17 haunted houses, pumpkin patches, family events and festivals around Columbus, OH, each checked against its own official site for 2026 dates. Scare levels and ages are our suggestions; always check the venue's own guidance.
Large indoor haunt complex in Northland Plaza with three themed haunted houses under one roof, plus a retail store and food vendors. Same operator also brands as 13th Floor Columbus.
Central Ohio's longest-running haunted attraction, a charity haunt operating in the woods outside Pataskala since 1989, built around a fictional family's 250-year secret.
charity haunt
outdoor trail
running since 1989
When
Opening weekend October 2, 2026; see the official site for nights
A Newark pumpkin patch with a $5-wristband activity pass covering a mystery maze, giant slides and a mild haunted room, plus paid wagon rides and paintball on weekends.
Mystery Maze
giant slides
haunted room
goat and emu encounters
wagon rides
When
Sept. 11 – Oct. 31, 2026
Hours
Sun–Fri 12pm–7pm; Sat 10am–7pm
Price
$5 wristband for most activities; wagon rides $3/person (weekends); paintball $5/person (weekends)
A Licking County farm with a big play-oriented Great Pumpkin Fun Center (fort, slides, giant gerbil wheel), a corn maze, farm animals and free pumpkin-patch access.
A-maize-ing Maze (corn maze)
play fort
hay-wagon slide
farm animals
When
Sept. 12 – Oct. 31, 2026
Hours
10:00am–7:00pm Wed–Sun (closed Mon/Tue)
Price
Fun Center $12/person (2+); market and pumpkin picking free; season pass $28
A Delaware County farm destination with a huge pumpkin selection (including blue and fairytale varieties), a zip line, slides, hayrides and farm animals; tickets required for everyone 3+.
A long-running Pataskala fruit farm with a large pumpkin patch, an 8-acre corn maze, a child-sized haybale maze and train rides, alongside its main apple- and berry-picking business.
corn maze
hay-bale maze
train rides
u-pick pumpkins
apple picking
When
Open daily through Nov. 15, 2026; corn maze open Fri–Sun through Nov. 1
Grove City's daytime, family alternative to door-to-door trick-or-treat: kids in costume collect candy from downtown businesses and civic groups at Town Center Park, with a costume parade.
Dublin's official two-day Halloween festival at Coffman Park, recently confirmed by City Council as a permanent two-day format, with a trunk-or-treat trail, hay maze, crafts and live entertainment.
Groveport's official Halloween block party at Main & Front by Town Hall, run alongside the citywide trick-or-treat hours for a safer, centralized option.
citywide trick-or-treat overlay
community block party at Town Hall
When
Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026 (same night as citywide trick-or-treat)
A free morning event where costumed kids trick-or-treat at participating Old Hilliard businesses, with live music and balloon twisting at Hilliard's Station Park.
Weaver Park, Hilliard Historical Village, Hilliard, OH
Suggested age Teens+
Costumed trick-or-treating through Hilliard's historic village buildings, with spooky stories in the one-room schoolhouse and a craft in the chapel, run by the Hilliard Ohio Historical Society.
A free family fall festival at Marburn Academy with a costume contest, trick-or-treating, bounce park, carnival games and face painting, presented by KidsLinked.
The City of Pickerington's official Halloween event through Olde Pickerington Village: ghost stories, a haunted museum, food trucks and trick-or-treating at village businesses.
An evening walk-through of over 700 hand-carved, glowing pumpkins in themed displays across Franklin Park Conservatory's grounds, with nightly crafts, food trucks and entertainment.
700+ hand-carved pumpkins
themed displays
nightly crafts
food trucks and cocktail bar
When
Oct. 7–11, 14–18, 21–25 & 28–Nov. 1, 2026
Hours
5–9pm Wed/Thu/Sun; 5–10pm Fri/Sat
Price
See admission rates page; reservations recommended
A huge, century-plus-old downtown festival in Circleville celebrating all things pumpkin: parades, giant-pumpkin weigh-ins, carving contests, rides and food, drawing crowds from across Ohio.
The City of Hilliard's free early-fall festival at Roger A. Reynolds Municipal Park with hayrides, a petting zoo, inflatables, live music and food trucks.
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Quick Answers
What Halloween events are on near Columbus in 2026?
BooMap lists 17 Halloween events near Columbus with 2026 dates confirmed on their official sites: 2 haunted houses, 5 pumpkin patches and corn mazes, 8 family events and 2 fall festivals.
What are the scariest haunted houses near Columbus?
The most intense haunts in this guide are Fear Columbus Haunted House and Pataskala Haunted Forest, rated 4 of 5 ghosts on our scare scale. Check each venue's own age guidance before you go.
When do haunted houses open near Columbus in 2026?
The earliest opening in this guide is Fear Columbus Haunted House on September 11, 2026. Each haunt's full 2026 dates are listed on this page.
Which pumpkin patches and corn mazes are open near Columbus in 2026?
Dupler's Pumpkin Land, Great Pumpkin Fun Center at Pigeon Roost Farm, Leeds Farm, Lynd Fruit Farm Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze and Van Buren Acres. Dates, hours and prices for each are on this page.
What Halloween events near Columbus are good for young kids?
Not-scary picks suggested for all ages include Boo Off Broadway, Circleville Pumpkin Show, Dublin Halloween Spooktacular, Great Pumpkin Fun Center at Pigeon Roost Farm, Groveport Halloween Block Party & Trick-or-Treat, and 8 more.
Are there free Halloween events near Columbus?
Yes: Boo Off Broadway, Circleville Pumpkin Show, Dublin Halloween Spooktacular, Groveport Halloween Block Party & Trick-or-Treat, Halloween Haunt (Downtown Hilliard), and 3 more list free admission on the official site.
When is trick-or-treating near Columbus in 2026?
Official hours announced so far: Columbus, October 29, 6pm to 8pm; Dublin, October 29, 6pm to 8pm; Hilliard, October 29, 6pm to 8pm; Bexley, October 29, 5:30pm to 7pm; Canal Winchester, October 29, 5:30pm to 7:30pm; Pickerington, October 29, 6pm to 8pm. The table on this page has 9 more towns. We add towns as they announce.
Not Confirmed for 2026 Yet
These usually run every year, but we couldn't confirm 2026 dates on their official sites yet. Check with the venue before you go. Seen one open, or know the dates? Tell us and we'll check it.
Haunted house
Dead Acres: Haunted Hoochie
13861 Broad St SW, Pataskala, OH
Suggested age Adults Only
An intense, adults-oriented haunt in a converted farm building near Pataskala; the site explicitly warns it is not suitable for kids or the easily offended.
A real 1889 county jail turned into a full-contact haunted house, with actual cells and bars. One of Ohio's more unusual haunts, run inside a still-standing historic building in downtown Newark.
Family-owned Sunbury farm about 15 minutes from Westerville with a hayride, large pumpkin selection and gourds; a quieter, less commercial option on the north side.
When
Not confirmed for 2026 yet Last listed: Sept. 20 – Nov. 2, weekends plus Friday Oct. 17
A 25th-season corn maze and pumpkin patch in Union County, about 30 minutes from Columbus, with a treasure-hunt maze design, u-pick flowers, 30+ family attractions and a separate haunted trail.
The zoo's daytime, family-friendly Halloween event with trick-or-treat stations, a jack-o'-lantern trail and character meet-and-greets, included with regular zoo admission on four fall weekends.
When
Not confirmed for 2026 yet Last listed: Weekends only: Oct. 3–4, 10–11, 17–18, 24–25
Gahanna Parks & Recreation's annual Halloween celebration at Academy Park with a trick-or-treat trail, light show, hayride and live entertainment, presented by KEMBA Financial Credit Union.
When
Not confirmed for 2026 yet Last listed: Friday, Oct. 23
A community Halloween walk hosted by the Whitehall Fire Department at Whitehall Parkway, running Friday/Saturday nights through October, plus a separate Halloween parade at the school campus.
When
Not confirmed for 2026 yet Last listed: Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 2–31; separate Halloween Parade on Thursday, Oct. 22
Columbus Zoo's waterpark, Zoombezi Bay, converts into a teen/adult Halloween scream park with haunted houses, scare zones and rides. Companion family-friendly daytime event is Boo at the Zoo.
When
Not confirmed for 2026 yet Last listed: Opening night Sept. 22; Fri/Sat nights in Sept, every weekend night in Oct, plus adult-only nights Oct. 12 & 26
Groveport's 52nd annual Apple Butter Day at Heritage Park: apple butter cooked over open wood fires, pioneer-era demonstrations, homemade crafts and live entertainment.
Every event here was found through local guides and then confirmed on the venue's or organizer's own website, with dates for 2026. We check each one for closures. Events we couldn't confirm yet are listed separately and clearly marked, and we recheck them every week. Scare levels (1 to 5 ghosts) and suggested ages are our read of what the venue says. Dates and hours can change, so check the official site before you go.
Run an event we missed, or spot something wrong? Join the list as a host and we'll get it on the map.
