October is here, and with it comes a magical mix of Halloween thrills and pumpkin-spiced delights. Whether you’re looking for not-so-scary family fun or spine-tingling adventures, Columbus has it all. Here’s your guide to the best October activities for families in the area, organized by categories, so you won’t miss a thing!
Just a heads-up, I’ll be adding more awesome events here pretty often. So, don’t forget to swing by and see what’s new. And before you hit up any event, be sure to give their social media or website a quick check because, you know, things can change in a snap!
Events Happening Throughout the Month
Boo at the Zoo
- When: Weekends throughout October (Oct 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, 27-29)
- Where: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 4850 W Powell Rd, Powell, OH 43065
- Description: A merry-not-scary Halloween adventure with treat stations, character ambassadors, scavenger hunts, and more.
- Check out this blog post for all the details.
- Cost: Included with Admission
Fall Fest at Olentangy Caverns
- When: Weekends, Sept 23 – Oct 29, 10am – 4pm
- Where: Olentangy Caverns, 1779 Home Rd, Delaware, OH 43015
- Details: Enjoy an old-fashioned fall hayride pulled by beautiful Belgian draft horses and a delightful fall scavenger hunt with kid-friendly riddles to solve along 9 stops. Find all the stations and return to the gift shop with a secret fall passcode — then choose a small prize to celebrate! Pumpks for sale, too.
- Cost: Hayride – $3, Scavenger Hunt – Free with purchase of any admission, Pumpkins $3 – $18
- Sunday, Oct 15 at 2:30 – Pirate Magic Show — featuring Sedgie the Hedgehog + Erica Carlson Entertainment (Free)
- Facebook Event
Franklin Park Conservatory: Harvest Blooms and Pumpkins Aglow
- When: Harvest Blooms (Sept 23 – Oct 29) and Pumpkins Aglow (Oct 11 – Oct 29)
- Where: Franklin Park Conservatory
- Details: Enjoy the fall beauty of the conservatory with thousands of pumpkins, mums, cabbages and more at Harvest Blooms + two pumpkin houses along with a larger than life cornucopia filled with overflowing color and a whimsical ‘tree of pumpkins’. Fall evenings during Pumpkins Aglow offer bewitching scenes and spooky surprises. The Conservatory’s grounds are illuminated with hundreds of pumpkins carved by staff, volunteers and members. Visit returning favorites, the gardening skeletons and Pumpkin Houses, and new bewitching displays, the pumpkin tunnel light show and alien invasion. These family-friendly events occur 5-9pm Wednesdays, Thursdays & Sundays and NEW this year: 5-10pm Fridays & Saturdays during October 11–15, 18–22 & 25-29.
- Cost: Harvest Blooms is included with admission, Pumpkins Aglow requires special after-hours admission.
Haunted House at Hoover Gardens
- When: Daily, Mon – Sat, 8 am to 6 pm and Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm
- Where: Hoover Gardens, 182 N Sunbury Rd, Westerville, OH 43081
- Details: Haunted Hoover Maze is bigger and better than ever! There are two greenhouses decorated, with an exit half way through, just before it gets a bit scarier.
- Cost: Free
Ghost Trolley at Ohio Railway Museum
- When: Fridays and Saturdays, 5pm to 10pm in October
- Where: Ohio Railway Museum – 990 Proprietors Rd., Worthington, OH 43085
- Details: A not-so-frightening Halloween experience for younger children, featuring decorated train cars and ghost hunting.
- Cost: $10, Purchase tickets here
All Hallows’ Eve at Ohio History
- When: Sat., Oct 7, 14, 21 & 28
- Where: Ohio History Center
- Details: Step back in time to the 1890s for family fun, including pumpkin carving, storytelling, and Victorian-era entertainment.
- Cost: Adult – $18, Youth 4-12 – $14, Member Adult – $13, Member Youth – $9, Child 3 & Under – Free
Jack O’Lantern World
- When: Sept 29 – Oct 29
- Where: Franklin County Fairgrounds – 4100 Columbia St, Hilliard, OH 43026
- Description: Walk through thousands of hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns, including massive 1000+ pounders.
- Cost: Online ticket purchase required, Price ranges $14.99 – $24.99. Purchase tickets here.
Wizard and Wands Festival at The Westerville Library
- When: Oct 1-31
- Where: The Westerville Library – 126 S State St, Westerville, OH 43081
- Details: Enjoy a month-long celebration of fantasy fandoms with walk-through experiences, prize drawings, magical performances, and more. Check out this Facebook event for daily events.
- Cost: Free
One-Time Events
Ohio Gourd Show
- When: Oct 6-8
- Where: Delaware County Fairgrounds
- Details: Three days of gourd art, gourd competition, gourd arts & craft supplies, gourd classes, demonstrations, and entertainment. We have a kids division as well. This year the theme is Gourdians of the Galaxy.
- Cost: Free
- Facebook Event
Day of the Dead at Green Lawn Cemetery
- When: Oct 7, 10 am – 6:30 pm
- Where: Green Lawn Cemetery, 1000 Greenlawn Ave, Columbus, OH 43223
- Details: Experience a Dia de los Muertos celebration with ofrendas, live music, local arts, and more.
- Facebook Page – They have the schedule of events posted.
Oakland Nursery 43rd Annual Fall Festival
- When: Oct 7-8
- Where: Oakland Nursery – Dublin and New Albany
- Details: Enjoy homemade apple butter, crafts, antique tractors, and live entertainment.
- Cost: Free
Fall Color Tram Ride
- When: Oct 14, 10 am
- Where: Blendon Woods Nature Center – 4265 E Dublin Granville Rd, Westerville, OH
- Details: Hop on the tram to peep at fall leaves. Meet at the Nature Center.
- Cost: Free
- Facebook Event
Fall Fest at Slate Run Metro Park
- When: Oct 14, 11 am – 3 pm
- Where: Slate Run Metro Park and Living Historical Farm
- Details: Activities include a corn maze, hayrides, pumpkin patch, archery, live music, crafts, games, and more.
- Cost: Free
- Facebook Event
Groveport Apple Butter Day
- When: Oct 14, 10am – 6pm
- Where: Heritage Park, Groveport
- Details: Nostalgia, apple butter, crafts, fishing, hayrides, live entertainment, and more.
- Cost: Free
Stratford Ecological Center Harvest Fair
- When: Oct 14, 10. am – 1 pm
- Where: Stratford Ecological Center
- Details: Celebrate the harvest with family-friendly activities like tractor climbing, face painting, apple cider pressing, and more.
- Cost: $5 per person. Ages under 2 are free.
- Facebook Event
Treat Street at The Shops on Lane
- When: Oct 14, 12 pm – 2 pm
- Where: The Shops on Lane Avenue
- Details: Enjoy trick-or-treating, crafts, live music, and a chance to meet special characters.
- Cost: Free
- Facebook Event
Dublin Halloween Spooktacular
- When: Oct 19, 4 pm – 8 pm & Oct 20, 1 pm – 5 pm
- Where: Coffman Park
- Details: Live dance performances, pumpkin carving, petting zoo, games, crafts, and more.
- Note: While 99% of Spooktacular is free and open to the public, tickets are required if participating in the Trunk or Treat Trail. This is a FREE ticket used to reserve a time slot to enter the trail. The Trunk or Treat Trail is limited to Dublin residents and Dublin School District residents only.
- Facebook Event, Website with all the fun details – click here.
Great Westerville Pumpkin Glow
- When: Oct 19-22, 6:30 pm – 10:30 pm
- Where: Heritage Park
- Details: Walk through a trail of glowing pumpkins, enjoy fun activities, and savor delicious food truck offerings.
- Cost: $15 for Adults, $12 for Youth (Ages 3-15) and Seniors, FREE for Children Under 3
- Check out this blog post for all the details.
Trick-or-Treat at the Palace Theatre
- When: Oct 25, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
- Where: Palace Theatre – 34 W Broad St, Columbus, OH 43215
- Details: Explore a themed version of the Palace Theatre, collect goodies, enjoy crafts and activities, selfie spots and more fun along the way! Oh, and they will be featuring characters from Castle On A Cloud Entertainment and animals from For All Species Education.
- Cost: Free
Boo & Brew at Bridge Park
- When: Oct 25, 5-8 p.m.
- Where: Bridge Park – 6634 Riverside Dr., Dublin, OH 43017
- Details: Businesses at Downtown Dublin’s Bridge Park will pass out candy and fun promotional materials for a family-friendly trick-or-treat event. The event will also include fall-themed activities, live music, and specials at area restaurants and bars.
- Cost: Free to attend
- More Information
Campfire, Marshmallows & Halloween Scavenger Hunt
- When: Oct 26, 11am – 1pm
- Where: Highbanks Metro Park – 9466 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center, OH 43035
- Details: Drop by anytime between 11-1 for a celebration of fall, including campfire and marshmallows, craft and short outdoor “not scary” halloween scavenger hunt on your own . Meet at nature center. Limited parking at nature center. Ages 3-5.
- Cost: Free
- Facebook Event
Great Gahanna Goblin Fest
- When: Oct 27, 5:30pm – 9:30pm
- Where: Academy Park – 1201 Cherry Bottom Rd, Gahanna, OH 43230
- Details: Live music, light shows, trick-or-treat trail, hayrides, and a special show by the Ohio School of Falconry.
- Facebook Event
Books and Boos at Thurber House
- When: Oct. 28, 1 pm – 3 pm
- Where: Thurber Center -91 Jefferson Ave, Columbus, OH 43215
- Details: Hear strange and spooky tales about what goes bump in the night and enjoy treats and activities including crafts, Mad Libs, and a scavenger hunt! Some activities may be outdoors (weather permitting); please bring a jacket if needed.
- More Information – While their decorations are Halloween-inspired, this event is not a scary “haunted house” attraction.
- Cost: Free, reserve spot here
Inniswood Halloween Party
- When: Oct 29, 2 pm – 4 pm
- Where: Inniswood Metro Gardens – 940 S Hempstead Rd, Westerville, OH 43081
- Details: Crafting, activities, pumpkins, live animals, and costumes are encouraged.
- Cost: Free
Trunk-Or-Treats
New Albany Parks and Recreation 3rd Annual Trunk or Treat
- When: Sat., Oct 14, 3 pm – 6pm
- Where: Bevelhymer Park
- Details: Come out in your best costumes and enjoy this free community event at Bevelhymer Park. There will be over 60 trunks to visit, inflatables, performers, pumpkin carving demonstrations, food trucks and MORE!
- Facebook Event
KSM’s 1st Annual Trunk or Treat Car Show
- When: Sun., Oct 15, 3 pm – 5 pm
- Where: KSM Sports and Fitness Indoor Facility
- Details: They plan to fill the parking lot with cars, trucks, firetrucks, boats, police cars, antique cars and more! Each vehicle will have their trunk decorated and children will walk from trunk to trunk gathering goodies & enjoying festive halloween decorations.
- Cost: Free, Must reserve spot ahead of time. Sign-up here.
- Facebook Event
Trunk or Treat at Bob Caldwell Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
- When: Sun., Oct 15, 11 am – 1pm
- Where: Bob Caldwell Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram – 1888 Morse Rd.
- Details: et ready for a frightfully fun community event! We’re raising spirits while also raising food donations for the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. Trick or Treat at vehicles stationed at the dealership, enjoy photos with a superhero and princess, and more.
- Cost: This event is FREE, but we kindly ask you to bring a non-perishable food item to support the Mid-Ohio Food Bank’s mission of fighting hunger in our community.
- Facebook Event
Costume & Candy Crawl at Kingsdale
- When: Thurs., Oct 26, 4pm – 7pm
- Where: Kingsdale Shopping Center – Upper Arlington, OH
- Details: Dress in your Halloween best and Trick-or-Treat at Kingsdale Shopping Center! We’ll have face painters, and balloon artists. Pick up your trick-or-treat bag at the green to take along the route.
- Cost: This is a FREE event. Open to kids 12 and under, with adult supervision.
- Facebook Event
Hilliard Trunk or Treat
- When: Sun, Oct 29, 5 pm – 7pm
- Where: Hilliard/Ray Patch Family YMCA
- Details: You’re invited to Movement Church’s 12th annual Hilliard Trunk or Treat in partnership with the Ray Patch YMCA! They will have food trucks, music from 104.9 The River, the Hilliard Police Department, Norwich Fire Department, a photobooth and more!
- For more information, or for ways to volunteer, visit movementcolumbus.com/trunkortreat
- Facebook Event
Don’t Forget the Local Farm Fall Festivals
- Circle S Farms in Grove City: October 1st – October 31st.
- Dupler’s Pumpkin Land in Newark: September 16th – October 31st.
- Freeman’s Farm Fall Festival: September 16th – October 29th.
- Hidden Creek Farms: September 24th – October 30th.
- Leeds Farm: September 16th – October 28th.
- Lehner’s Pumpkin Farm: September 23rd – October 29th.
- Pigeon Roost: September 16th – October 29th.
- Van Buren Acres: September 9th – October 31st.
- Youngs Dairy Farm: September 16th – October 29th.
And that, my friends, is your insider’s guide to an epic October in Columbus! Whether you’re up for family-friendly escapades or spine-tingling thrills, this month’s got it all. Keep checking back because we’re adding even more awesome events to the mix. Oh, and don’t forget to stay in the loop with updates on social media and websites – you know how things can change in a flash during October!
So, grab your crew, don your favorite costumes, and get ready for a wild ride through a pumpkin-spiced wonderland. October in Columbus is like a big, exciting treasure hunt, and the treasures are memories that’ll last a lifetime. Let’s make this October the best one yet!
