October filled With Halloween Activities

By: Betsy Reason

Hey ghosts and goblins, it’s almost time to turn up your calendars for October, so we share Halloween activities for the month.

1. Kids ages 10 and younger are invited to wear their Halloween costumes and come with their families to the annual Hamilton County+9 4-H Junior Leaders’ free Halloween Carnival, Haunted House and Hayride from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds in Noblesville. Formerly known as the Junior Leaders Community Halloween Party, the event offers games, refreshments and fun.
2. Tickets are available now for the 40th anniversary of Headless Horseman outdoor Halloween program every Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 5-29 at Conner Prairie in Fishers. Take the haunted hayride to see the Headless Horseman, stroll the Trail of Terror in the corn field, enjoy the Magnificent Midway, Barrel Train RIdes, Sleepy Hollow Marionette Show, fortune telling, live music performances, magic show, food, and more. Reserve hayride times and buy admission tickets in advance at connerprairie.org.
3. Bring the family to Noblesville Main Street’s First Friday Fall Fest and Soup Cook-Off from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 6 in downtown Noblesville, featuring live music, shopping, hayrides, trick-or-treating and more. Soup cook-off contestants include Ninth Street Bistro, Alexander’s on the Square, Gatewood Vegetable Farm, The Nesst, Syd’s Bar & Grill, Texy Mexy and Uptown Cafe. Also, Main Street is hosting annual Scarecrow Decorating Contest is taking entrants at noblesvillemainstreet.org.
4. Kids dress in costume and participate in Trunk or Treat at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 6 with a free movie, “Hocus Pocus,” to start at 8 p.m. outdoors at the Noblesville Moose Lodge. Bring chairs and blankets for the movie.
5. Dress up in your horror or Halloween costume and enjoy three rounds of Horror & Halloween Trivia at 8 p.m. Oct. 7 at Nippers Grill & Tap in Carmel.
6. Create a Creepy Halloween Tree during a Paint Night from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 13 at Kiln Creations in downtown Noblesville, with fee charged. Reserve tickets in advance at kilncreations.net
7. Bowl a lucky strike during Pinheads’ Halloween Bash beginning at 10 a.m. Oct. 14 at the bowling center. Join to play Cosmic Bowling with princesses, superheroes and villains. Photo opportunities with your favorite characters.  Pizza, lemonade and desserts. Check in at 9:45 a.m. for bowling shoes and lane assignments.
8. Halloween trick-or treating is on Oct. 14 and 21 at Hamilton County Parks & Recreation’s White River Campground in Noblesville.
9. Dare to visit Little Haunt on the Prairie at Ghoul Creek Park 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at Hamilton County Parks & Recreation’s Cool Creek Park in Westfield/Carmel. Spooky, yet age-appropriate Halloween activities from preschool and older. Dress in costumes, enjoy nature interpretation, entertainment, hayride, food for purchase, trick-or-treating, craft stations, spooky nature trail, Halloween games, live owls with Take Flight Wildlife, marshmallows at a campfire ring and more. Cost is $5 per person, under age 2 free. In addition, please bring a nonperishable or canned food item to donate to Amanda Strong Food for the Needy.
10. Celebrate Halloween at the annual family-friend and pet-friendly Boo ‘n’ Brew Fall Festival from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 21 at Clay Terrace in Carmel. Trick-or-treating at 2 p.m., live bands Stella Luna & the Satellites at 2 p.m. and Toy Factory at 4 p.m., horse-drawn hayrides at 2:30 p.m., beer garden, Silly Safari animal shows at 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., pet costume contest at 3 p.m., pumpkin patch, aerialists, pet zone and more.
11. Attend the annual Halloween Kids Night from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 23 at Noblesville Jim Dandy, with a coloring contest, face painting and kids activities.
12. Bring canned food donations and enjoy crafts, games, story and treats during a “Trick or Eat” Halloween Food Drive from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 24 at Delaware Township Trustee Office in Fishers. Dress in costume. All ages welcome.
13. Join Carmel Runners Club Halloween Run and Walk at 6 p.m. Oct. 25 at Bier Brewery Carmel, plus vote on various runs or walks.
14. Test your Halloween knowledge during Halloween Trivia night at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 at Pinheads and Alley’s Alehouse in Fishers, with prizes to win and free to play.
15. Enjoy Halloween Trunk or Treat at 5 p.m. Oct. 27 at Heritage Woods of Noblesville.
16. Ultimate Halloween Hits aficionados will want to attend Halloween Music Bingo at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at Pinheads and Alley’s Alehouse in Fishers. Prizes to win and free to play, with all ages welcome.
17. Dare to take the fourth annual Cicero Haunted Trail on Oct. 27 and 28 at Red Bridge Park, with kid-friendly hours 4:30-7:15 p.m. and frightening hours 7:30-10 p.m. All proceeds benefit Cicero Parks. Seeing sponsors.
18. Board the Nickel Plate Express for Trick or Treat on the Rails vintage 1956 train at 2 p.m. Oct. 28. Embark on a 65-minute journey down the historic Nickel Plate Road while dressed in your Halloween costume. Children can collect candy from a few special characters during the ride. Tickets include a pumpkin donut and fresh apple cider. Visit www.nickelplateexpress.com.
19. Celebrate Hallloween 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 28, at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater during a Boo Bash with live music and entertainment, food trucks, games and activities for kids. Costumes encouraged.
20. Visit Noblesville High School’s Trunk or Treat night 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 28 in the parking lot at Noblesville High School.

-Betsy Reason writes about people, places and things in Hamilton County. Contact The Times Editor Betsy Reason at betsy@thetimes24-7.com. Official Trick-or-Treat hours on Oct. 31: 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Noblesville; 5-8 p.m. Arcadia, Carmel and Westfield; 6-8 p.m. Cicero, Fishers and Sheridan.