Fall is arriving faster than you think! Soon enough, you’ll notice the leaves will change colors and you’ll need a jacket before you leave home.
But before you leave, there are so many activities and events happening in Toledo that you and the entire family can take advantage of! We’ve rounded up many of the Toledo area activities happening from September 1 until Halloween that you and your family are sure to enjoy! Comment on our Facebook page and on Instagram @toledoparent to weigh in with more events and to let us know about anything we may have missed.
Activities for the Entire Family
The Family House Fall Festival
September 16
2 – 8pm
Parking lot of the Historic Toledo Club
235 14th St. Ste. 508
The largest family shelter in Northwest Ohio is putting on a fall festival for the whole family. Family House Fall Festival will feature live entertainment from EZ PICKENZ; The Sympathy Orchestra; The Good, The Bad, and The Blues; and Nate Hicks. Food trucks and drinks will be available, as well as a play area for the kids. All proceeds will benefit The Family House.
September 23 and 24
11am-5pm
TMA Rita B. Kern Sensory Garden
Toledo Museum of Art
2445 Monroe St.
Local glass artists have created magnificent glass pumpkins for this delicate pumpkin patch! The family-friendly event will have you marveling at the artists’ skillful rendering of the pumpkins, as well as TMA staff’s creation of a unique fall landscape.
Attendees also have the opportunity to shop a beautiful array of hand-blown glass pumpkins to take home.
October 7
10am
Agnes Reynolds Jackson Arboretum
716 W. Delaware Ave.
Who needs it to be dark outside to have a good time? The 2023 Old West End Autumn Market is more than just a market; you can see live musical acts, enjoy local food trucks, and learn about nonprofit organizations all while visiting numerous local vendors!
October 8
10am – 5pm
Downtown Grand Rapids, OH
Since 1977, Grand Rapids has hosted this annual festival filled with live music, charming downtown fall decor, crafts from over 100 local artists and, of course, apple butter – lots and lots of apple butter. Admission is free. Parking is $15.
Fall on the Farm Week at Sauder Village
October 11 – 14
Wednesday – Friday
9:30am-3:30pm
Saturday
10am-5pm
22611 State Route 2, Archbold, OH
saudervillage.org
This year, Sauder Village is combining Apple Week and Fall of the Farm to make one big event: Fall on the Farm Week. Families can gather to learn how to churn butter, play old-fashioned games and decorate pumpkins.
October 14
4 – 10pm
October 15
10am – 4pm
Parade: October 16 at 1pm
Main St., Downtown Sylvania
The yearly festival is free to the public and is hosted by the Sylvania Chamber of Commerce. Parents can visit local vendors while the kids trick or treat on Main Street and walk through a pumpkin patch. Everyone will enjoy the live music and food trucks!
Fall Festival & Truck-or-Treat
The Shops at Fallen Timbers
(Parking lot behind the big lake at Fallen Timbers Lane & Russell Road)
October 14
12-3pm
Fallen Timbers is the place to be for this fall festival. There will be all kinds of fun for the whole family, including truck-or-treat, fun activities and food trucks.
Wicked Plants Vendor Faire
October 14
10am-5pm
The Flower Market
8930 S Custer Rd., Monroe, MI
This year the Wicked Plants Vendor Faire hosts vendors and food – the Lake Erie Hexenbrut will be performing mid-day – along with crafting activities and spooky plants for sale.
Project H.O.P.E.’s Horseback Trick-or-Treat
October 21-22 and 28-29
Noon-5pm
6645 T.R. 15, Findlay
It may be a bit of a drive, but you’ll want to sign up for this cool event in Findlay by following the link above so you can secure your rides today! They are also looking for volunteers 16 and up to help with leading horses, helping kids mount and dismount, and many other things to make the event a success. Text 419-469-0415 if you or your teen are interested!
Boo-To-Do Downtown Waterville Halloween
October 26
5 – 7pm
122 Farnsworth Rd.
Happening the Thursday before Halloween, the Waterville Area Chamber of Commerce and surrounding businesses host the annual Halloween Boo-To-Do event where kids don their best costumes and collect candy handed out by local businesses.
Annual Halloween Hike at Olander Park
October 28
5:45pm
Olander Park
6930 W. Sylvania Ave. Sylvania
Take a stroll around the park in costume and collect candy from volunteers! Admission is $2 for ages 3-12 and children two and under get in free!
Pre-registration begins October 2 – 6. Those who pre-register can enter the event anytime between 5 and 5:45pm. The hike is rain or shine!
The Anderson Family Series: Halloween Spooktacular
October 29
3pm
The Valentine Theatre
410 Adams St.
Don your best Halloween costumes and come to the Valentine Theatre to see Toledo Ballet dancers moving to the sounds of the Toledo Symphony on stage. This family-friendly event will include pre-concert games and demonstrations.
Pumpkin Patches and Apple Orchards
MacQueen Orchards
7605 Garden Rd., Holland
419-865-2916
Apple Stir and Crafts Festival
Date and Time TBA
This festival is a great way to kick off the fall season with plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained. Pick your own apples, tour the Giant Apple Cider Press or take a wagon ride. Live performances, an apple pie baking contest, pony rides and bounce houses round out the festivities.
Pick Your Own Apples
MacQueens offers apple picking to the public beginning in mid-September each year and continuing through the third week of October. You can pick from any tree in the orchard, which has 16 different varieties of apples. If you’re not in the mood for picking apples but still want the freshest fruit, choose pre-picked bags to take home.
9 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily from Labor Day to Halloween
13639 Mulberry Rd, Ottawa Lake
517-486-2237
The fall season at Gust Brother’s Pumpkin Farm gets underway on Labor Day and the farm will be open each day through Halloween for pumpkin picking, homemade donuts and apple cider slushies, as well as hayrides on Saturdays and Sundays.
Opening September 5
10am-7pm daily
7133 Seaman Rd., Oregon
419-836-7613
Fleitz Pumpkin Farm offers up pumpkin picking, corn mazes, hayrides and the opportunity for kids to feed the goats. Fresh apple cider and donuts are available to purchase! This year, the farm will host special events throughout the fall. Dates and times are not yet final so be sure to check their Facebook page for more information!
Johnston Fruit Farm Activities
Monday – Saturday
8:30am – 7pm
Sunday
10am – 6pm
2790 US-20 ALT, Swanton
419-826-1453
Pick your own apples or pumpkins, then enjoy spending time visiting the animals at the free petting zoo. Snack on fresh apple cider and homemade donuts.
Food Bank Event
September 30
10am – 4pm
2790 US-20 ALT, Swanton
419-826-1453
The farm will have food, music, games for the kids and apple picking for the food banks as well as hay rides and other activities.
*Interested in finding even more local pumpkin patches? Check out our “Go Big or Gourd Home” story, which includes pumpkin prices in the Toledo area!
Toledo Zoo Events
2 Hippo Way
419-385-5721
Harvest Fest
October 1 – 31
During zoo hours
With general admission to the Toledo Zoo, you and your kids will enjoy fall food and beverages, fall activities, giant pumpkin displays and more!
ZOOtoberfest
October 6
7 – 10pm
Beer lovers rejoice! The Toledo Zoo is inviting adults 21 and over to this beer-tasting event. The event will feature craft brews from at least 12 local and regional breweries. Enjoy live music and purchase food from food trucks. Tickets include 15 samples but additional samples can be purchased.
Little Boo at the Zoo
October 19 and 20
10am – 3pm
Your family can have all the Halloween fun, and your kids can get all the candy without the fright! There are various trick-or-treat stations.
Pumpkin Path
October 21 and 22
10am – 4pm
This family-friendly trick-or-treat tradition is back this year! Kids can visit various trick-or-treat stations, while the rest of the family enjoys local entertainers.
Pumpkin Stomp & Chomp
October 28
Halloween isn’t just for kids! The animals will discover pumpkins, strategically placed in their exhibits, and some of them will even make a meal out of them. Others will make a fun mess, but all of them will be using their instincts while displaying natural behaviors. This is a great way to see your favorite animals and to participate in the zoo’s enrichment program at the same time.
Other Fun Festivities
Silver Screen Classic Film – Hocus Pocus
Valentine Theatre
October 13
7:30pm
A Halloween favorite is making its way back to the big screen! Gather the family to revisit the tale of the Sanderson sisters as they attempt to wreak havoc on Salem, Massachusetts.
45th Annual Tombstone Bicycle Tour & Family Haunted Bike Ride
October 14
11am – 3:30pm
Oak Openings Metropark
5230 Wilkins Rd., Whitehouse
mvadventurers.org
Maumee Valley Adventurers brings back this family-oriented bike ride for its 45th year. Guests can choose between several different routes, both self-guided and tour-guided. Lunch is provided by Tombstone Chili along with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit, cookies and hot/cold beverages. Check-in/day-of registration starts at 10:30am.
Oak Harbor Apple Festival
October 14 and 15
9am – 8pm
Downtown Oak Harbor
161 W. Water St., Oak Harbor
Held each year during the second weekend in October, this festival welcomes over 25,000 visitors. The festival is kicked off with the crowning of the Royalty Court on Saturday morning with a parade at 2pm and a cornhole tournament later in the day. Then on Sunday, the family can participate in the 5k run and enjoy music from local bands.
This year’s theme will be “A Charlie Brown Festival.” Admission is free and shuttles run from the Oak Harbor High School parking lot for $1 per person.
Art Loop Haunted Harvest Celebration
October 15
5:30 – 8:30pm
Uptown Green Park and Adams St.
419-254-2787
theartscommission.org
The Art Loop Haunted Harvest Celebration makes its return in 2023. Guests can partake in action-packed creative events that celebrate local art, culture, food and music. Kids can also enjoy a petting zoo and trunk-or-treat.
Volunteers are needed! Learn more on the Arts Commission’s website.
Woodland Lane Cemetery at Centennial Terrace
October 20-30 (finalized dates as event gets closer)
5773 Centennial Rd., Sylvania
419-885-7106
Centennialterrace.org
One of the main attractions at Centennial Terrace will be the spooky decorations from the beloved Woodland Lane Cemetery, a local family’s collection they are passing on to Sylvania Recreation District because they are relocating. So Centennial Terrace is keeping the tradition alive! Kids will love the Halloween display. To find further updates about Centennial Terrace’s fall events, visit the schedule of events surrounding the Woodland Lane Cemetery at Centennial Terrace, visit centennialterrace.org.
Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics
October 21
6:30 – 8:45 pm
This is a live, multi-sensory musical experience featuring popular Halloween-themed songs including “Thriller” by Michael Jackson and “Ghostbusters (Theme)” by Ray Parker Jr. Ticket prices range from $32 to $54. For ages 8 and older.
Sandpiper Cruises
1 Jefferson Ave.
Docks by Promenade Park
jmcruiselines.com/the-sandpiper
Fall Color Cruise on the Sandpiper, every Saturday and Sunday throughout October from 1-4pm
Halloween Boo! Cruise, October 28 at 6 and 6:45pm; October 29 at 6 and 6:45pm; October 30 at 5:30, 6:15, and 7pm; October 31 at 5:30, 6:15, and 7pm
Who says you can’t get out on the water during October? The Fall Color Cruise offers smooth sailing down the Maumee River, and the Halloween Boo! Cruise promises 30 minutes of Halloween treats and fun on The Sandpiper.
Carter Historic Farm Events
Thursday, October 5
4:30 – 7:30pm
Carter Historic Farm
18331 Carter Rd., Bowling Green
419-353-1897
The fall tradition of building scarecrows continues at Carter Historic Farm. You can partake in a scarecrow contest, for cash prizes, where you’ll build a scarecrow from scratch using the farm’s materials, or your own supplies. The scarecrows entered in the contest will be on display and judged during the Heritage Farm Fest on October 7.
Pickup of the scarecrows begins October 14. Be sure to register for the workshop at reservations.woodcountyparkdistrict.org. You will be contacted with more information as the date comes closer.
Heritage Farm Fest
October 7
11am – 3pm
This free community event brings everyone in the family together to enjoy fresh food from the farm, live music, wagon rides and hands-on heritage activities. Donut-lovers: Come with an empty stomach to participate in the donut-eating contest. Parking, entrance and all activities are free. All are welcome.
Halloweekends at Cedar Point
September 14 – October 29
Hours vary
1 Cedar Point Dr., Sandusky
419-627-2106
A crowd favorite, Halloweekends are back at Cedar Point. If you haven’t experienced the fear and fright, there’s no time like the present. During the day, there are family-friendly activities and shows. Then, as Houdini once said, “The freaks come out at night.” After dusk, guests can make their way through haunted houses, fright zones and terrifying trails.
Halloween Weekends
September 15 – October 29
15600 Tunnicliffe Rd., Petersburg, MI
734-856-4972
For seven weekends in September and October, KOA Campgrounds is hosting a fall fest filled with mini golf tourneys, magic shows, pumpkin carving contests, pet costumes and haunted houses. Guests must stay for a minimum of two nights.
Northwood Ohio’s Fall Festival
October 14
Noon – 5pm
Central Park, Northwood
At the corner of Wales and Oram
The Community Cares Committee of Northwood is excited to once again host the annual Northwood Fall Festival. There is something for the entire family: live bands, a parade, a car show, a cornhole tournament, activities for the kids including inflatables, pumpkin painting and vendor booths. Then, gather the family at night for a fireworks display!
Food trucks will be on site all day, and beer and wine will be available to purchase.
Camp Miakonda Halloween Party
October 21
5:30 – 9:30pm
October 22
1 – 3:30 pm
5600 W. Sylvania Ave.
This family-friendly event features two days with hayrides, inflatables, trick-or-treating, games and haunted attractions. Tickets are $7 per person online, $10 at the door.
Events at Put-In-Bay
Oktoberfest
October 7 – 8
11am – 7pm
DeRiveria Park, 341 Bayview Ave., Put-In-Bay
Do you have German roots? Or do you simply enjoy German culture? If so, Oktoberfest at Put-In-Bay is for you. This annual event features a plethora of food, drinks and activities for the entire family. Enjoy brats, potato pancakes, apple dumplings, pierogi, cabbage and noodles, chicken paprikash and desserts provided by Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce member restaurants. Beer is also available from the Put-in-Bay Brewery. Live polka and German style music will be playing on both days.
Island Wine Festival
September 30 – October 1
Put in Bay Winery, 392 Bayview Avenue, Put-in-Bay
Wine connoisseurs can sample from more than 250 imported and domestic wines, including island wines from Put-in-Bay Winery and Heineman’s, all while enjoying the island life at Put-In-Bay. You can purchase your favorite wine and a silent auction will benefit the Lake Erie Island Historical Society.
Halloween Boo Bash at the Bay
October 20 – 22
Delaware Ave Strip, Put In Bay
This continues to be one of the largest fall parties at Put-In-Bay before things close up for the winter. You and several thousand others can don your best costumes, enjoy frosty beverages and live entertainment and enter for a chance to win numerous prizes and cash prizes!
Frightening Temptations
Panic in the Pines at Country Lane Tree Farm
Ticket sales begin on the farm at 7:30pm
Must arrive by 10pm
$25
Every Saturday in October
Country Lane Tree Farm
3525 N. Bolander Rd., Genoa
419-461-1298
Looking for a spooky time for the older kids? Look no further than Country Lane Farms’ Panic in the Pines, which includes three different haunts. This one is not for the faint of heart! It’s the perfect fall fright fest for families who are brave enough for the experience.
Haunted Waterville Tours
Third Thursday of each month
Tour times each night are: 5:15pm, 6pm, 6:45 pm, 7:30 pm and 8pm
The Robbins House
114 South River Rd., Waterville
Join local paranormal investigators Amanda Hermiller and Lisa Maag as they lead you on a haunted, horse-drawn trolley adventure to learn more about the haunted heritage of historic downtown Waterville. Each tour will have different special guests.
Field of Fear
Open every Friday and Saturday night until Oct 29 from 7- 11pm
Open every Sunday night From October 1 through Oct 29 from 7-10pm
Open on October 12 and October 19 from 7-10pm
3001 S Crissey Rd., Monclova
567-502-0900
This one is not for the faint of heart. This haunted farm attraction features bone-chilling adventures in a dark and mysterious corn field maze. Gates will open at 7pm with the last tickets sold at 11pm. Ticket prices to be determined.
ScreamAcres Haunted Attractions
September 22 – October 29
Friday 6-10pm
Saturday 2-10pm
Sunday 2-6pm
Leaders Farm
0064 Co. Rd. 16, Napoleon
419-599-1570
Who would have ever thought that corn could be so scary? In this haunted corn maze, you never know what’s lurking in the darkness. In addition to the maze, the PanDEMONium Project is a haunted, high-action activity for teens and adults, NOT for young kids. Don’t worry though! The Barnyard has family-friendly activities such as a super slide, milking a cow, corn hole and a straw tunnel maze.
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