Fall in Love with Cake Decorating Class
Hands-on class where participants decorate and take home a fall-themed cake.
Columbus Unique & Unusual Halloween Events 2026
17 unique & unusual Halloween events in Columbus and nearby.
Halloween events are happening all over the Columbus area, from downtown ghost tours to craft workshops in surrounding towns like Lancaster. If you're looking for a night of haunts, Haunted Columbus Ghost Tour beckons. For a family-friendly creative outlet, consider the Succulent Pumpkins Workshop.
All Unique & Unusual Halloween Events Around Columbus
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Family-Friendly Fall Activities
1 of 38
Howl-O-Ween at Columbus Commons
Columbus
Dog-friendly Halloween celebration with costume contest
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Food, Drink, and Parties
1 of 17
Columbus Halloween Bar Crawl 2026
Columbus
Costumed pub crawl visiting over four venues with drink specials.
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Haunted Experiences
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Haunted Ohio Statehouse Tours
Columbus
Lantern-lit ghost tours through the darkened corridors of the Ohio Statehouse.
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Movies, Theater, and Entertainment
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The Rocky Horror Show at Garden Theater
Columbus
Back for its ninth year with campy, edgy Halloween musical fun.
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See all the unique and unusual Halloween events in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the photography etiquette at cultural and community events in Columbus?
Wide crowd shots are fine; portraits need permission, especially of children, performers mid-ritual, and personal ofrendas at Día de los Muertos events, where some altars honor recent losses. Ask first, accept no gracefully, and skip flash at night processions and candlelit events, where it genuinely disrupts. When an event posts photography guidance, that overrides all defaults. Buy from artists you photograph.
How do we pair a ghost tour with dinner in Columbus?
Eat first: tours run 90 minutes of walking, and most start between 7 and 9 pm, so book dinner two hours before the tour within a short walk of the meeting point, and keep it lighter than you would for a movie night. Afterward, a nightcap spot near the route's end lets the group unpack the stories, the debrief is half the fun.
What Halloween-season events in Columbus continue into early November?
The season doesn't end at midnight on the 31st: Día de los Muertos celebrations run October 31 through November 2, harvest markets and fall festivals continue into mid-November, and some attractions run one final discounted weekend. Costume and decor clearance peaks November 1-2 for next-year planning. If October overflowed, the first November weekend is the graceful catch-up window.