Whether it’s outdoor adventure or indoor happenings, there are many options for not-so-spooky family fun in the greater Cleveland/Akron area this Halloween. Check out all the fun with the following list of events, arranged by date.
FRIDAYS THROUGH SUNDAYS
Boo at the Zoo. This year’s Boo at the Zoo features more treat stations, unlimited 4-D Theater movies, carousel and train rides, plus three weekends to choose beginning 10/13. 5-9 p.m. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, 216-661-6500, clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo
SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS
Pumpkin Patch Train Rides. Ride the train to the Ohio Station Pumpkin Patch and choose your own pumpkin to take home. Noon-5 p.m. Ohio Station Outlets, 9911 Avon Lake Road, Burbank, ohiostationoutlets.com
Boo at the Zoo. Dress your little ghosts and goblins in their costumes for everyone’s favorite non-scary Halloween event. 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. beginning 10/14. Akron Zoo, 504 Euclid Ave., Akron, 330-375-2550, akronzoo.org
Spooktacular Weekends. Enjoy not-so-scary crafts and activities in the decorated nature center. Noon-5 p.m. 10/21-22 and 10/28. Susan Hambley Nature Center, 1473 Parschen Blvd., Brunswick, 330-722-9364, medinacountyparks.com
Old West Pumpkin Fest. Pumpkin Festival includes unlimited activities for 1 low price unlimited hayrides, pony rides, live costume character show, petting farm, children’s haunted house in 3D (no live actors), etc. Rockin’-R-Ranch, 19066 E. River Road, Columbia Station, 440-236-5454, clevelandhayride.com
34th Annual Pumpkin Festival. Hay maze, corn maze, wagon ride with live scarecrows, all you can carry pumpkins, and face painting. Noon-5 p.m. Red Wagon Farm, 16081 E. River Road, Columbia Station, redwagonfarm.com
THROUGH OCTOBER 30
Spooky Ranch. Extreme Nightmares Haunted House, The Famous Haunted Hayride, The Haunted Barn, Monster Visions in 3-D Haunted House. New Zombie Paint Ball Hunt in 3D. Rockin’-R-Ranch 19066 E. River Road (SR 252), Columbia Station, spookyranch.com
OCTOBER 20-21 & 27-28
Hauntaquarium. Yo-ho-ho and a bucket of chum. Hauntaquarium is one big pirate-themed halloween party. 6-9 p.m. Greater Cleveland Aquarium, 2000 Sycamore St., Cleveland, 216-862-8803, greaterclevelandaquarium.com
Boo-tanical Bash. Play in Hershey Children’s Garden during evening hours, trick-or-treat on decorated garden paths, and engage in fun activities. 5:30-8 p.m. Cleveland Botanical Garden, 11030 East Blvd., Cleveland, 216-721-1600, cbgarden.org
Halloween on the Heights. Fun filled family event featuring indoor trick-or-treating and costume competitions. 1-4 p.m. Broadview Hts. Park & Recs, 9543 Broadview Road, broadview-heights.org
OCTOBER 21 & 28
Spooktacular Science. Channel your inner Dr. Frankenstein as pumpkins explode, mad scientists experiment and zombies are operated on. Guests of all ages are sure to enjoy this family friendly Halloween-themed party. Great Lakes Science Center, 601 Erieside Ave., Cleveland, 216-694-2000, greatscience.com
OCTOBER 26
Merchants of Hudson Trick or Treat. Trick or treat at area merchants. 4-6 p.m. Downtown Hudson, 330-906-0642, merchantsofhudson.com
Boo Bash & Trick or Treat. Come for a Mall-o-ween Boo Bash and bring your kids for a scary good time for treats and crafts, 6-8 p.m Summit Mall, JCPenny Court, 3265 W. Market St., Fairlawn, 330-867-6997, simon.com/kidgets
Blast Halloween Celebration. Blast’s mission is to provide safe social and recreational activities to people with developmental disabilities. 6-8:30 p.m. Temple Israel, 91 Springside Dr., Akron, summitdd.org
Scare on the Square & Thriller. Zombie Thriller dance, trick or treat, contests and more. 6-8 p.m. Downtown Wadsworth, mainstreetwadsworth.org
Trick or Treat on South High Street. Break out your costume early for a family-friendly Halloween party where you can explore the museum in surprising ways. 5 p.m. Akron Art Museum, One South High St., Akron, 330-376-9185, akronartmuseum.org
Boo-tique Trick-or-Treating. Bring the kids in costume for some Halloween fun inside the mall. 6-8 p.m. Eton Chagrin Blvd., 28601 Chagrin Blvd., Woodmere, etonchagrinblvd.com
Beggar’s Night. If your kids aren’t into the scary Halloween, bring them for a candy tour around the museum and enjoy carnival games. 5-8 p.m. Lake County History Center, 415 Riverside Dr., Painesville, 440-639-2945, lakehistorycenter.org
Scare on the Square. Join the fun during the Scare on the Square event for the 7th annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest. 6-7:30 p.m. Wadsworth Public Library, 132 Broad St., Wadsworth, 330-334-5761, wadsworthlibrary.com
Let’s Glow: A Glow in the Dark Party. Join in for an unforgettable party filled with neon games, crafts, and dancing. Come dressed in neon or glow-in-the-dark clothing, 4 p.m. 8215 Mentor Ave, Mentor, 440-255-8811, mentorpl.org
OCTOBER 27
Halloween at the “Boo-seum.” Annual Halloween party and “Trick or Treat” in the Street of Shops and Discover World, hayrides, scavenger hunt, and science shows. 6-8:30 p.m. McKinley Museum, 800 McKinley Monument Dr., NW, Canton, 330-455-7043, mckinleymuseum.org
Family Friendly Halloween. Trick-or-Treat at your favorite downtown businesses and much more. 5-7 p.m. Downtown Kent, mainstreetkent.org
Halloween Celebration. Put on your costume and trick or treat through the Wildlife Gardens, make a craft, hop on a hayride, enjoy a holiday show in the planetarium and more. 6-9 p.m. Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, 28728 Wolf Road, Bay Village, 440-871-2900, lensc.org
Hocking Halloween Campout. Join the Haunted Hocking team as they search for the unexplained at Ash Cave or try your hand at pumpkin decorating, hayride, a family fun spooky movie, site judging, and trick or treat. Hocking Hills State Park, Old Man’s Cave, 19852 Ohio 664, Logan, thehockinghills.org
OCTOBER 28
Tricks & Treats. Celebrate Halloween with a day full of fall fun including food trucks, The Halloween Express, pet costume contest, and trick or treating. Noon-4 p.m. Crocker Park, 189 Crocker Park Blvd., Westlake, crockerpark.com
Owls & Howls. Hoot like an owl, howl like a coyote and hoof it down to the museum for an early Halloween treat. Learn about the serious business of animal enrichment and see our animal ambassadors at work and play. Enjoy games, crafts, pumpkin decorating and special animal demonstrations. 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Drive, cmnh.org
Brunswick Hills Firefighters Annual Halloween Bonfire. Family-friendly activities including hayrides and costume contest. 5-8 p.m. Plum Creek Park South, 2500 Plum Creek Pkwy., Brunswick Hills, medinacountyparks.com
Haunted Gingerbread Houses. Families are invited to assemble and decorate a haunted gingerbread house together. 11 a.m.-noon. Kent Free Library, 312 W. Main St., Kent, 330-673-4414, kentfreelibrary.org
Trunk-or-Treat. Park your decorated car in the library parking lot and bring candy to pass out to the kids visiting the decked-out vehicles. 11 a.m. Bainbridge Library, 17222 Snyder Road, Chagrin Falls, 440-543-5611, geaugalibrary.net
Family Halloween Skate. Bring the kids in costume to this family-friendly fun event. 1:30-3:30 p.m. Mentor Civic Ice Arena, 8600 Munson Road, Mentor, cityofmentor.com
OCTOBER 28-29
Spooky Fest. Kids are invited to dress up in their costumes and enjoy pumpkin village to the fullest. 10 a.m. Mapleside Farms, 294 Pearl Road Brunswick, mapleside.com
OCTOBER 29
American Greetings Family Concert Halloween Spooktacular. An afternoon of deliciously frightening musical fun. Come dressed in your Halloween best for a costume contest for audience members. 3 p.m. Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, clevelandorchestra.com
OCTOBER 30
SPOOKtacular Hike & Campfire. Take a 1.5 mile hike through the woods in your Halloween costume. The hike will end near a campfire for s’mores and hot cocoa. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Quail Hollow Park, 13480 Congress Lake Ave., Hartville, starkparks.com
Spooktacular Snacks. Snacks so silly, so tasty, and so fun to make that it’s scary. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Medina Library, 210 S. Broadway St., 330-725-0588, mcdl.info
OCTOBER 31
Trick or Treat at the Library. Stop by the library dressed in your costume to receive small treats while walking through the library. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Wickliffe Public Library, 1713 Lincoln Road, Wickliffe, 440-944-6010, wickliffepl.org
Babies and Twos Pumpkin Party. Halloween stories and songs. Costumes welcome. 10 a.m. Chardon Library, 110 E. Park St., 440-285-7601, geaugalibrary.net
Mr. Dennis’ Halloween Puppet Show. Mr. Dennis will be here with his spooky puppet friends for a spooktacular puppet show. 5 p.m. Headlands Branch. 4669 Corduroy Road, Mentor Headlands, 440-257-2000, mentorpl.org
