Some towns have it the weekend before. It starts getting dark around 6pm - and if it's on a week day kids are wondering around, dashing into the street from house-to-house. People don't get home from work 'till 4 or 5 or 6. Then you have to get the kids into their costumes, then they are dashing around, in the dark. Then you're home by 7 or 8. Kids are all sugar ed-up, and hyped about running around the neighborhood getting free candy. If it's on a weekday it's a late night.

We had it in my town the weekend before. Kids walk around on a Saturday between 4 and 6:30 before it's really dark. Plenty of time to get sick on candy, and much easier on the parents