. And I think that's very important in changing the narrative of what a neighborhood officer is for the community, not just cops," he said.

How Halloween in the D was created

Halloween in the D replaced what had long been known as Angel's Night, a volunteer operation in which people patrolled communities to help prevent fires from starting or spreading. City officials established Angel's Night in 1995 to combat arson incidents around Halloween, which many knew as "Devil's Night."

According to the Detroit Historical Society, Devil's Night between the 1940s and 1970s was considered a "nuisance to the police and fire departments," as it involved egging homes or toilet papering houses. However, that changed in the 1980s, when people started setting empty properties on fire.

In response, the city implemented policies in 1986, including a 10 p.m. curfew on Oct. 30 for anyone under 18, before launching Angel's Night, according to the historical society. Ten years after Angel's Night was implemented, the number of fires reported for the three days ending Oct. 31 were said to have dropped by more than 50%.

In 2008, more than 35,000 volunteers signed up with the city to participate in Angel's Night. At that time, Daniel Cherrin, a spokesman for then-Mayor Ken Cockrel Jr., called Angel's Night "a testament to Detroiters that we understand that we have to be proactive."

Officials ended Angel's Night in 2017 after more than 20 years in operation.

Since then, Halloween in the D has seen hundreds of families strolling through the city, enjoying safe, Halloween-themed celebrations. This year also marks Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield's first year leading the project in her new role, with the slogan "Rising Higher." 

"What was once Devil's Night turned into Angel's Night because of the block clubs and neighborhoods and residents who came out and said we want to take back our neighborhoods in the City of Detroit," Sheffield said in a press conference earlier this month.   

Halloween in the D today

Today, Hughes says they are focused on collaboration and bringing more activities. On Oct. 24, the city hosted ScareFest at Palmer Park. That event included a haunted trail, laser tag, food trucks and candy giveaways. On Halloween, the fire and police departments will participate in trunk-or-treat events. Several fire engines will be located at recreation centers.

This year, Hughes says they added two more recreation center locations to trunk-or-treat. He says it was important for the city to provide multiple events and that it would not have been possible without their sponsors.

"By us doing this, they (families) now can go to a rec center within walking distance. We've got to be conscious. Not every kid lives in a community that has a block full of houses. Some communities have a gap in between those houses," he said. "Activating the rec centers, fire houses and police precincts, that allows them to go somewhere, be safe, have a very fun Halloween and get home in a decent amount of time."

Hughes says that as they close out this year's Halloween in the D, they are already planning for the event's 10th annual. He says it will include "complete wraparound services."

"Not just candy, not just an experience, but we know individuals who can benefit from just knowing about city resources, whether that's expungement," he said. "I think it's an opportunity to bring Project Clean Slate out there and have conversations with folks that may not know they can have their record expunged. And we want to promote other departments."

Hughes thanked all families who have participated in Halloween in the D and urged people to follow the city's ordinances and rules, including a 10 p.m. curfew for children under 16 and an 11 p.m. curfew for anyone under 18. He also urges parents to accompany their children during the event and to call 911 if they lose their children.

For more information on Halloween in the D and event times and locations, visit the City of Detroit's website.

Note: The video above originally aired on Oct. 13, 2026.