Trick or treat: Boo, what, when and why?

Trick-or-treaters will take to the streets in the capital city like everywhere else in the U.S. - on Halloween.

For the last decade, Halloween has been celebrated on the traditional Oct. 31.

Before 2000, the Nevada Day Parade was always on Oct. 31 - the anniversary of the state's admission to the union, and, coincidentally, Halloween. In order to keep the children out of the way of revelers drunk with state pride, and maybe Jagermeister, trick-or-treating was moved to Oct. 30.

When the 2000 Legislature decided to observe Nevada Day on the last Friday in October, and the Nevada Day Parade on the last Saturday of the month, Halloween returned to being celebrated on Oct. 31.

And that's how it will always be. Sort of.

When Halloween and the parade both fall on Saturday, Oct. 31, as they did in 2008, trick-or-treating moves to Oct. 30.

This year, as in most years to come, Halloween will be celebrated on Oct. 31. It will move to Oct. 30 in 2015, 2020, 2026, 2037.

The Nevada Day holiday will be observed on Oct. 28, and the Nevada Day parade Oct. 29.

Gov. Brian Sandoval knows who his constituency is on Halloween.

"The Mansion is all dressed up in its spookiest, scariest best," he said in a news release. "We've stocked up on Halloween candy, and Kathleen and I invite all Nevadans to come by ... on Monday the 31st to trick-or-treat."

From 5-8 p.m. Oct. 31, the Governor's Mansion will host trick-or-treating.

The Sandovals, in their first Halloween as Nevada's first family, will distribute candy and be available for photos.  

"We're looking forward to seeing everyone for our first Nevada Day in the Governor's Mansion," he said.