For all of your fall 2018 needs—scares, tricks, treats, crafts, corn mazes, and festivals—check out the list below of the many fun goings on over the next few months. All events are linked to a site with more information regarding admission costs, dates and times, and locations.
Haunted Houses, Trails, and Attractions
Cincinnati goes all out for haunted houses; many of which include extraordinary makeup, spooky settings, and animatronics. Here’s a list of haunted houses and trails to visit this Halloween season:
Brimstone Haunt (Wilmington) – $22 for a combo admission pass to the Haunted Hayride and Forgotten Forest (Fast Pass also available). Brought to you buy the producers of the Ohio Renaissance Festival and Celtic Fest Ohio.
Open Friday and Saturday nights September 28 through October 27
The Dent Schoolhouse (Dent) – $20 for general admission, $35 for fast past admission (discounted online only), $50 for front of the line admission (view ticketing options here)
Open weekends, September 14–November 3, and most Thursdays in October
Fear Factory (Batesville, IN) – Haunted Tour ($10), Escape Room ($5), and Lights On tour ($10) tickets are all available
Open Fridays and Saturdays October 5–27; Lights On tour October 21
Halloween Haunt at Kings Island (Mason) – tickets starting at $31.99
Friday and Saturday nights, September 21–October 28
Military discounts available
Haunted Village at Heritage Village – Family Friendly (Sharon Woods) – October 12–13, 19–20, 26–27, 6–10pm (entrance closes at 9pm)
Admission is $10 (Heritage Village Museum members and children under 2 are free)
Highway 50 Fright Field (North Bend) – $12 admission to a live haunted experience and haunted cornfield
Fridays and Saturdays in October, 8pm–12am
Horror Hike Haunted Trail (Lawrenceburg, IN)
Discount available for military, law enforcement, firefighters, and first responders (with ID)
Land of Illusion Haunted Scream Park (Middletown) – General Admission starting at $29.99 for six “horrifying haunts.” Click here for complete ticketing information.
Fridays and Saturdays in September, 8pm–2am
Thursdays and Sundays in October, 7:30–11:30pm
Fridays and Saturdays in October, 8pm–2am
November 2 and 3, 8pm–2am
Mt. Healthy Haunted Hall (Mt. Healthy) – $10 admission ($2 off with canned good donation), $15 fast passes
Open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, September 28–October 27 (closed Sunday, October 28)
Sandyland Acres Haunted Hayride (Petersburg, KY) – $14 (cash only)
Open Fridays and Saturdays, September 14–October 27, 8pm–12am
USS Nightmare (Newport) – General Admission starting at $20 (all ticketing options can be viewed here)
Open Wednesday through Sunday, starting September 21
Wilmington Haunted Hollow Ride (Wilmington) – General Admission: $25 (all ticketing options can be viewed here)
Open Fridays and Saturdays, September 22–October 27
Ghost Tours
Do you favor the paranormal over costumes and actors? Don’t worry, there are a number of options for haunted ghost tours in Cincinnati.
Bobby Mackey’s Haunted Tours (Newport) – fee required for five-hour investigations
Buried Secrets, Haunted Cincinnati Tours – $20.95 for two-hour outdoor walking tour
Cincinnati Ghost Tour (Clifton) – $15 for 90-minute tour
Eerie Encounters, Haunted Cincinnati Tours – $20 for 90-minute outdoor walking tour
Haunted Brewery Tour (Christian Moerlein Brewing Co., OTR) – $25, 7–11pm
Newport is Haunted, American Legacy Tours (Newport) – $25 for 90-minute tour
Queen City is Haunted, American Legacy Tours (OTR) – $25 for 90-minute tour ($35 for an “ultimate” tour)
Halloween Events
Click on the corresponding link for more information about event details and admission.
Weekends in October: HallZOOween (Cincinnati Zoo)
October 6: The Haunting at the Manor, hosted by Westwood Works, 6pm–12am*
October 12–14: Operation Pumpkin in Hamilton
October 13: 8th Annual Howl’OWeen Pooch Parade in downtown Lebanon#
October 13: The Great Pumpkin Fest at Keehner Park (West Chester), 2–6pm
October 17: An Early All Hallows Eve at Krohn Conservatory, 6–8pm*
October 19–20: Annual Magic Forest Halloween Hikes at Caldwell Nature Preserve*
October 19–21: Falling for Wiedemann Fall Festival at Wiedemann’s Fine Beer
October 20: Harvest Hootenanny at Story Woods Park, 12–9pm
October 21: Pup-O-Ween at 3 Points Urban Brewery, 12–4pm#
October 21: Howl-O-Ween in the Woods at Caldwell Nature Center, 12–3pm*
October 21: Howl-O-Wine at Vinoklet, 1–5pm#
October 24: Taft Halloween Bash at Taft Museum of Art, 6–9pm*
October 26: Halloween Nights at Parky’s Farm*
October 27: Halloween Walk in the Woods at Blue Ash Nature Park, 12–3pm*
October 27: Halloween Costume Party at Beechmont Rollarena, 1–3:30pm*
October 27: Nature at Night Pumpkin Hike at Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve/Ellenwood Nature Barn, 6:30–7:30pm*
October 27: Halloween Bash 2018, 6–11:30pm*
October 27–28: Fall Fest Weekend at Washington Park
October 28: Dog Pawrade in MainStrasse#
October 28: Boo Fest at Liberty Center
October 28: Halloween/End of Season Bash at WagsPark, 11am–5pm#
October 29: Halloween PUPP at Clifton Plaza, 5:30–7:30pm#
October 30: Bark or Treat! at Red Dog Pet Resort & Spa Mason, 5–7pm#
October 31: LBC Halloween Party at Listermann, 5–9pm
Art Festivals and Craft Fairs
Looking for gifts this holiday season? What about decor to spruce up your home? Shop local at one of many art festivals and craft fairs this fall. For information regarding the event and admission, click on the corresponding link.
September 29: Lebanon Feast and Fall-y, 10am–6pm
September 29: Liberty Township Fall Festival, 11am–3pm
September 29–30: Ruffles and Rust Expo Fall Show at Butler County Fairgrounds [$6/adult, 12 and under free]
October 5–7: Metamora Canal Days
October 6: Autumn Harvest Craft & Vendor Show at King of Kings Lutheran Church (Mason), 10am–4pm
October 6–7: Lakota West High School Craft Show
October 18–20: House of Santa Mouse at St. John Neumann Church*
October 20: Hamilton High School Booster Craft Show, 9am–4pm
October 21: West Side Brewing Holiday Craft Fair, 12–4pm
November 2–4: 2018 Greater Cincinnati Holiday Market at Duke Energy Convention Center [tickets required and can be purchased here]
November 3–4: Colerain High School Craft Show
November 10–11: Lakota East Holiday Arts and Crafts Show
November 17: Sycamore High School Arts and Crafts Show
November 17: Oak Hills Band Association Holiday Craft Fair
November 23–25, 30–December 2: Cincideutsch Christkindlmarkt on Fountain Square
December 1: Crafty Supermarket at Music Hall, 11am–6pm
December 8–9: Ohio Explored Holiday Maker Mart at Urban Artifact, 12–6pm
December 15: The City Flea Holiday Market at Washington Park, 10am–4pm
For more fairs, shows, and bazaars in the region, click here.
Fall Festivals
For admission information, dates, and more details about the events, click on the corresponding link below.
September 29: Sips in Sunflowers at Burwinkel Farms, 5:30–8pm*
October 6: Apple Cider & Pumpkin Celebration Weekend at Hidden Valley Orchards (Lebanon), 11am–5pm
October 6: Fall Festival at Valley View, 2–5pm
October 6–7: Sunflower Festival at Gorman Heritage Farm, 10am–6pm
October 7: Fall Festival hosted by Prasco Park, 1–4pm
October 12–14: Operation Pumpkin (Pumpkin and Art Festival) (Hamilton)
October 13–14: 49th Annual Ohio Sauerkraut Festival (Waynesville)
October 14: Cincinnati Family’s Family Fall Festival at Mason Community Center, 10am–2pm
October 14: Fall Festival at Vinoklet Winery, 11am–5pm
October 20–21: Minges & Weber Family Pumpkin Festival (Harrison)
October 21: Findlay Market Fall Food Fest, 10am–4pm
Blooms & Berries Farm Market# (Loveland) – Fall on the Farm information
Admission includes pumpkin patch, hayrides, corn maze, farm animals, market, play area, and more!
Monday–Friday, $8/person; Saturday–Sunday, $11/person
Discounts available for seniors and active military members
Bonnybrook Farms (Clarksville) – Fall Farm Days: Saturdays (12–7pm) and Sundays (12–6pm), September 29–October 28
Pumpkin patch, Adventure Wagon Ride with professional actors, CrAzEd CoRn MAzE, friendly farm animals, pony rides; Clodhopper Golf, giant slingshots, and archery.
$15 admission
Burger Farm Fall Festival (Newtown) – Saturdays and Sundays, September 29–October 28, 10am–6pm
30+ attractions, including Pumpkin Land, puppet show, straw castle and maze,mini zip lines, “Pumpkinapolis 500,” barnyard animals and games, and live entertainment.
“Play All Day” admission is $12/child (ages 3–18) and $5/adult (children under 2 are free)
Burwinkel Farms (Ross) – weekends in October
Corn maze, skid maze, Halloween scavenger hunt, locally grown apples, crawl-thru straw tunnel, corn pool, and weekend hayrides to a pumpkin patch and sunflower field (when in bloom).
Country Pumpkins (Dry Ridge, KY) – September and October
Monday–Thursday 4–7pm, Friday 2–7pm, Saturday 10am–7pm, Sunday 12–5pm
Kiddie corn maze, petting zoo, corn box, straw bale maze, play area, Sand Tunnels, Hay Pyramid and picnic shelter (all free), and a U-Pick Pumpkin Patch, 4-acre Corn Maze, hayrides, barrel train rides, Cotton Wagon Ride, Turbo Slide, Extreme Launcher, and food available for purchase.
Click here for pricing information
Fall-O-Ween at Coney Island (California) – October 6–7, 13–14, 20–21, 11am–6pm
Trick or Treat Trail (ages 10 and under), carriage rides, Coney’s Classic Rides, kid-friendly hay maze, Fall-O-Ween 500, family hayride, pumpkin launch, pony rides, Farmyard Friends petting zoo, Halloween magic show, and more.
General Admission for ages 2 and up is $12
The Great Pumpkin Fest at Kings Island (Mason) – weekends September 29–October 28
The Great Pumpkin Fest at Kings Island is all treats and no tricks when it comes to family-friendly fun including live entertainment, mazes, trick-or-treating and so much more! For guests of all ages.
Halloween Nights at Parky’s Farm (Mt. Healthy) – October 11–28, Thursday–Sunday, 5:30–9:30pm
This annual event features hay wagon rides, inflatable obstacle course, “creepy” campfire, bounce house, hardly-haunted castle, magic and juggling shows, plus pony rides, s’more kits, and souvenirs available to purchase.
Winton Woods/Parky’s Farm (pre-order tickets online: $7/person; tickets at gate: $8/person; free for children under 2)
Irons Fruit Farm (Lebanon) – October Weekends, 11am–5pm
Pumpkins and hayrides, corn maze, bakery (with apple fritters, pies, cinnamon-cider donuts, cookies, and more!), market and store, apples, and special events.
Click here for a $1 off coupon
Jack O’Lantern Junction at EnterTRAINment Junction (West Chester) – September 29–October 31
Halloween fun for the whole family! Walk through our kid-friendly trick-or-treat maze, visit our mini animated display, and visit the area’s only indoor Pumpkin Patch. Kids get a free mini pumpkin!
Jackson Family Farm Fall Festival (Middletown) – Saturdays, September 22–October 20, 10am–6pm
Farm Town, pedal tractors and implements, pumpkin patch, corn maze, Play in the Hay, Corn Box, hay ride, fall food and homemade ice cream, and more!
$10 per person (ages 2 and under free)
Kinman Farms Fall Fest (Burlington) – September 21–October 28; Fridays 12–10pm, Saturdays 10am–10pm, Sundays 12–7pm
Fall Fest admission includes: picnic shelters, bonfires, games, The Great Pumpkin Express Rides, 5-acre corn maze, Kinman’s Carnival Tent, live bands, a NEW game area, and more! Open daily, but activities take place on the weekends.
Click here for pricing information
Neltner’s Farm Fall Fest (Melbourne, KY) – September 29–October 28 (more info)
There’s something for every member of your family: horse-drawn wagon rides, model train display, an expansive corn maze, pick-your-own pumpkin patch, petting zoo, pony rides, homemade food and ice cream, farm shop, crafters, pottery, face-painting, seasonal apples, folk art, live music, a wonderful variety of demonstrations, and a barrel train!
Weekend admission (10am–6pm): $5 (ages 3 and up); weekdays (9am–6pm): free
Leashed pets are allowed
Niederman Family Farm Fall Festival (Liberty Twp.) – September 21–October 28
Thursday 6–9pm, Friday 6–10pm, Saturday 11am–10pm, Sunday 1–6pm
General admission includes 4-acre corn maze, hayrides, kids tractor play area, climbing web, animal exhibits, duck races, pipe swings, climbing hill, jumping pillow, and more!
General admission wristband must be purchased for children 2 and above (children under 2 are free). Season passes are available.
Ohio Renaissance Festival (Waynesville) – September 1–October 28
Tricks or Treats Weekend (ages 12 and under free) – October 27–28
Shaw Farms Fall Festival Weekends# (Milford) – weekends in September (starting the third weekend), 9am–6pm; weekends in October, 9am–7pm
Hayrides, horse-drawn wagons, music, pedal kart races, 12-acre corn maze, and interactive playground.
Click here for pricing information
Sunrock Farm (Wilder, KY) – admission starting at $10 per person
Delight in Sunrock Farm’s Pumpkin Patch Tour during the month of October. Spots are filling up fast! For more information about one- and two-hour pumpkin patch tours, click here.
Trick or Treat Events
October 20: Trunk ‘R Treat at Beech Acres Park, 2:30–5pm ($5/child, ages 10 and under)
October 26: Treat Street at Deerfield Towne Center, 6–8pm
October 27: Carol Ann’s Carousel Trick or Treat Event, 11am–3pm
October 31: Findlay Market Trick or Treat at the Market, 4–6pm
For “Trunk or Treat 2018” events near you, click here.
The official Trick-or-Treating time this Halloween is from 6pm–8pm, according to the city of Cincinnati.
[Updated 10/17/18]
Featured image: Fall in Eden Park, 2016
*Admission price not listed applies. Click on the link for more information.
#Dog-friendly even or place. Many pumpkin patches are dog friendly. Call to check with each to see if your leashed pet is allowed to join you on your trip to the farm!