I love love love (x one million) halloween! The parties. The decorations.The movies (Halloweentown, Addams Family, Hocus Pocus, Casper, It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown – no super scary realistic movies over here and if we’re being honest, I watch these movies all year round.). The costumes. The pumpkins. The decorations. Pretty much all the things.
I am super excited to dress the girls up. I am in between going over the top creative and being basic and dressing them up as a stoplight. *insert shrugging emoji* To distract myself from the costume debacle, I went on a hunt for kid-friendly halloween events and *not to my surprise* – when it comes to spooky, family-friendly fun around Columbus – you don’t have to look too far.
Check out this list and let me know if you have anything to add!
Boo-Tacular
Dance the night away with ghosts and goblins as we celebrate Halloween with our first ever Boo-tacular! We’ll enjoy pizza, snacks and beverages along with games and of course dancing. Don’t forget to dress in your favorite Halloween costume, parents too! Price is per person.
Date: Friday, October 11th
Time: 6:00pm – 8:pm
Location: Everal Barn and Homestead,60 N. Cleveland Ave. Westerville , Ohio 43082
Cost: $10 {8 and under with parents}
All Hallows’ Eve
Enjoy an evening of 1890s-style family fun at All Hallows’ Eve, with a retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by the bonfire, pumpkin carving and strange characters roaming Ohio Village. Come revel in Victorian-era entertainment including fortune telling, crafts, games and more!
Date(s): October 12th and October 18th
Time: 5:30pm – 9:30pm
Location: Ohio Village, 800 E. 17th Ave., Columbus Ohio, 43211
Cost: Member tickets for All Hallows’ Eve go on sale Mon., Aug. 19.
$11/Adult Member; $7/Youth Member; Free/Child (age 3 &under)* General admission tickets for All Hallows’ Eve go on sale Tues., Sept. 3.
$16/Adult; $12/Youth (ages 4–12); Free/Child (age 3 &under)
Kiwanis Trick-or-Trot Family Festival
Presented by the Worthington Linworth Kiwanis. The Worthington Trick-or-Trot Family Festival includes a 3-mile run, shorter trots, costume contest, Photo Booth, games and more..
Date: Saturday, October 12th
Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm
Location: Worthingway Middle School, 6625 Guyer St
Worthington, OH 43085
Cost: Free to attend, but registration is required and limited to 300 participants.
Kidslinked Treat Fest
Dress up in your costume and visit over 50 stations throughout Superkick, Lazer Kraze & Sky Zone, to gather treats and treasures in a safe and family-friendly village. ALL DAY FUN! • TREAT VILLAGE • COSTUME CONTESTS EVERY HOUR • LAZER KRAZE AND SKYZONE BOGOS • SCAVENGER HUNT • ENTERTAINMENT & ACTIVITIES • MR. GAME ROOM VIDEO GAME EXPERIENCE
Date: Saturday, October 12th
Time: 10AM – 3PM
Location: Orange Point Dr. Lewis Center, OH 43035
Cost: Free admission
Kids Halloween Cookie Decorating Class at Haven
Join Haven to learn how to decorate the cookies pictured above! This class is perfect for the creative minded and is an opportunity to try something new with your child! Each child needs a ticket and adults are free!
Date: Sunday, October 13th
Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm
Location: Haven Collective, 2025 Riverside Drive. Columbus, OH 43221
Cost: $35, purchase tickets here
Trunks, Tricks and Treats Halloween Party at The Shops at Worthington
Calling all witches, wizards, ghosts and goblins. Join us for some FANGtastic fun at our Trunks, Tricks and Treats event! Trunks, Tricks and Treats provides a FREE fun and safe trick-or-treating opportunity to families throughout the Worthington community and surrounding areas with coordinated activities, crafts, games, music and treats.
Date: Thursday, October 17th
Time: 4:00pm – 7:30pm
Location: The Shops at Worthington Place, 7227 North High Street, Worthington, OH 43085
Cost: Free, register here
Halloween Family Fun Night at Highbanks Nature Center
Dress up in your Halloween costume and play fun Halloween games. Enjoy smores over the campfire. No scary costumes.
Date: Friday, October 18th
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Highbanks Nature Center, 9466 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center, OH 43035
Cost: Free
Halloween Hop
Halloween Hop is a free, not too spooky trick or treat event for families and kids of all abilities. Every kid can participate, enjoy a magic show, pet therapy dogs, partake in themed crafts and watch live kid-friendly music.
Date: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Location: Columbus Speech and Hearing, 510 E North Broadway, Columbus, OH 43214
Cost: Free
Halloween Paint and Play
Come on out and join our Halloween paint and play where the children will get to paint on their very own canvas and enjoy some fun Halloween games, have lunch, get candy and have a chance at winning 1st, 2nd or 3rd place prize in our costume contest.
Date: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 12:00 pm – 3:00pm
Location: Homestead Park , 4675 Cosgray Rd, Hiliard, OH 43026
Cost: Free
Kids COOK Halloween Treats
Does your child love to cook? Would they like to learn some fun dishes to make and serve for Halloween? Join us for some spooky kitchen fun! We will be cooking up some Halloween treats including witches’ brew, finger hot dogs, dipped apples and veggie skeletons. Pizza skulls will surely make an appearance as well!
Date: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: 1400 Food Lab, 1400 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215
Cost: $50, purchase tickets here
KidsX: Boo Bash
Goblins and ghouls, witches and princesses – head to Polaris for a fun afternoon of trick-or-treating, crafts, airbrush tattoos, balloon twisting, entertainers, COSI activities and more! Boo Bash will be concluded with a costume parade and contest, so come dressed in your best!
Schedule of Events:
3 – 4 PM – Trick-or treating in the Polaris Lifestyle Center
3 – 6 PM – FREE fun and activities
5:45 – 6 PM – Costume parade and contest
Date: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 3:00pm – 6:00pm
Location: Polaris Mall, Polaris Lifestyle Center by The Cheesecake Factory
Cost: Free
Gahanna Creepside Festival
Put on your costumes, dress up the kids and join us for Creepside! Event highlights include: live music Endless Recess & Casey Redmond Duo, games, activities, haunted trail, trick or treat with over 50 local organizations and plenty of candy.
Date: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 11:00am – 3:00pm
Location: Creekside Park & Plaza – 117 Mill St., Gahanna
Cost: Free
Halloween Family Fun Night at Three Creeks Metro Park
Wear your costume and join us for not-too-scary stories, s’mores at the campfire and go trunk-or-treating for candy.
Date: Saturday, October 19th
Time: 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Location: Three Creeks Metro Park, 3860 Bixby Rd, Groveport, OH 43125
Cost: Free
20th Annual Halloween Pet Parade and Fall Festival
Ghouls, goblins, and ghosts… oh my! Dress your pet in their best costume and bring them to Easton for the Halloween Pet Parade and Fall Festival. Costumes will be judged and awards given based on the following categories: Best Group, Best Duo, Cutest, Funniest, Most Creative, and Scariest. Don’t miss activities for the kids too, all in Fenlon Square!
Date: Sunday, October 20th
Time: 12:00pm – 3:00pm
Location: 160 Easton Town Center, Columbus, Ohio 43219
Cost: Free
Halloween Parade
Halloween Parade/ trick or treat in shopping plaza that Fun Town Play and Learn Café is located in. There will be music, halloween activities and a halloween storytime.
Date: Wednesday, October 23rd
Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm, parade starts At 10:30am
Location: Fun Town Play and Learn Café, 2000 Hard Rd, Columbus, OH 43235
Cost: All activities are included with your Fun Town Admission. 1 child $7, 2 children $12, 3 children $15
Costume and Candy Crawl
Dress in your Halloween best and Trick-or-Treat at Kingsdale Shopping Center! We’ll have a costume contest, face painters, and balloon artists. Please meet at the green for registration and a trick-or-treat bag to take along the route.
Date: October 24th
Time: 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Location: The Kingsdale Shopping Center, 3061 Kingsdale Center, Upper Arlington, OH
Halloscene: Free Indoor Trick or Treat!
Come and join the fun with a FREE indoor trick or treat. Scene75 provides a fun and festive way to celebrate, while staying warm and safe indoors. Costume contest, candy at every attraction, games and more,
Date: Thursday, October 24th
Time: 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: Scene75 Entertainment Center, 5033 Tuttle Crossing Blvd, Dublin, OH 43016
Cost: Free
Dublin Halloween Spooktacular
Join DCRC for the fright of your life and some merry, not scary family-fun! Guests of all ages can come in costume and enjoy Halloween hijinks inside and outside the DCRC. There will be a professional pumpkin carver, a magic show, Dublin Dance Centre & Gymnastics dance performances in the Abbey Theater, a petting zoo from Honey Hill Farms, a STEM stop, exhibits featuring the Turtle Lady and the Bug Man, and more!
Date: Thursday, October 24th
Time: 3:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Dublin Community Recreation Center (DCRC), 5600 Post Road
Cost: Free
Under the Sea Halloween Party
Annual Halloween Party featuring treat trail, barnyard petting zoo, hayrides, games, and music by Endless Recess.
Date: Friday, October 25th
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: Worthington Community Center, 345 E Wilson Bridge Rd, Worthington, OH 43085
Cost: Free
Howl-O-Ween at Ohio Wildlife Center
Spooky is our specialty at this family-friendly Halloween event. Come enjoy walks through our White Tail Trail, visits from “spooky” Animal Ambassadors like owls Bella, Alex and Woodsy, snakes Checkers, and Percy and Lenore, our American Crows.
Date(s): Thursday, October 24th – Friday, October 25th
Time: 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Location: Ohio Wildlife Center, 9000 Dublin Rd. Powell, OH 43065
Cost: $5/person, children 5 and under free
Trick or Tweet
Bring your preschooler to the Grange Insurance Audubon Center for a morning of not-so-scary fun! Your little one will delight in games, scavenger hunts, short hikes, crafts, read-alouds and even a healthy snack! Preschoolers are encouraged to come dressed in a costume for the costume parades at 10:30 am and 11:30 am!
Date: Saturday, October 26th
Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Location: The Grange Insurance Audubon Center, located within the Scioto-Audubon Metro Park. 505 W. Whittier St., Columbus, 43215
Cost: This event is free but donations are appreciated. Make sure to RSVP here by 10/18/19 at 5 pm.
Scarysville
The streets of Uptown “Scarysville” come alive with Halloween fun! Kids can wear their costumes and visit Uptown merchants for candy and other goodies.
Date: Saturday, October 26th
Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Location: Uptown Marysville, Marysville, OH 43040
Cost: Free
Candy by the Carload
The parking lot will be transformed into a trick or treaters’ treasure chest as local businesses and organizations set up booths and car trunks filled with candy, toys, and other Halloween goodies.
Date: Saturday, October 26th
Time: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Location: Powell, Ohio 43065, Village Green Park
Cost: Free
A Haunted Night in the Gardens
Dress the kids in their costumes and join is for a fun filled, yet SAFE, night with the kids. Activities include various carnival games, pumpkin painting, the haunted maze, popcorn, kids drinks and so much more! Most activities are free this evening so come and enjoy!
Date: Saturday, October 26th
Time: 5:00pm – 7:30pm
Location: Hoover Gardens & Gift Center, 182 N Sunbury Rd. Westerville, OH 43081
Cost: Most activities are FREE
Trick or Treat at The Boo-tanical Gardens
Bring your own reusable bag, wear your costume and visit trick-or-treat stations throughout the Conservatory biomes and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation Children’s Garden. Remember to dress for the weather: stations are located both indoors and outside!
Date: Saturday, October 26th – Sunday, October 27th
Time: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Location: 1777 E. Broad Street Columbus, OH 43203
Cost: Included with admission
Halloween Family Funday at North Market
BRING YOUR LITTLE GHOSTS AND GOBLINS TO NORTH MARKET FOR FREE HALLOWEEN FUN! North Market will offer: free trick-or-treating (while supplies last!) music, kids’ craft activities & games. Select Merchants will be passing out candy starting at 11am while supplies last. Check back soon for more a more detailed schedule of activities.
Date: Sunday, October 27th
Time: 11:00am – 2:00pm
Location: North Market, 59 Spruce St, Columbus, OH 43215
Cost: Free
Halloween Party at Inniswoods Park
Join Inniswood in the Gardens for activities, animals, and crafts as we celebrate this traditional holiday. All Ages Education Pavilion
Date: Sunday, October 27th
Time: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Inniswood Park
Cost: Free
Young Explorers: Trick or Treat Hike
Come in your favorite costume and earn some goodies on a 1-mile hike.
Date: Sunday, October 27th
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m
Location: Homestead, Barn Shelter
Cost: Free
Haunted Village
Halloween fun for all ages. Ghost tours, story-telling, hayrides, trick or treating through the Olde Pickerington Village businesses, haunted museum, haunted house, entertainment, food, and more.
Date: Wednesday, October 30th
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Olde Pickerington Village, Pickerington OH, 43147
Cost: Free
Groveport Trick or Treat Block Party
Town Hall will be serving hot dogs, popcorn and drink courtesy of the Groveport Police Department, Madison Township Fire Department and Groveport Town Hall. Block Party will have a costume contest, Groveport Madison High School Band & Cruiserettes. Doughnuts and cider sponsored by the Groveport Lions Club.
Date: Thursday, October 31st
Time: Trick or Treat: 5:30 pm-7:00 pm. Block Party: 7:00 pm.
Location: Groveport Town Hall, 648 Main Street, Groveport, OH 43125
Cost: Free
Boo on Broadway
Grove City’s Town Center Promenade is transformed into destination for spooky fun. This annual, family-friendly alternative to the traditional door-to-door Beggars’ Night allows children to dress in costume and safely collect candy and other goodies from area businesses and civic organizations. This event is held rain or shine.
Date: Thursday, October 31st
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Park Street at Broadway, Grove City, OH 43123
Cost: Free
All Hallows Eve Lantern Hike
Are you brave enough to join Blendon Woods on All Hallows Eve for a lantern-lit stroll through the woods?
Date: Thursday, October 31st
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Blendon Woods, Nature Center
Cost: Free
Multiple Dates
Boo at the Zoo
Bring the whole family out to this “merry-not-scary” Halloween event of heroic proportions. Special regions are dressed up for their spooky-kooky holiday at the Zoo.
Dates: October 11-13, October 18-20, October 25-27
Time: Fridays 5pm – 9pm, Saturdays 10am – 9pm, Sundays 10am – 8pm. Keep in mind Heart of Africa and Congo Expedition will close at 5pm daily.
Location: Columbus Zoo
Cost: Included in Admission
The Great Westerville Glow
Your new favorite fall tradition awaits! Heritage park, also home to Everal Barn, will transform into an autumn wonderland featuring a quarter-mile wooded trail aglow with thousands of carved pumpkins. These pumpkins will be part of larger, themed scenes along the path. The family-friendly fun doesn’t stop there; outside the trail you’ll find: Pumpkin painting and crafts, Festive games, Music and entertainment, Live professional pumpkin carving and Food trucks (rotating eateries include Tortilla Street Food, Pitabilities, Holy Crepes, Schmidt’s Sausage Haus, Graeter’s Ice Cream, Sweet-T’s Southern Style Food Truck, Ninja bowl, Legacy BBQ and funnel cakes).
Date: October 23rd – October 27th
Time: 6:30pm – 10:30pm
Location: Heritage Park, 60 N Cleveland Ave, Westerville, Ohio 43081
Cost: Admission is $12 for adults and $10 for children. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, October 1 and can be purchased online at www.westerville.org/tickets, in-person at the Westerville Community Center (350 N. Cleveland Ave.) or at the event each day.
Ghost Trolley at The Ohio Railway Museum
Ghost Trolley is a Halloween event designed fro younger kids and families to have funned not be overly frightened (parental judgement ons care level). Tour the decorated train cars along the wya, and then board car #64. Once down the line, its lights outa s you heart story of the Ghost Trolley.
Date(s) and Time(s): Friday and Saturday Nights, October 18th, 19th, 25th, 26th. 4:00 – 8:00pm. Sunday Daytime Tours: October 20th and 27th 12:00pm – 4:00pm.
Cost: Adults, Seniors & Children – $10 each, Children 3 and under – FREE> Pre-sale tickets available starting in October. Check website and Facebook for details.
Location: 990 Proprietors Rd, Worthington, OH 43085
Haunted Halloween Party at The Disney Store
Come dressed as your favorite character and play fun games.
Disclaimer: Select Disney stores are closed Sundays. Check your local store’s hours.Event is intended for families with children ages 3+. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Guests who RSVP get priority entrance. Event subject to cancellation or change without notice.
Date(s)/Time(s): Haunted Halloween Party Saturdays: 10/12, 10/19 & 10/26 at 1pm, 2pm & 3pm Sundays*: 10/13, 10/20 & 10/27 at 2pm
Location: Disney Store – Polaris Fashion Place 1500 Polaris Parkway
Columbus, OH 43240
Cost: Free, participants have the option to purchase a $7 light up Mickey pumpkin
DeMonye’s Greenhouse
Bring your little ghosts and goblins (ages 3-14) to this child-friend decorated Haunted Greenhouse and Start Maze. They can tour the haunted greenhouse, pick a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch, plant a pansy to take home, make a popcorn witch’s hand, halloween games and goodie bag iwht juice box, snack and treats. Official event hasn’t been posted, but its pretty similar each year!
Date(s): October 1st – 31st
Time: Monday – Saturday, 8:00am – 7:00pm and Sunday 10:00am – 6:00pm
Location: 2500 Airport Dr. Columbus, OH 43219
Cost: $8 per child
Keep up on Facebook for updates!
Free Halloween Crafts at Lakeshore Learning
Head to Lakeshore Learning for a free arts and crafts! While this event is every Saturday, there are three weekends that halloween themed!
Date: October 5th Moody Monster Party Hat, October 19th Monster Pennants and October 26th Friendly Monsters.
Time: 11:00am – 3:00pm, no reservation necessary
Location: 2148 Polaris Pkwy. Columbus, OH 43240
Cost: Free
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