2021 Schedule for Trick or Treat in Columbus

Whether you’re taking your little ones to trick or treat, or passing out candy at home, here is the Beggar’s Night or Trick or Treat Schedule around Columbus. Don’t forget to drive carefully on these days, while kids are out walking around and hopped up on sugar.  

If you’re looking for safer trick-or-treating (with businesses and community groups) or trunk or treating around Columbus, check out this list with community events with Trick or Treating or Trunk or Treating in Columbus.

There are also over 100+ fall and Halloween events around Columbus for families and adults that you don’t want to miss this year! These links will continue to be updated through the fall season.

Safe Trick-or-Treat and Trunk-or-Treat in Columbus

Need a costume? If you don’t know what to dress up as for all of these Halloween events, check out these 100 Cheap and Easy DIY Halloween Costumes.

Don’t forget – there are plenty of places to eat free or cheap on Halloween, including IHOP, Krispy Kreme, and more!

Halloween Meal Deals and Kids Eat Free or Cheap on Halloween in Columbus

2021 Trick or Treat Beggar’s Night in Columbus

Halloween falls on Sunday, October 31, 2021, and most communities avoid holding trick or treat on weekend evenings. Therefore, many communities are electing to have trick or treat, or beggar’s night, on Thursday, October 28. Others are still having trick or treat ON Halloween, Sunday, October 31.

Schedule is subject to change and cancellation. Most communities WILL NOT rescheduled due to bad weather. We’ve added links so you can keep up with any change. 

Why trick or treat isn’t always on Halloween in Columbus

Many communities opt to use the recommendations from MORPC (Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission). Local government members support a unified trick-or-treat date for the region.

• When Halloween, October 31, falls on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, Trick or Treat is held the Thursday prior to October 31.
• When October 31 falls on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, Trick or Treat is held on October 31.

Local communities maintain the authority to change or keep their trick-or-treat date and time. In the event of inclement weather, the recommended date will likely not change.

While this is confusing to many (especially people from out of state), this is both a safety precaution and to prevent activity conflicts.

One of the reasons trick or treat isn’t held on Friday and Saturdays in most communities is due to safety concerns of higher prevalence of impaired drivers on the weekends while kids are walking around in the dark.

Another concern is conflicts with high school and college football games. Many smaller communities have large turnouts for high school football games, so people aren’t home on Friday nights. College football also poses a conflict (and potentially high traffic during home games), along with safety concerns of drivers.

While some communities have trick-or-treat on Halloween, others choose another day so as to not have conflicts with church activities and worship.

Trick-or-Treat Schedule around Columbus 

Franklin County Trick or Treat

Franklin County Trick or Treat on Thursday, October 28

Columbus October 28, 6:00-8:00 per MORPC’s recommendation; 6-8 pm

Dublin October 28, 6:00-8:00. The City of Dublin, along with other central Ohio municipalities, follows the recommended date set by the Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC). When Halloween, October 31, falls on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, Trick or Treat is held the Thursday prior to October 31. In the event of inclement weather, which is very common this time of year, the recommended date will not change. 

Gahanna October 28, 6:00-8:00, per MORPC’s recommendation. Will not change date due to weather.

Pickerington October 28, 6:00-8:00. Follows the schedule set forth by MORPC. If Halloween, October 31, falls on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, then “Trick or Treat” will be held the prior Thursday. If Halloween falls on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, then “Trick or Treat” will be held on that day.
Pickerington Tots Trick or Treat – October 28, from 1:30pm – 2:30pm at Pickerington City Hall. Children 2-5 years old accompanied by an adult may wear their favorite costumes as they stroll through the decorated halls and offices of City Hall while receiving a few goodies from the disguised employees.

Grove City October 28, 6:00-8:00. Beggar’s Night and Boo off Broadway are held at the same time. Boo off Broadway is an 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.

Prairie Township October 28, 6:00-8:00 rain or shine

Reynoldsburg October 28, 6:30-8 pm

Upper Arlington October 28, 6:00-8:00 Follows the schedule set forth by MORPC.

Whitehall October 28, 6-8 pm

Westerville October 28, 5:00-7:00. Please note that trick or treat is not an official, City-sponsored event. The City joins most communities in central Ohio, coordinating Trick-or-Treat via the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC). 

Blendon Township October 28, 6:00-8:00

Bexley October 28, 5:30-7 pm

Minerva Park: October 28, 6 pm-8 pm

Obetz: October 28, 6 pm-8 pm

New Albany October 28, 6-8 pm MOVED TO SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31 from 4-6 pm

Groveport October 28, 5:30-7 pm

Hilliard October 28, 6:00-8:00 pm. Each year, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission sets the Trick or Treat date for cities in central Ohio. When Halloween, Oct. 31, falls on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, Trick or Treat is held on the Thursday before Oct. 31.

Madison Township: October 28, 5:30-7 pm

Hamilton Township October 28, 6:00-8:00 

Franklin County Trick or Treat on Sunday, October 31

New Albany October 31, 4-6 pm (date changed from October 28 due to weather forecast)

Worthington October 31, 6:00-8:00. The City of Worthington schedules Beggars Night in Worthington on Halloween, October 31st each year, no matter what day Halloween falls on. If Halloween falls on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, some central Ohio communities including Columbus follow a different formula and trick-or-treat on the Thursday prior. If you live in the City of Columbus areas of the Worthington School District, follow the City in which you live.

Grandview Heights October 31, 6-8 pm

Delaware County Trick or Treat

Delaware County Trick or Treat on Thursday, October 28

Galena October 28, 6-8 pm 

Orange Township October 28, 6:30-8:00 per MORPC’s recommendation

Delaware County Communities hosting Trick or Treat on Sunday, October 31

Genoa Township October 31, 6:00-8:00. Genoa Township has designated October 31 as Trick or Treat night, despite what day of the week the date falls upon. The Trick or Treat Village event for little tots is cancelled for 2021.

Ostrander October 31, 6:00-8:00

Powell October 31, 6:00-8:00

Shawnee Hills October 31
3:00 pm: Trick or Treat Tailgate will be hosted by the Police Department on Shawnee Trail at Wyandotte with the help of some of our community partners. This is a free event with food, games, and music for the kids to prepare for a fun and safe night of Trick or Treating. Shawnee Trail will be closed from E. Old Powell to Wyandotte from 3pm October 31st through the duration of Trick or Treat (6pm to 8pm).
6:00-8:00 pm – Trick or Treat

Delaware October 31, 6-8 pm

Sunbury October 31, 6:00-8:00 

Ashley: October 31, 5:00-6:30 (always on Halloween)

Union County Trick or Treat

Union County Trick or Treat on October 30 or October 31

Magnetic Springs: October 30, 5-7 p.m.

Marysville October 31, 6:00-8:00

Plain City October 31, 5:00-7:00

Richwood October 31, 5:00-7:00

Licking County Trick or Treat

Licking County Trick or Treat on Thursday, October 28

Heath October 28, 5:30-7:00 

Hebron October 28, 5:30-7:00 

Kirkersville October 28, 5:30-7:00

Johnstown October 28, 5:30-7:00 

Granville October 28, 5:30-7:00 

Newark October 28, 5:30-7:00 

Buckeye Lake October 28, 5:30-7 pm 

Licking County Communities hosting Trick or Treat on Sunday, October 31

Pataskala October 31, 6 pm – 8 pm

Etna Township October 31, 6-7 pm

Fairfield County Trick or Treat

Fairfield County Trick or Treat on Thursday, October 28

Pickerington October 28, 6:00-8:00. Follows the schedule set forth by MORPC. If Halloween, October 31, falls on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, then “Trick or Treat” will be held the prior Thursday. If Halloween falls on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, then “Trick or Treat” will be held on that day.
Pickerington Tots Trick or Treat – October 28, from 1:30pm – 2:30pm at Pickerington City Hall. Children 2-5 years old accompanied by an adult may wear their favorite costumes as they stroll through the decorated halls and offices of City Hall while receiving a few goodies from the disguised employees.

Lancaster October 28, 6-7:30 pm

Canal Winchester October 28, 5:30-7:00. 

Village of Baltimore October 28, 6:00-7:30

Village of Lithopolis October 28, 5:30-7:00. In the event of inclement weather the rain date will be Saturday, October 30 from 130p-300p. See Facebook page for updates.

Bremen October 28, 6-7:30 pm

Violet Township October 28 from 6-8 pm

Fairfield County Trick or Treat on Saturday, October 30

Amanda October 30: Halloween parade, 4-4:30 pm, followed by Trick or Treating from 6-7:30 pm.

Madison County Trick or Treat

Madison County Trick or Treat on Thursday, October 28

London October 28, 6-8 pm

Marion County Trick or Treat

Marion County Trick or Treat on Saturday, October 30

Marion October 30, 5:30-7:30. In 1999, Marion City Council passed legislation which set “Trick-or-Treat” night within the City of Marion for October 31 of each year between the hours of 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm, unless October 31 falls on a Sunday.  If October 31 falls on a Sunday, “Trick-or-Treat” night will be observed on the preceding Saturday.

Perry County Trick or Treat

Perry County Trick or Treat on Thursday, October 28

Thornville October 28, 6:00-8:00

Village of Somerset October 28, 5:30-7 pm

Ross County Trick or Treat

Ross County Trick or Treat on Thursday, October 28

Chillicothe October 28 from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm. 

Logan County Trick or Treat

Saturday, October 30

Bellefontaine October 30, 3:00-5:00. All of Logan County will be holding trick or treat at this time. The Logan County Mayor’s Association voted unanimously to move the event to Saturday, Oct. 30 this year because more parents are away from work on a Saturday, and 3-5pm allows for a safer event under the light of day. I

Village of Lakeview October 30, 3:00-5:00. All of Logan County will be holding trick or treat at this time. 

Russells Point October 30, 3:00-5:00. All of Logan County will be holding trick or treat at this time. 

Coshocton County Trick or Treat

Saturday, October 30

Historic Roscoe Village, October 30 from 4-5 pm

Coshocton October 30 from 5-6:30 pm

Champaign County Trick or Treat

Sunday, October 31

Mechanicsburg October 31, 6:00-8:00. Mechanicsburg’s trick or treat for local residents will occur annually ON Halloween – October 31st. The only exception to this rule occurs with 10/31 falls on a Friday.  In those years, Trick or Treat will take place on that Thursday, 10/30. 

Pickaway County Trick or Treat

October 30 or 31

Circleville October 30, 4-6 pm

Commercial Point October 31, 6-8 pm

Village of Ashville: October 31. Parade starts at 2 pm at post office and ends at park with costume contest. Trick or treat is from 4-5:30

Knox County Trick or Treat

October 30 or 31

Mount Vernon October 30, 5:30-7 pm

Centerburg October 31, 5:30-7 pm

Muskingum County Trick or Treat

Sunday, October 31

Zanesville October 31, 5:30-7 pm 

South Zanesville October 31, 5:30-7 pm

New Concord, October 31, 6 to 7 p.m.

McConnelsville, October 31 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Perry County Trick or Treat

Glenford October 28, 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Thornville October 28, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Somerset October 28, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Roseville October 28, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Crooksville October 28, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Junction City October 28 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Shawnee October 30 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

New Straitsville October 30, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Corning October 30, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

New Lexington October 31, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Morrow County Trick or Treat

Cardington October 30  5:00pm – 6:00pm

Chesterville October 30 5:00-7:00pm at the Old Highland North Elementary School.

Fulton October 30 5:00pm-6:30pm

Johnsville October 30, 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Marengo October 30, 5:00pm-6:30pm

Mount Gilead October 30, 5:00pm-6:00pm

Iberia October 31 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Sparta October 31 5:00pm-6:00pm

Crawford County Trick or Treat

Sunday, October 31

Bucyrus October 31, 2-4 pm

Fayette County Trick or Treat

Washington Courthouse October 28, 6:00-8:00 pm

Pass out Cone Coins from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream this Halloween