Trunk-or-treat and community trick-or-treating events are a wonderful and safe alternatives for young kids during the Halloween season. They are often held during the day and are contained within community centers, downtown areas with road closures, or blocked off parking lots.
Trunk-or-treat events are especially fun as cars are decorated with themes and fun displays and they require minimal walking between stops.
There are many events offering special trick-or-treat and trunk-or-treat fun in Columbus this year. Your kids will enjoy a safe and fun Halloween experience no matter which you choose – you may want to pick a couple to attend! In addition to these special trick-or-treating options below, there are also 25+ parties at the local community centers during the month of October (tba for 2021) to get you in the Halloween spirit.
If you’re looking for the standard trick-or-treating, check out the trick or treat schedule for communities around Columbus. There are also over 50+ fall and Halloween events around Columbus for families and adults that you don’t want to miss this year!
Don’t forget – there are plenty of places to eat free or cheap on Halloween.
Halloween Meal Deals and Kids Eat Free or Cheap on Halloween in Columbus
Safe Trick-or-Treat and Trunk-or-Treat for 2021
Boo at the Zoo: Every weekend in October, Friday-Sunday! Visit the Tommy C. Turtles Trick or Treat Trail, Cali’s Pirate Dance Party, Frogwortz Academy, Zoo Boo Choo Choo rolling through Vertebrate Village, plus animal encounters, character ambassadors, and many other exciting Halloween activities and demonstrations.
Delaware Fall Festival and Treatfest KidsFest: Sunday, October 3, 2021 from 1 pm – 4 pm at Buckeye Valley High School, 901
Coover Road, Delaware. Admission is free, but register to qualify for VIP entry, bags, and other fun activities.
The Delaware Fall Festival & Treatfest features trick or treating, hayrides, pumpkins, bounce park, costume contest, stage entertainment, character meet & greet, fun prize wheel, VIP bag, food & treat trucks, shopping, find things for the fall, education, classes, things for family, home & more!
Dublin Halloween Spooktacular: Thursday, October 14 and Friday, October 15 in Coffman Park. Merry, not scary family fun! Guests of all ages can come in costume and enjoy this ghoulish celebration. New for 2021, the event will be spread out in Coffman Park providing even more fun for everyone. Goblins and ghouls will enjoy returning favorites like the Trunk or Treat Trail, eerie exhibits and dance performances on the Coffman Park Tennis Courts. Don’t forget to dress up as Squier Photography will be back to take portraits.
Boo-tacular at Westerville Community Center: October 15, 2021 from 6-8 pm. Dance the night away with ghosts and goblins to
celebrate Halloween with your friends and family. Enjoy Halloween inspired snacks, desserts, games and dancing. Don’t forget to wear your costume. $10 per person. Registration required; use activity #401619-01
Trunk or Treat Car Show: Saturday, October 16 from 11am-3pm at Hilliard Presbyterian Church. Trophies awarded for the best-decorated cars/trucks, and best Halloween costumes. All makes, models, and years welcome. If you’d like to enter the car show, just register between 11 am to 1 pm on the day of the event, and pay $10 registration fee. Don’t forget to bring lots of candy to pass out! Trick or Treat: 1 pm to 3 pm. Spectators and Trick or Treaters get free admission.
Boo ‘N Brew Birthday Party at Polaris Fashion Place: Saturday, October 16 Fall festival with beer garden and lots of family-friendly activities throughout the lifestyle center. Live music, trick-or-treating, costume contest, parades and more!
Trunk or Treat at Gateway Church: Saturday, October 16 from 3-6 pm. Join Gateway Church for a safe Trunk or Treat event in Groveport. There will be a trunk or treat event and free food! Wear your best costume and get ready to make some memories! Please remember to wear your masks social distance from others. 434 Main Street, Groveport, OH 43125 For more info, see the FB event page or email at info@gatewaygrovecity.com
Autism Society Trunk or Treat Fairfield County: Sunday, October 17 from 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm. Costume up for a friendly afternoon of Halloween fun! The event is free, but you must register. 6355 Winchester Blvd, Canal Winchester, OH 43110
Worthington Halloween Party: Halloween on the Village Green is Sunday, October 17 from 3-5 pm. Kids can Trick or Treat on the Green from vendors passing out treats. There will be entertainers on all four quadrants, as well as arts and craft stations, and more!
Trunk OR Treat at Keller Williams Premier Realty. Thursday, October 21 from 5-7 pm. 3111 Columbus St, Grove City. Event is in the parking lot with spooky trunks open and handing out treats to all that want to join! This event is open to the public!
HalLOWEen Trick or Treat Tryout at Lowe’s: Thursday, October 21 from 5-7. Your local store. Come to the store dressed in costume, get free candy, and pose in front of a scary-cute spiderweb backdrop. Registration required.
Special Needs “Trick or Suites” at Embassy Suites: Thursday, October 21 at 5:30 pm, 6 pm, or 6:30 pm. Trick or “Suites” Pandemic Style! The ASCO is partnering with Embassy Suites to provide a fun and safe environment for special needs individuals of all ages and their families to enjoy trunk-or-treat! This event will be a drive through again this year. In order to control traffic and observe appropriate safety measures we are asking each family to sign up for a 30 minute time slot. Register here.
Trunk or Treat at Hebron New Life United Methodist Church: Thursday, October 21 from 5:30-7:30 pm. 925 W. Main St., Hebron, Ohio.
Trunk or Treat at Grace Polaris Church: Thursday, October 21 from 6-8:30 pm. 8225 Worthington Galena Road. Free community event with live DJ, games, candy, firetruck, bounce house, food, and more.
Great Gahanna Goblin Trail: October 21-22, 2021 The drive-thru experience features all things family-friendly Halloween, including live entertainment, a choreographed light show, fire performers, stilt walkers, socially distanced car trick-or-treat, and many more surprises along the way.
Newark Treatfest: Saturday, October 23 from 10 am – 1 pm at Canal Market District
The Newark Fall Festival & Treatfest (10/23) is the ultimate destination for fun from trick or treating, pumpkins, bounce park, costume contest, stage entertainment, character meet & greet, fun prize wheel, VIP bag, food & treat trucks, shopping, find things for the fall, education, classes, things for family, home & more!
Annual Cops & Community Trunk-or-Treat: Saturday, October 23 from 1-4 pm. 1955 Frank Rd, Columbus. Meet various Central Ohio law enforcement and first responders. Free raffles for bike helmets, gift cards, and gift baskets. Emergency vehicles will be decorated and candy will be passed out. Hot dogs, soda, water, chips and candy provided.
Historic Happy Halloween Candy Trail in Dublin: Saturday, October 23 from 3-5 pm in Historic Dublin. Dress Up your little Ghouls for a Frighteningly Good Time! Businesses in the District will be handing out candy between 2:00- 5:00pm (or while supplies last) Dorothy, The Wicked Witch and our Scarecrow will visit too.
New Albany Parks and Recreation Trunk or Treat: Saturday, October 23 from 4-6 pm at Bevelhymer Park. Wear your best costume and trick or treat through our parking lot to play games and get candy from various local organizations. TRUNKS NEEDED! We are looking for local businesses, non-profits, or volunteers to set up displays that evening.
Prairie Township Trick or Treat: Saturday, October 23 from 4-7 pm at Westland High School Parking Lot. Expect a night full of candy, games, food, & more!
Trunk or Treat and Halloween Movies at the South Drive In Theatre: Saturday, October 23 from 6-8 pm. Trunk or treating, pumpkin painting contest, trunk decorating contest, costume contest, face painting, roaming monsters, with Halloween movies starting at 8 pm. Halloween activities and movies are kid-friendly at Screen 1, and recommended for ages 12+ on screen 2. Admission is general movie admission.
Trick or Treat Trail at Gallant Woods: Sunday, October 24 from 1-4 pm. Come in costume to gather treats from characters along the enchanted nature trail. Decorate pumpkins, enjoy a hayride, view insects with The Bug Man, get close to Ohio’s nocturnal birds of prey with Ohio Nature Education (ONE), vote for your favorite scarecrow, and visit Gallant Farm across the road. It’s all free!
The Maize at Little Darby Creek Trick or Treat: Sunday, October 24 From 2pm – 3pm, kids wear your costumes and trick or treat for candy. Marshall from Paw Patrol will be helping with trick or treat. The costume contest will follow at 3pm.
Candy by the Carload in Powell: Sunday, October 24 from 4-6:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building Parking Lot at 47 Hall Street. The parking lot will be transformed into a trick-or-treater’s treasure chest as local businesses and organizations set up booths and car trunks filled with candy, toys and other Halloween goodies. Registration required.
Candy Crawl at Indian Mound Mall: Tuesday, October 26 from 10:30 am – 12:30 pm.
Goblins and Ghouls are invited to Indian Mound Mall for lots of fun with Mrs. Van from the Ohio Nature Education. She will have Halloween animals you love to hate on display. Bring your toddler dressed in their favorite outfit to Trick or Treat from 10:30am-12:00pm. Register for a door prizes and a free treat bag in the Food Court from Indian Mound Mall!
KidX Club™ Candy Crawl at Polaris: Tuesday, October 26
Kids can grab a trick-or-treat bag (while supplies last) and go store to store for trick-or-treating. Dress to impress for the family costume contest. There will be games, prizes, and more.
Blacklick Woods Metro Park Trick or Treat Trail: Tuesday, October 26 from 5 pm – 7 pm. Families will take a half-mile walk along the Buttonbush Trail and learn about tricks while collecting treats! Trick-or-treaters and their families are encouraged to wear costumes. Ohio Wildlife Center, Friends of Metro Parks, and Metro Parks Outdoor Adventure will also be providing activities for families. Meet in the Nature Center Parking lot. Advanced Registration is Required. Sign up here: tinyurl.com/82zck5tr
Boo & Brew at Bridge Park: Wednesday, October 27 from 5-8 pm. Boo & Brew is a family-friendly event held at Bridge Park which will take place of the traditional trick-or-treating. Boo & Brew brings the community together by encouraging our Bridge Park businesses to pass out candy and fun promotional materials (samples, coupons, gift cards, etc.) in front of their establishment for children, families and community-goes to enjoy. This event will include fall-themed activities, live music and more! Afterwards, stick around to visit participating bars and restaurants to enjoy any specials being offered during the event.
Pickerington Haunted Village: Wednesday, October 27, 6-8 pm. Dress up in your favorite Halloween costume and decorate your car for this drive thru trick-or-treat event! Registration is required starting on October 5. It’s free to register, but spaces are limited.
Halloween Block Party at The Five: Wednesday, October 27 from 6-8 pm. Free trick or treat event with games, food, prizes, and more.
Tots Trick or Treat at Pickerington City Hall: Thursday, October 28 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm. Children 2-5 years old accompanied by an adult may wear their favorite costumes as they walk through the decorated City Hall to see staff dressed in costumes while receiving a few goodies.
Trunk or Treat in Whitehall: Thursday, October 28 from 5:00-8:00 pm at Whitehall City Hall parking lot. Ghouls and goblins are invited to enjoy Trunk or Treat, a free family-friendly alternative to Trick or Treat, complete with candy, pumpkins, Touch-a-Truck, community resource information and on-site COVID-19 vaccines.
Brightside Academy 4 Star Spooktacular Trunk or Treat: Friday, October 29, 5-7 pm. Children and parents can enjoy this free community event at Brightside Academy. There will be a bounce house, facepainting, characters, vendors, candy, prizes, and more.1977 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus.
Columbus Crew Spooktacular Halloween Drive-Through: Friday, October 29 from 5:00pm–7:00pm.
Join the Crew for a spooky trick-or-treating drive-through celebration at Historic Crew Stadium, 1 Black and Gold Blvd., Columbus. Children and Crew staff are encouraged to wear their costumes for this spooktacular drive-through Halloween party which includes a variety of Halloween themed activities for families to enjoy from the comfort of their car! This event is open to the public.
Activities include Trick-or-Treating (each station will have a bowl of candy/treats), Music, Mascots, Witches Brew (Fruit Punch and Dry Ice), Choose Your Own Trick-or-Treat Bag, Ooey Gooey Slime Giveaway, Monster Munch Snacks including: Popcorn Balls, Cheese Balls, Pretzels, Fruit Snacks, Granola Bars, Krispy Treats, Veggie Chips, Ring Pops, Cotton Candy and Cookies Ghoul in the Dark Jewelry Giveaway, Spooky Tattoos, Fangtastic Color Your Own Mask + Crayons Giveaway, Pie Pumpkin Giveaway for the First 100 Cars!
Trunk or Treat at The Event Loft Columbus: Friday, October 29 from 5-9 pm. 5441 Westerville Rd Westerville Oh 43081. Games, costume contests, prizes, food, and trunk or treat. Tickets are $5.
Scarysville in Uptown Marysville: October 30, 2021. Follow on Facebook for details.
- Scarysville: The streets of Uptown “Scarysville” come alive with Halloween FUN from 10 am – noon. Children are invited to dress up in their costumes and visit Uptown merchants for candy and other Halloween goodies. All the fun of Trick or Treat, in the light of day. This event is sponsored by the Historic Marysville Business District Association.
- Monster Mash at Partners Park: 11 am – 1 pm.
- Trunk or Treat at Partners Park from 3 pm – 5 pm
Trunk Or Treat at Pataskala Grace Church: Saturday, October 30 from 11 am – 2 pm. Family-friendly activities include trunk or treating, hayrides, bonfire for s’mores, photo booth, games, food trucks, and more. See details on the Facebook page.
Boo off Broadway in Grove City: Saturday, October 30 from 1-4 pm. 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 in the Grove City’s Town Center Promenade.
Trunk or Treat at Bethel A.M.E. Church: Saturday, October 30 from 2-4 pm. Trunk or Treat in South Linden. All are welcome to come and enjoy. Parking will be available in the lot in the store lot. 2021 Cleveland Ave, Columbus
Trunk or Treat Delaware County at New Beginnings Church Saturday, October 30 from 3-5 pm. Hosted by New Beginnings Church and ASCO Autism Society Central Ohio. Enjoy a fun and safe Trunk or Treat for all ages and all abilities. There will be decorated trunks in various themes, all passing out goodies. Registration is REQUIRED but free. 2163 State Route 37 E, Delaware, OH 43015
Trick or Treat Loot Bag during Pumpkins Aglow at FPC: October 30 & 31: On Halloween weekend during Pumpkin Glow at Franklin Park Conservatory, children ages 2-12 will receive a small bag filled with treats and surprises. Family friendly costumes are encouraged.
Rockin’ Tots Halloween Party at Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park: Sunday, October 31. $15 for one child and one parent, $10 for each additional child (Ages 6 and Under). Includes Arts and Crafts Games Costume Contest and much more!
Inniswood Halloween Party: Sunday, October 31 from 1-4 pm Head to the Gardens for activities and crafts to celebrate this traditional holiday.
Hilliard Trunk or Treat at Hilliard/Ray Patch YMCA: Sunday, October 31 from 5-7 pm. Food trucks, music, Hilliard Police, a DIY photobooth, and much more
More options for Trick or Treat:
Friday, October 1, 2021
Saturday, October 2, 2021
Sunday, October 3, 2021
Friday, October 8, 2021
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Sunday, October 10, 2021
Thursday, October 14, 2021
Friday, October 15, 2021
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Find more Fall Fun here!
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- Columbus Pumpkin Patches, Farm Activities, Corn Mazes, and More!
- Big list of great Fall date ideas around Columbus
- Best hikes and scenic drives for Fall Color in Ohio
- Over 120 events celebrating Fall and Halloween in Columbus
- 11 Haunted Woods and Haunted Houses Around Columbus
Upcoming Halloween events
Events TBA for 2021
Worthington Trick-or-Trot Family Festival: tba from 10 am – 12 pm. Presented by the Worthington Linworth Kiwanis. The Worthington Trick-or-Trot Family Festival includes a 3-mile run, shorter kids trots, costume contest, bounce houses, games and more. Event is free, but registration is required and limited to the first 300 participants.
Halloween Treat Trail Party at Everal Barn: tba FREE; Ages 8 and under will enjoy carnival games along the treat trail; Halloween Bingo, and Vendor Alley. Don’t forget to enjoy the horse-drawn carriage ride through the park. Remember to wear your costume!
Halloween Family Fun Night at Three Creeks Metro Park: tba from 5:00 – 7:00 pm. Not-too-scary stories and s’mores at the campfire and go trunk-or-treating for candy. Kids of all ages encouraged to wear costumes. Meet at Confluence Trails bulletin board.
Old Hilliard Halloween Haunt: tba for 2021 Trick-or-treat, scavenger hunt, kid and dog costume contest and family fun activities
Howl-O-Ween at Ohio Wildlife Center: tba for 2021 Walk through the White Tail Trail, visits from “spooky” Animal Ambassadors like owls Bella, Alex and Woodsy, snakes Checkers, and Percy and Lenore, our American Crows. $5 per person ages 6 and up or bring a donation from the wishlist.
Costume & Candy Crawl at Kingsdale Shopping Center: tba from 4 pm – 7 pm. Dress in your Halloween best and Trick-or-Treat at Kingsdale Shopping Center! There’s a costume contest, face painters, and balloon artists. Please meet at the green for registration and a trick-or-treat bag to take along the route. This is a FREE event. Open to kids 12 and under, with adult supervision.
Halloween Family Funday at North Market: tba for 2021 Crafts, trick or treating starting at 11 am, face painting, games, farm animals, music and more!
Young Explorers: Trick-or-Treat Hike: tba for 2021 from 6-7 pm at Homestead Metro Park. Wear your favorite costume and earn some goodies on a 1-mile hike. Ages 2-14. Meet at the Barn Shelter.
Kid’s Night in Halloween Town at Boost Mobile Local Pataskala: tba 2021, from noon – 8 pm. Enjoy a Halloween kids party with games, prizes and giveaways. There will be punch and cupcakes, pumpkin decorating, and haunted maze scavenger hunt
[…] communities around Central Ohio; check out the Trick or Treat schedule here. There are also over 30 community events with trick or treating or trunk or treating for a safer alternative to Beggar’s Night. If you don’t know what to dress up as for […]