Columbus Halloween Guide: Haunts and Trick-or-Treat

Halloween falls on Saturday, October 31 this year, and around Columbus the trick-or-treat dates are all over the place. A lot of communities are following MORPC recommendations and holding theirs on Thursday, October 29, while others stick to the 31st or spread it across the weekend. The whole schedule can shift with the weather, so it is worth checking your neighborhood's plan before you commit to a night.

If you would rather be scared than hand out candy, Fear Columbus is the big name in town. It sits at 2605 Northland Plaza Drive and runs nightly through November 1, with tickets starting at $24.99 and sold online only — there is no box office at all, and prices move with demand, so booking ahead is the only way in. This year adds three new attractions: Shadow Pines, a family camp where something called The Entity wakes up; Dearly Departed - Critical Conditions, with John Spencer and nurse Rebecca; and Oddballs - Show Stopper, a Scraps and Spurs circus theme. There is a Fear Gear Store for merchandise, snacks and printed photos, free selfie stations, and food including Dearly Departed Desserts by Samantha's Doughy Delights and a Freaky Fried Feast of fried desserts, funnel cakes, fried chicken and cotton candy. A few things are worth knowing before you go: there are more than 100 strobe lights, so it is not for anyone sensitive to flashing lights, asthma, smoke, claustrophobia, heart conditions or pregnancy; the audio is concert-level loud; no weapons, bags, food, drinks or recording devices are allowed inside; and electric wheelchairs that can handle ADA-standard hallways are fine. You need to arrive 15 minutes before your slot, and you will get a group photo at the start with a code you have to keep to get the picture at the store later. Parking is free in a well-lit paved lot, with the first row blocked off with cones.

For something a bit more laid back, The Haunt Columbus at 3770 Refugee Road is open rain or shine, with specific times on its calendar and free parking. Thursdays and Sundays tend to be the quieter nights, so going early when it opens is the smart move. Its two main stories, Lugaroo Bayou — Ohio, a swamp and shadow land, and Black Hollow Medical, a hospital in a fading mining town, have earned it a spot among Coasternation's top five attractions. If you are heading further out, the Hudson Haunted House at 2250 Barlow Road in Hudson is Ohio's longest-running non-profit haunt, run by the Hudson Jaycees to raise money for charity and set up in Oak Grove Park. It is said to be among the oldest continuously run haunted houses in the country, took Haunt of the Year in 2021 and was nominated again in 2025, and costs $12 for adults and $6 for kids. It runs 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. on select dates and 7:30 to 11:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and it stays open on Halloween night. There is a family-friendly Kids Monster Magic event on select Sundays where children buy magic kryptonite to scare away monsters, and a Kids Matinee where a new unwrapped toy or $5 gets a child in and an adult companion comes free. It is wheelchair accessible, indoors and has free parking.

And if you want to make a full day of it, Kings Island's Halloween Haunt runs Thursdays through Sundays from September 25 to October 31, with scare zones, live entertainment and rides included in park admission — it is not recommended for children under 13, and the haunted mazes, food, drink and merchandise cost extra. The mazes this year lean on big names: JASON: Blood Reign from the Friday the 13th franchise, The Conjuring: Beyond Fear, Order of the Dragon, Alien Abyss presented by SNICKERS, Metal Massacre, Killmart presented by M&M'S and Slaughter House presented by SKITTLES. Scare zones like Pumpkin Eater, Coney Maul, Abandoned and Hooked are included in admission, and there is a family-friendly daytime event on Saturdays and Sundays through November 1.