INDIANAPOLIS — The season of pumpkin spice and everything nice (and spooky) has arrived. Fall officially started Thursday, Sept. 22.
That not only means re(leaf) from the heat, but that plenty of feasts and fright are in our near future.
There are a lot of events happening across central Indiana this fall. We have a list below with a breakdown of events in cities and towns across the area.
Central Indiana fall activities
Brazil
Free pumpkin painting party: Saturday, Oct. 29
- First responders will treat young ghouls and goblins to a free pumpkin painting party at the Indiana Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch on Saturday, Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All K-6 Halloween visitors will be treated to free pumpkins, paints, desserts, candy and drinks. Costumes are encouraged, but not required.
Danville
Beasley's Orchard: Varying hours Monday-Sunday
- Beasley's Orchard has an eight-acre corn maze, hayrides, u-pick pumpkins, apple cannons, live music, vendors and much more.
Fishers
Headless Horseman: Every Thursday-Sunday in October
- The annual fall festival is full of activities, shows, and spooktacular family fun. Take an adventure on the haunted hayride where you’ll get chased by the Headless Horseman.
Conner Prairie Corn Maze: Sept. 23-Oct. 30
- Explore Conner Prairie's 22,160-foot maze featuring three unique adventure paths. Choose the path that best fills your exploration spirit.
Greenfield
Festival of Jack-o-Lanterns: Oct. 23-31
- Stop by Riley Home Museum from Oct. 23-31 to carve a pumpkin for Greenfield's 2022 jack-o-lantern contest. There will be a spooky display of the pumpkins glowing in the gardens of the Riley Museum. Entry to the contest is free.
Greenwood
Halloween Parade: Oct. 29
- The third annual Halloween Parade goes through downtown Greenwood beginning at 5 p.m. Residents and visitors are encouraged to wear costumes and line the parade route for trick-or-treating.
Indianapolis
Harvest Nights at Newfields: Sept. 30-Oct. 30
- This spooky, not scary after-dark event is fit for the whole family. Wander through foggy forests filled with glowing jack-o-lanterns and feel the Ghost Train rumble beneath your feet. Attendees will also witness The Three Graces come to life in the party of the century at Mischief Manor.
ZooBoo: Begins Wednesday, Oct. 5 and runs every Wednesday-Sunday through Oct. 31.
- ZooBoo will have fan-favorite Halloween activities like the Elephant Pumpkin Smash and new attractions like the Scarecrow Photo Safari, a spooky guided adventure through the Forests, and the Gator Pirate Bayou, where a crew of shipwrecked pirates challenge guests to games of skill.
- The Adult Trick-or-Treat Trail offers free beer sampling for guests ages 21 and older from 5-8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays outside theSimon Skjodt International Orangutan Center. Craft beers and themed cocktails are available for purchase in Pumpkin Town.
Hauntless Halloween: Oct. 19, 28, 29 from 5-8 p.m.
- Join Holliday Park Staff and actors from Booth Tarkington Civic Theater for an enchantingly fun evening! Families hike along candlelit trails and interact with different forest creatures who can magically speak for the night, then return to the nature center for a campfire, refreshments and activities.
Historic Irvington Halloween Festival: Oct. 22-29
- Saturday, Oct. 22: Halloween costume ball, art auction starts
- Sunday, Oct. 23: Spooky organ concert, Irvington Presbyterian trunk or treat, Irvington artists show and founder's award
- Monday, Oct. 24: Family movie night "Hocus Pocus"
- Tuesday, Oct. 25: A Night of Spirits (Seance), fright-seeing begins
- Thursday, Oct. 27: Night Out in Sleepy Hollow (Spooky Stories), art auction ends
- Friday, Oct. 28: Zombie bike ride, fright-seeing ends
- Saturday, Oct. 29: Vampire run, street fair, Battle of the Bands, pet and people costume parades and contests, after party
Halloween Bar Crawl: Oct. 22, 28 and 29
- Tickets for the bar crawl feature cover-free, full access to Indianapolis venues. There will be DJs, discounted themed drinks and food specials.
Spooky Stories at Garfield Park Arts Center: Oct. 27 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- An evening of spooky stories in the Main Gallery. Families are encouraged to show up in costume to listen to storytellers share creepy, kid-friendly tales. Grab a take-home craft kit on your way out! No registration necessary for this free, drop-in event.
Haunted Conservatory at Garfield Park Conservatory: Oct. 27 from 7-9 p.m.
- Get spooked as you walk through the Haunted Conservatory, complete with scary music, decorations, and ghouls! This event is recommended for ages 8 and up. Registration is not required. A $3 admission is paid at the door. For more information, click here.
Brookside Haunted House at Brookside Park: Oct. 27, 28, 29 from 5-9 p.m.
- The haunted house's organizers promise an evening of "spooktacular" fun. Goodie bags will be given out to those who make it through. Lights will be on from 5-6:45 p.m. for those who scare easily. Admission is $5 at the door.
Halloween Dog Egg Hunt at Broad Ripple Park: Oct. 28 from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
- Dress up your pooch for our Halloween Dog Egg Hunt! Dogs will search for eggs filled with Three Dog Bakery treats and prizes. click here.
Riverside Trick-or-Treat: Oct. 28 from 6:30-8 p.m.
- The event offers a safe space for little ones to trick or treat. Trick-or-treating will be held at Riverside Park Auditorium and it's for kids 12 and under.
Indy Island Haunted House: Oct. 28, 29, 30 from 5-9 p.m.
- The Indy Island Aquatic Center will have a haunted house and treats will be given to people at the end. Lights will be on from 5-6:45 p.m. for those who scare easily. Admission is $5 at the door. For more information, click here.
- The event is focused on bringing the community together while celebrating our favorite furry friends. The free outdoor event will take place in Military Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will feature a dog costume contest, bobbing for tennis balls, and more.
- Guests will receive validated parking in the White River State Park underground parking garage.
Spooky Skate: Oct. 29 from 3-5 p.m. and 6-10 p.m.
- Spooky Skate at Perry Park Ice Rink includes food, games, and music! The 3-5 p.m. session is adaptive and sensory-friendly. Admission to this event is $10 at the door. here.
The Garage Food Hall Oct. 30
Here's the schedule for festivities at The Garage Food Hall on Sunday, Oct. 30:
- 4-5:30 p.m.: Build your own candy bucket and trick or treat with the vendors
- 5:30 p.m.: Children’s costume contest
- 6 p.m.: Screening of a Halloween movie
The Garage Food Hall Oct. 31
- From 7-9 p.m., The Garage Food Hall will host a Halloween-themed trivia night event. Costumes are encouraged!
YMCA Fall Festivals: Late October/early November
- Several YMCAs throughout the area will host fall festivals in late October and early November. The festivals are open to members and nonmembers. There will be costumes, a trunk or treat, crafts and more. The participating YMCAs are listed on this schedule.
VonnegutFest: Nov. 3-12
- The Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library (KVML) is celebrating Kurt Vonnegut’s 100th birthday with VonnegutFest. The festival will feature live music, a book signing and a gala.
Thatcher Park Harvest Festival: Saturday, Nov. 19
- Celebrate autumn during the Thatcher Park Harvest Festival! There will be music, refreshments, and fun fall activities.
Noblesville
Russell Farms Country Fall Festival: Sept. 24 - Oct. 30
- Every Saturday and Sunday, guests can enjoy hayrides to the pumpkin patch as well as scavenger hunt corn mazes, a petting zoo, a bounce house, and more fun for the family.
Whitestown
Family-friendly trick-or-treat trail: Oct. 29 from 4-8 p.m.
- The Trick-or-Treat Trail is a free, open-house-style event where local businesses and organizations will pass out candy along the trail. It will be held at Anson Acres Park (4671 Anson Blvd). “After trick-or-treating for candy from local businesses, attendees can roast s’mores over a bonfire and go through the spooky woods,” said Whitestown Parks Director Savannah Solgere.
- The Town of Whitestown will also hold trick-or-treat hours from 6-9 p.m. on Monday, October 31.