Weekend skele-fun: Halloween events across the Miami Valley

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Unsure of how to make the most of that $40 you spent on your Halloween costume? Want to do more than just hand out candy on Halloween? Thankfully, plenty of opportunities to celebrate Halloween exist in the Miami Valley.

From a Harry Potter-themed trick-or-treat event in Tipp City to Hauntfest in the Oregon District, these are the best Halloween events happening this weekend.

👻🎃🦇KidX Candy Crawl

When: Friday, Oct. 29 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Center Court at The Mall at Fairfield Commons, 2727 Fairfield Commons Blvd., Beavercreek

More info: Facebook

The Mall at Fairfield Commons will host a free Candy Crawl. All guests, dressed in their best Halloween costumes, will meet at Center Court in the mall to pick up their trick-or-treat bag full of goodies, have their photo taken as a part of the mall’s costume contest and then head to participating stores in the mall for even more trick-or-treating opportunities.

👻🎃🦇Harry Potter Trick or Treat with Downtown Tipp City Merchants

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Credit: Tom Gilliam

When: Saturday, Oct. 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Downtown Tipp City

More info: Facebook

The Downtown Tipp City Partnership is encouraging everyone to dress up as their favorite Harry Potter character. Be sure to grab a map and a bag to stash your loot as you make your way throughout downtown, grabbing special Halloween-themed treats at local businesses along the way. Treat bags and raffle cards can be picked up a Bella Gray Market, located on 34 S. 2nd Street.

👻🎃🦇Light Up the Mound Pumpkin Glow

When: Saturday, Oct. 30 and Sunday, Oct. 31 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Where: Little Mound Park, 9490 Still Meadow Lane, Dayton

More info: Facebook

The fifth annual Light Up the Mound Pumpkin Glow will take place at Little Mound Park. To participate, carve a pumpkin with any artistic direction you desire and drop it off at the tree by the mound before 4 p.m. on Oct. 30. From there, organizers will make the pumpkins glow. The mound will be lit from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 30 and 31.

👻🎃🦇Trunk or Treat Fall Festival

When: Saturday, Oct. 30 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: Mack’s Tavern, 381 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Centerville

More info: Facebook

Mack’s Tavern will host its second annual, family-friendly Fall Fest/Trunk or Treat event. The event will be held in Mack’s Tavern’s parking lot. The costume contest will begin around 7:30 p.m., and the prizes will be divided into toddler boy/girl, teenage boy/girl, adult and family, with prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for dogs.

To make things even sweeter, a rescue organization will be bringing adoptable dogs and baby goats to pet to the Halloween party. Prizes will also be awarded for the best-decorated motorcycle and car.

👻🎃🦇Hometown Halloween and Costume Contest

When: Saturday, Oct. 30 from 9 a.m. to noon

Where: 405 Public Square, Ste. 231, Troy

More info: Facebook

The city of Troy will host a Halloween celebration at various businesses throughout the downtown area. Guests are encouraged to bring their children and come dressed in their Halloween costumes.

The following businesses will be passing out candy in the downtown Troy area:

  • Arkhouse Company
  • Around About Books
  • Bakehouse Bread & Cookie Company
  • Be You Boutique/Chick-Fil-A
  • Brower Stationers
  • Color Loft Salon
  • David Fair on the Square
  • Dungan & LeFevre
  • Echo Boutique/Poppy Lane Boutique
  • Erik Lamka Shelter Insurance
  • Expressions of the Home
  • First United Church of Christ
  • For All Seasons
  • Grandpa Joe’s
  • Haren’s Market
  • HER Realtors
  • Hippieworks
  • Hittle’s Jewelry
  • Ivy Court
  • Leaf & Vine
  • Low Voltage Solutions
  • Michelle’s Macarons/Revival Haus
  • Modern on Market
  • Mojo’s
  • Nolan Giere
  • Poppin’ Off Gourmet Popcorn
  • Pop-up @ 4 W. Main
  • Power 107.1
  • Ghost Tours of Troy
  • Purebred Coffee Co.
  • RE/MAX Alliance
  • ReU Juicery & Organic Kitchen
  • Staffords
  • Studio 14 Creative Arts Center
  • The Olive Oasis
  • The Valley Church
  • Three Weird Sisters
  • Thrush & Sons
  • Total Team Sports
  • Trojan Florist
  • Troy Main Street
  • Troy Rec
  • Troy Sports Center
  • Ulbrich’s
  • Upper Valley Hearing & Balance
  • Village Salon
  • Winans Chocolates + Coffees

The event’s festivities will begin at 9 a.m. with a costume contest and costume parade hosted by the Troy Noon Optimists in the parking lot at the Hobart Government building.

👻🎃🦇Wag-O-Ween

When: Saturday, Oct. 30 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Kettering Recreation Complex, 2900 Glengarry Dr., Kettering

More info: www.playkettering.org | Facebook

For those who want to finally have an occasion to debut their dog’s adorable Halloween costume, the Kettering Recreation Complex is offering a Wag-O-Ween event. Dogs (and their owners) can expect a fun-filled morning with trick-or-treating on the Walk & Wag course, photo booth opportunities, adoptable pet introductions and a pet costume contest.

Guests will need to pre-register for the free event by visiting Play Kettering’s website.

👻🎃🦇Hauntfest on Fifth

When: Saturday, Oct. 30 from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Where: The Oregon District in Dayton

More info: www.theoregondistrict.org/hauntfest-2021

One of the biggest Halloween parties in the Miami Valley is back on and will feature live music, DJs, food trucks, beer trucks and street performers. Guests are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes to the event. Admission to the event is $10 until Oct. 29 and $15 at the gate. Ticket sales go toward improvement efforts in the Oregon District.

Guests must be 18 years and older to enter the event and no weapons — real or fake — are permitted.

👻🎃🦇HallZOOween

When: From noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30 and Sunday, Oct. 31

Where: The Cincinnati Zoo, 3400 Vine St., Cincinnati

More info: cincinnatizoo.org/events/hallzooween

Aside from walking around the zoo collecting candy at different stations, kids will enjoy train rides on the Hogwarts Express, fall-themed food and fun photo stations. And, as always, families will be able to catch a glimpse of the many animals who call the Cincinnati Zoo their home.

👻🎃🦇Fall Harvest: A Trick-or-Treat Alternative

When: Sunday, Oct. 31 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Where: 444 North Bend Blvd., Dayton

More info: www.daytonohio.gov/Archive/ViewFile/Item/792

The city of Dayton will host its annual trick-or-treat alternative on Halloween. Guests will cruise along a haunted Halloween lane while collecting treats for children 12 years of age and younger. Vehicles can join the trick-or-treat line from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

👻🎃🦇Halloween in the Village Festival

When: Saturday, Oct. 30 from noon to 8 p.m.

Where: Stanley Jones Park, 198 S. Clayton Road, New Lebanon

More info: www.facebook.com/events/320307716517108

Open to the public, this event will be a night full of family fun and food. A DJ and a variety of local food trucks will be there as well. Enjoy a costume contest for all ages, free face painting, free pumpkin carving, Halloween crafts, Trunk-Or-Treat and more.

👻🎃🦇Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) Parade and Festival

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

When: Sunday, Oct. 31 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: Downtown Dayton

More info: www.facebook.com/diademuertosdayton

Dayton will hold its annual Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) Parade and Festival throughout downtown. The celebration will include many Mexican traditions “with some unique Gem City twists.”

👻🎃🦇Trick-or-Treat at The Greene

When: Saturday, Oct. 30 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: The Greene, 4452 Buckeye Ln., Beavercreek

More info: Website

Dress up the kiddos and head to the Greene to go trick-or-treating at the participating retailers. The outdoor shopping mall is also adding a Trunk or Treat to the annual event this year.

👻🎃🦇Kings Island Tricks and Treats Fall Fest and Halloween Haunt

When: Friday, Oct. 29 from 6 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, Oct. 30 from 11 a.m. to midnight and Sunday, Oct. 31 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Where: Kings Island Amusement Park, 6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason

More info: www.visitkingsisland.com | facebook.com/visitkingsisland

Guests to the Kings Island Tricks and Treats Fall Fest, taking place through the end of October, can look forward to fall-themed games, adults-only game shows, dance parties, corn and hay mazes, a QR quest, a challenge course, pint-sized tractor rides, crafts, the Trick or Treat Bean Challenge (will you get the great or gross jelly beans?) and much more. Additionally, all of the rides at Kings Island will be open.

To make the event even sweeter, trick-or-treating spots will be set up throughout the park to hand out individually-packaged treats to kids of all ages. For the older crowd, however, a Tasting Card is available for purchase, and, for $50, it includes six to nine tastings from Kings Island’s Tricks and Treats menu. Admission, parking and a tasting card is $55 per person and can be purchased on Kings Island’s website.

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