“Spooky” Fun around Cincinnati and Dayton

“Spooky Season” is almost here and Southwest Ohio is full of slightly scary events for your little ghosts and ghouls!

Check out these 11 “spooky” family friendly events: 

Hallotween

September 25 – October 31 | King’s Island

For parents with children too old for some of the Tricks And Treats Fall Fest activities and too young for Halloween Haunt, Kings Island has several Halloween attractions this fall that appeals to the tween-age group with HalloTween. The event offers spooky-fun haunts for young scare-seekers without the fear of running into the gruesome creatures lurking in the shadows at Halloween Haunt.

Haunted Wagon Rides

Friday & Saturday Nights in October | Young’s Jersey Dairy

Things are going to get a little scary around Young’s this fall! Our Haunted Wagon Ride and Scary Stories are designed for families with children. It will be scary!

A responsible adult must accompany all children under age 11. This is a family fun activity that will help get you into the proper Halloween spirit!

Scarecrow Row

October 3 – 30 | Otto M. Armleder Park

Scarecrow Row is a fun, FREE, fall art installation of scarecrows at Otto M. Armleder Park. It’s the coolest, most family-friendly, under-the-radar fall event in Cincinnati, and a must visit this month! Scarecrows are fun and most are not spooky — and this funky Halloween event is FREE!

Haunted Village

Oct. 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, and 23 | Heritage Village Museum

Heritage Village Museum will transform into a Haunted Village for a family-friendly, slight-fright event. Our 19th century village inside Sharon Woods is the perfect setting for a spooky October evening!

Explore the village meeting ghosts, witches, a fortune teller, a monster, and a cursed archaeologist along the way. Walk through the spooky cemetery and haunted woods. Enjoy balloon art, games, a creepy critter zoo, and more!

Halloween costumes are encouraged for kids and adults and add to the family-friendly fun. The concession stand will be open.

Annual Magic Forest Halloween Hikes

Friday, October 15 | Caldwell Nature Center

Walk through a pumpkin-lit trail meeting costumed characters from nature and history. This is a non-scary holiday walk best suited to children ages 3-10 years. Hikes start at 6:00 p.m. for our younger audiences, and leave every 5 minutes until 8:30 p.m. Each hike lasts about one hour.

Make it a family tradition. This event is held entirely outdoors. Please dress accordingly for the weather. Closed toed hiking shoes are encouraged. Please be advised, the trail is not stroller friendly. There are stairs and some uneven footing on parts of this trail. Call 321-6208 for information.

HallZOOween

October 16-17, 23-24 & 30-31 | Cincinnati Zoo

HallZOOween is FREE with Zoo Admission! Guests will be treated to a day of fun at the Cincinnati Zoo! Help the Zoo go green, please bring your own treat bag! Trick or Treat Stations, Special Animal Enrichment, Phil Dalton’s Theater of Illusion Shows at 1pm & 3pm, Hogwarts Express Train Ride (Additional charge applies), Scare-ousel (additional charge applies). Kids are encouraged to wear a costume during HallZOOween, but it is not required.

Truck or Treat

Saturday, October 16 | Oak Grove Park

Check out big vehicles from around town! Honk a fire truck horn, shift tractor gears, push buttons in the law enforcement vehicles and much more! Business participants will provide a variety of giveaways such as candy, stickers and more! This event is a partnership with the local non-profit House of Bread. All ages.

PhilharMonster: It’s Alive!!

October 17 | Schuster Center

Halloween wouldn’t be complete without a family trip downtown for PHILHARMONSTER. Maestro Neal Gittleman has once again combed through his music archives for the spookiest-sounding tunes, which are not only fun for young people but also introduce them to the excitement and wonders of the world of classical music.

Halloween Hop & Howl

October 21 & 31 | Forest Field Park

Put on your Halloween best and join us for a festive stroll around the park. Signs will be placed along the path to get kids moving and grooving as they collect goodies at various stations. Come in costume and enjoy the Halloween spirit. Please bring your own bag to collect treats!

Campfire on the Bluff: Spooooooky Campfire Stories

October 22 | California Woods Nature Preserve

The NATURAL choice for pre-Halloween festivities! Join us for a campfire and (not so) spooky storytelling on top of a beautiful bluff in the woods. Follow the luminaries up a short but steep set of stone stairs to our Austin E. Knowlton campfire area, where we will light the fire and tell stories under the stars. Enjoy an optional short night hike between stories, where we will listen and learn about the sounds, sights and smells of nature at night. Registration required by Tuesday, October 19

Nighttime Trail Fest (For Kids!)

October 29 | Cincinnati Nature Center

Spiders, bats, and bones, oh my! Don your costumes for this non-spooky woodland Halloween adventure. Highlights of this program include: Create a make-and-take nature-inspired  Halloween  craft, Discover the nighttime animals of the forest through games and activities and more!