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# Memphis Halloween is ruined by the cars, but the solution could be found in...Nashville?
- URL: https://blog.memphisurbanism.com/memphis-halloween-is-ruined-by-the-cars-but-the-solution-could-be-found-in-nashville/
- Published: 2026-11-01T16:24:56.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-01T16:53:15.000Z
- Author: Kelsey Huse

*My experience last night, and a call for change (your voice is needed)*

I am not a huge Halloween person. I wasn't allowed to celebrate it as a child; we instead spent the evening at our church's Fall Festival (dressed in non-scary costumes). We never had that idyllic childhood experience of trick-or-treating I only saw in movies, but now my sister seems to want to give that to her kids.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/af/69afcb3e-c171-4dce-ac92-89a397d8babd/content/images/2026/11/Pints.png)

Dermot and the Pints playing at The Brass Door for Samhain (me as the skeletor fiddle player)

Their neighborhood, Pigeon Estates, must have listened to Jon Jon in Chattanooga's [call ](https://thehappyurbanist.substack.com/p/the-case-for-staying-in-your-neighborhood)to **stay in your neighborhood** for Halloween. After playing the Samhain festival at The Brass Door downtown, I drove over there to catch some trick-or-treating and eat chili. As I turned off Walnut Grove into the neighborhood, I didn't see another single car driving in the neighborhood. The streets weren't packed with cars. But I saw families walking on the sidewalks all around! It was really cute.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/af/69afcb3e-c171-4dce-ac92-89a397d8babd/content/images/2026/11/PigeonEstates.png)

From my DashCam - Pigeon Estates families all around! And not a lot of cars.

It was clear that somehow this neighborhood's trick or treating was enjoyed by the people who actually live there. This is **not** the case in Midtown, where last year my friend Ali and I biked around to look at decorations and costumes. *But I think its popularity is also its downfall.*

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/af/69afcb3e-c171-4dce-ac92-89a397d8babd/content/images/2026/11/IMG_3395-1.jpeg)

The scariest thing we found last year: an Altima with drive out tags

Last year in Cooper-Young, as the night ensued, something chaotic started to occur. More and more families found their way to the neighborhood to let their kids enjoy the fantastic decorations and plentiful candy. Some parked and walked, but many didn't. The parents continuously drove up and down the streets, following their kids who walked between houses.

Why? **Midtown is known as one of the best places to trick or treat**. And it makes sense! The houses are closer together, and fewer are vacant. That makes for a high density of candy. Someone summed it up on a recent [memphis subreddit post](https://www.reddit.com/r/memphis/comments/1xgycy2/best%5Ftrick%5For%5Ftreating%5Fspots/?ref=blog.memphisurbanism.com):

> You are going to miss the best stuff if you aren't willing to go to Midtown

But in a city with failing public transit, **more people means more cars**. Way more cars. And I think people just... aren't used to walking? If driving is easy, that's what they choose.

I wasn't thinking about it as I (ironically) drove home last night. Attempting to avoid the zoo traffic, I turned onto Overton Park Avenue and got stuck. It was chaos: cars parked along the street edges, cars idling in between, and people like me just trying to get through. And vulnerable children all around.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/af/69afcb3e-c171-4dce-ac92-89a397d8babd/content/images/2026/11/McLean.png)

McLean near Overton Park Ave. Don't worry, you're only ****not** allowed to park in that bike lane Mon-Fri from 7am-7pm so technically this is legal (The cars don't even fit in the lines though).

Before I turned onto the street, I could not have anticipated how popular of a trick-or-treat destination it was. And now I'm wondering: *why are streets like this not simply shut down for Halloween?* Many of the popular trick-or-treat streets are awful to drive down on Halloween – why not force drivers like me to take a different route? Not only would it have saved me time, but it would have made the experience more fun for the kids.

I recently learned about NYC's [Trick or Streets](https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pedestrians/trickorstreets.shtml?ref=blog.memphisurbanism.com) program that does just that. Hundreds of streets are closed to cars and open to pedestrians. Not only does it make it safer, but it allows for more creative place making! The photo below of a Staten Island street where kids are gathering at tables and making art is really magical. And it's not just something New York City can do – [Nashville ](https://www.newschannel5.com/news/nashville-neighborhoods-close-a-record-71-streets-to-traffic-to-protect-halloween-trick-or-treaters?ref=blog.memphisurbanism.com)closed over 70 streets last night for trick-or-treaters.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/af/69afcb3e-c171-4dce-ac92-89a397d8babd/content/images/2026/11/image.png)

From NYC's [Trick or Streets](https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pedestrians/trickorstreets.shtml?ref=blog.memphisurbanism.com) Page: Castleton Avenue, Staten Island

I wish every neighborhood in Memphis was vibrant with neighbors who held a sense of ownership for their neighborhood, which is why Midtown and other East Memphis neighborhoods are so popular. Of course, there are systemic reasons why other neighborhoods aren't popular hot spots: suburban sprawl, poverty, historic redlining, disinvestment. But *welcoming those neighbors doesn't have to mean welcoming cars idling and driving everywhere.*

In an ideal world, everyone celebrates Halloween in their neighborhood. But while that's not the current reality, **we can ask the city to allow for streamlined street closures**.

Complaining about this problem is fun, but I'd like to translate more complaints into action. Which is why I just sent an email to the mayor and my 4 city council members requesting a [Halloween Open Streets](https://www.nashville.gov/departments/transportation/news/ndot-and-walk-bike-nashville-invite-ghosts-and-goblins-enjoy-record-breaking-expansion-halloween-open-streets?ref=blog.memphisurbanism.com) program like Nashville has.

I urge you to tell your own Halloween story and do the same. You can use my letter writing form below which will pull up your council members based on your address. An additional benefit to using my form is that I will be able to quantify the number of requests sent, to help hold them accountable!

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/af/69afcb3e-c171-4dce-ac92-89a397d8babd/content/images/2026/11/image-1.png)

My email I just sent to the mayor, Carlisle, Canale, & Warren. This took me 5min to write.

One email is easy to ignore. A deluge of them makes them take it seriously. I could really use your help to tell your own stories and urge the mayor and council to implement this for next year. It could have a huge impact on both safety and fun.

[Send an email now!!](https://actionnetwork.org/letters/write-your-elected-officials?source=halloween-newsletter)

One final thought, on trunk-or-treat, from one of my friends in Austin:

> Trunk or Treat is the market trying to find density, but it only existing in auto infrastructure

p.s. this is not really an ad for my DashCam, but since I shared some photos and I am an affiliate, I may as well plug my links in case you're interested:

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## Sources

Jon Jon Wesolowski. (2026, October 15). The case for staying in your neighborhood for halloween. *The Happy Urbanist*. <https://thehappyurbanist.substack.com/p/the-case-for-staying-in-your-neighborhood>

Kelsey Gibbs. (2026, October 30). *Nashville neighborhoods close a record 71 streets to traffic to protect Halloween trick-or-treaters*. [https://www.newschannel5.com/news/nashville-neighborhoods-close-a-record-71-streets-to-traffic-to-protect-halloween-trick-or-treaters](https://www.newschannel5.com/news/nashville-neighborhoods-close-a-record-71-streets-to-traffic-to-protect-halloween-trick-or-treaters?ref=blog.memphisurbanism.com)

Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure. (n.d.). NDOT and Walk Bike Nashville Invite Ghosts and Goblins to Enjoy Record Breaking Expansion of Halloween Open STreets. *NDOT Communications*. Retrieved [https://www.nashville.gov/departments/transportation/news/ndot-and-walk-bike-nashville-invite-ghosts-and-goblins-enjoy-record-breaking-expansion-halloween-open-streets](https://www.nashville.gov/departments/transportation/news/ndot-and-walk-bike-nashville-invite-ghosts-and-goblins-enjoy-record-breaking-expansion-halloween-open-streets?ref=blog.memphisurbanism.com)

u/the-blessed-potato. (2026, October 27). Best trick or treating spots? \[Reddit\]. *R/Memphis*. [https://www.reddit.com/r/memphis/comments/1xgycy2/best\_trick\_or\_treating\_spots/](https://www.reddit.com/r/memphis/comments/1xgycy2/best%5Ftrick%5For%5Ftreating%5Fspots/?ref=blog.memphisurbanism.com)