The Montreal mayor’s decision to postpone Halloween festivities due to heavy rain was not enough to dampen the spirits of some dedicated trick-or-treaters who donned their costumes and went out anyway.
In Montreal West, children dressed as skeletons, princesses, and even a Rubik’s Cube were spotted trudging down soggy sidewalks to collect their candy on Thursday night.
On Wednesday, Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante ignited a firestorm when she asked residents to celebrate the holiday on Friday instead because of the expected downpour and high winds.
Following her announcement, the hashtag #halloweengate was trending on Twitter as critics took to the social media platform to express their displeasure with the decision.
Quebec pop star Ariane Moffatt joked that the mayor was probably doing a rain dance in her office on Thursday, so she could justify her call.
And former Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre sarcastically asked if Christmas would be postponed this year due to snow. He also suggested Plante was behaving like a “sheep” because she was following the lead of other communities that rescheduled the traditional Halloween night trick-or-treating in light of the weather forecast.
On Wednesday, at least six other municipalities in Quebec announced they were postponing the festivities until Friday.
The barrage of online criticism prompted Plante to defend herself with a simple Tweet in French that translates as “Damn(ed) if you do, and damn(ed) if you don’t.”
While some brave trick-or-treaters in Montreal have already made their rounds, police reminded those heading out on Friday evening to take precautions and stay safe out on the streets.
