PHOENIX, AZ — Even though it rained on Halloween for the first time in almost 40 years, plenty of families didn't let that stop them from trick-or-treating.
Saturday was the first Halloween with measurable rain in Phoenix since 1987, according to the National Weather Service.
On Palmcroft Drive, in the historic Encanto-Palmcroft neighborhood, the weather forced some changes. Cookouts and parties moved under canopies, and umbrellas were plenty along the sidewalks.
The street is a Halloween destination. Reese’s put Palmcroft Drive on its 2026 “Trick-or-Treatiest Street in America” list, one of 150 streets in the country. Its guide says the neighborhood often gets more than 2,000 trick-or-treaters.
Rebecca Butler has lived there for 12 years, and says hundreds of kids come to her door every Halloween. This year, she said the rain showed up right as her family was ready to start.
“We had set it all up, we were ready to go at 4:30, and the rain just came and hit us so hard, so we had to run in and stand under the patio,” Butler said. “We usually like to stand closer to the street, but that’s okay. We adapted.”
She said fewer kids made it to her house in the earlier part of the night, too.
“I usually buy 13 of those Costco bags every year, and we’ll go through them in two hours,” Butler said. “Now, this year we’ve only gone through three.”
Butler said she’ll carry what she learned this year into future Halloweens. Her advice for any future trick-or-treating: bring a big umbrella.
Her neighbor Gary Jones has lived in Encanto-Palmcroft for six years. He said at least 1,000 kids came by his house last year, so he made sure to stock up.
“(I've got) eight bags this year of candy, to just load up and then give it all out. We’ve got six bags left, so it’s been a little sparse with the rain, but hopefully we end up giving it all out,” Jones said.
Flood watches are in effect through Sunday for much of Arizona, including the Phoenix area. More widespread, soaking rain is expected Sunday.
The Phoenix Fire Department is asking people to stay weather-aware, plan ahead, and never drive through flooded roads.
