This time of year brings a multitude of Halloween-themed events and experiences, ranging from haunted houses to family-friendly costume parties.
Check out some of these Halloween events around Columbus, and click on each title for more information.
Sept. 13-Nov. 2 — Fear Columbus (2605 Northland Plaza Drive)
Though Columbus has several haunted house options to explore, there are two that tend to receive the most attention each year: the Carnage Haunted House and Fear Columbus.
According to its website, Fear Columbus will have varying weekly hours throughout the season Thursday through Sunday, with more availability added each week as Halloween approaches.
There are various haunted experiences, including this year’s new “Oddballs: Feast of Freaks,” which follows the story of two demented ringmaster clowns. Each haunted experience also includes photo opportunities, food trucks and merchandise, according to the website.
For more information, visit Fear Columbus’ website.
Sep. 29-Oct. 31 — Gateway Film Center’s Hitchcocktober (1550 N. High St.)
This October marks the 15th anniversary of “Hitchcocktober” at the Gateway Film Center, a month showcasing 4K-restorations of Alfred Hitchcock films.
According to the center’s website, this year’s movie marathon will include 18 of the beloved director’s films, which will be shown throughout the month, including fan favorites like “The Birds” — loosely based on Daphne du Maurier’s 1952 short story of the same name, which follows a series of sudden and unexplained violent bird attacks in Bodega Bay, California — and “Psycho” — which follows a young secretary, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), who is on the run after stealing $40,000 from her employer and finds herself hiding in the mysterious Bates Motel where she meets an even more mysterious man, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins).
Each of the 18 films, according to the center’s website, will be shown on the big screen for two days, save for “Psycho,” which will be shown for six days from Oct. 26-31. Though the screenings will have various showtimes, most will begin at 2 p.m. or 7 p.m.
For more information about ticket prices and the screening schedule, visit Gateway’s website.
Oct. 4-Nov. 2 — Carnage Haunted House (3770 Refugee Road)
Another one of Columbus’ most highly-rated haunted attractions is the Carnage Haunted House.
According to its website, Carnage will have two main experiences on its property this year: “The Bayou,” which takes place in a plagued swamp full of cursed creatures, and “The Entity,” which is set in an abandoned hospital.
Unlike Fear Columbus, Carnage is only open Fridays and Saturdays from 7 p.m. to midnight, except during the week of Halloween, during which the event will have additional hours from 7-10 p.m. on Oct. 27 and 8-11 p.m. on Oct. 31.
For more information, visit Carnage Haunted House’s website.
Oct. 5-Nov. 2 — “The Rocky Horror Show” at Short North Stage (1187 N. High St.)
Jim Sharman’s “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” often considered a Halloween cult classic film, follows Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon), who get stuck with a flat tire during a storm, leading them to discover the mansion of scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry) and his houseful of wild characters.
Until Nov. 2, the Short North Stage — a Columbus-based professional theater company — will show its two-hour-long adaptation of the Halloween classic on the Garden Theatre MainStage.
According to the organization’s website, the cast will perform Thursday to Sunday weekly through Nov. 2, with showtimes from 5-11 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, and 2 p.m. shows Sundays.
More information about the performance, including how to purchase tickets, can be found on Short North Stage’s website.
Oct. 9-29 — Pumpkins Aglow at the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens (1777 E. Broad St.)
According to the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ website, the conservatory and garden staff carve more than a thousand pumpkins yearly and put them on display across the park in October.
According to the conservatory’s website, the month-long celebration will also include other Halloween-themed decorations scattered across the property, including dancing skeletons and an alien invasion display.
Additionally, live entertainment, food vendors and other handmade vendors will be scattered throughout the park, and guests will also be able to explore certain parts of the indoor portion of the conservatory, according to its website.
Pumpkins Aglow will be open 5-9 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and 5-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
More information about the event, including ticket prices, can be found on the conservatory’s website.
Oct. 18-19 and 25-26 — Haunted Tours at the Ohio Statehouse (1 Capitol Square)
For those who don’t enjoy staged haunted houses but still want a spooky Halloween experience, the Ohio Statehouse is set to host haunted tours, an annual event celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, according to the Ohio Statehouse’s website.
According to the website, tour guides will lead attendees through the darkened halls and chambers of the Ohio Statehouse, giving them opportunities to speak to staff members dressed as historical figures to find out if the building is haunted.
The tours will take place between 7-8:30 p.m. Oct. 18, 19, 25 and 26. Additionally, the gift shop will be open during the tours and free activities will be available in the “Crypt” from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Tickets — priced at $15 for adults and $7 for students — are available at the Statehouse’s website.
Oct. 26 — HighBall Halloween (405 Neil Ave.)
According to its website, HighBall in the Short North Arts District is considered “the nation’s most elaborate costume party.” For the first time ever, the event is also free to all guests.
The event — which will take place Oct. 26 from 2 p.m. to midnight — will consist of trivia, a market with local vendors, a DJ, live performances, a costume contest and a guest appearance from Columbus-based drag queen Nina West, the website states.
More information about the event can be found on HighBall Halloween’s website.
Oct. 26-31 — 2024 Miniature Halloween Village (1367 E. Main St.)
During the six days leading up to Halloween, Streetlight Guild — a Columbus-based performing arts organization — will be decorated with a two-story Halloween village.
According to the event listing, the village will be open from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday — with no lights and music from noon to 2 p.m. to accommodate guests with sensory sensitivities — and from 5-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday. All village walk-throughs are free and all guests will receive a complimentary candy bag.
There will also be workshops hosted Oct. 26 and 27, with options ranging from a cemetarrium making — which costs $10 and requires pre-registration — to a free magic wand workshop.
More information about the event, including information about corresponding workshops, can be found on the All Events event listing.
