MANSFIELD — Calling every ghoul, goblin and aspiring Spider-Man: spooky season is back.
Whether you’re going for a ghastly piece of garb or whimsical ensemble, we’ve got a list of trick-or-treat opportunities below.
If you’re still looking for a costume idea, we’ve got your back. Google Trends’ Frightgeist analyzed the most popular Halloween costume searches across the country.
Nationwide, the Top 10 costumes include Barbie, princess, Spider-Man, witch, fairy, Wednesday Addams, dinosaur, cowboy, ninja and bunny.
Barbie failed to crack the Top Five in Ohio, where you’re most likely to spot dinosaurs, Stranger Things characters, Spider-Man, witches and cowboys.
Looking for something more unique? Sheep, sugar skull girls, gelflings, Fred Rogers and Carole Baskin all rank much lower on the list.
City and village trick or treats
Bellville will host trick or treat on Oct. 26 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.. The Halloween parade will follow at 7 p.m. No registration is required.
Butler’s Trick or Treat will take place on Oct. 28 at 5 to 7 p.m. A costume contest will follow at the fire station, where hot dogs and apple cider will be served. The pumpkin carving contest starts in Memorial Park at 5 p.m. Please bring pumpkins pre-carved for judging and prizes.
Crestline will have residential trick or treat on Oct. 29 from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 4 to 5 p.m. in the uptown business district on Seltzer Street. A costume contest will take place at The Hub at 5:15.
Lexington will have its trick or treat on Thursday, Oct. 26 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Please turn your porch lights on if you’d like to participate.
Lucas trick or treating will be held on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 2:30 to 3:30, followed by a parade at 4 p.m. from St. Pauls’ Church to the Lucas Community Center. A rain date for both is scheduled for Oct. 29.
Mansfield’s Halloween Parade will take place on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. Lineup is at 9 a.m. The parade begins at 10 a.m. at the 5-way light at Marion and Park Avenues.
Downtown trick or treating will follow from noon to 1 p.m. Citywide trick or treating is set from 4 to 6 p.m.
Ontario’s citywide trick or treat is scheduled for Oct 28 at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Shelby will have trick or treat on Oct. 28, with a parade at 2 p.m. and trick or treating starting at 4 p.m.
Shiloh will have trick or treat event on October 28th at 5 p.m.
Plymouth will have its trick or treat on Oct. 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Boo on Broadway runs in the business district from 5 to 7 p.m. The glow parade starts at 7 p.m. Participants should line up at the Square in front of the museum. The parade route runs from Trux Street to the American Legion building. The Legion will host an infant through 8th grade costume contest at 7:15.
Other fall events
Some of the events listed below are free; others are ticketed and may require reservations.
Family-friendly
The Mansfield Art Center‘s Crowfest 2023 exhibit features more than 100 crow-inspired pieces from artists across Ohio.
Mosaic’s Annual Fall Festival is set for Oct. 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at 296 Park Avenue West. The festivities include a chili cook-off, hot dogs, trunk or treat, face painting, a DJ, horse rides and games.
The Great Pumpkin Glow at Kingwood Center Gardens runs from 4 to 9 p.m. Oct. 20 thru 22. The event features rows of community-carved jack-o-lanterns illuminating the pathways.
Other attractions include the 15-foot Mum Tree, Scarecrow Row, Greenhouse Glow, Enchanted Forest, children’s carnival, a live DJ, food trucks, autumn activities and fall decor.
Free community carving takes place Oct. 18 and 19 from noon to 8 p.m.
The Mansfield YMCA will host a trunk or treat event on October 28th from noon to 2 p.m.
Spitzer Motors of Mansfield will host a trunk or treat carnival Oct. 21 from 2 to 5 p.m. at 1777 West Fourth Street in Ontario. The event will feature music, a haunted walk, face painting, a bouncy house, free hot dogs and food trucks.
Ontario will host its Haunted Trail at Marshall Park on Oct. 21. Enjoy pumpk’n chuck’n from 5 to 8 p.m. and kid-friendly events from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The family-friendly walk will be available from 5 to 7 p.m.; followed by the scary trail from 7 to 9 p.m.
Mansfield Place Assisted Living, 1841 Middle Bellville Rd., will host a free trunk or treat from 4 to 6 p.m. on Oct. 26.
The Shelby YMCA will host a trunk or treat Oct. 27 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. There will candy, pumpkin decorating and games.
The Mansfield YMCA will host trunk or treat on Oct. 28 from noon to 2 p.m. There will be candy, pumpkin decorating, games, prizes and food trucks.
The North End Community Improvement Collaborative (NECIC) will host a harvest festival at its urban farm on Oct. 28 from 1 to 3 p.m. at 311 Bowman Street. The event will include face painting, a bonfire, games, kids activities, a hayride and fall treats.
Faintly frightening
The Renaissance Theater will screen The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m.
The theater department at OSU Mansfield will present The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie on Oct. 20, 21 and 23 at 7:30 and Oct. 22 at 2:30. Call 419 755-4045 or visit go.osu.edu/mansfieldtheatretickets to purchase tickets.
The Mansfield Playhouse will perform Angel Street (Gaslight) Oct. 20, 21, 27 and 28 at 8 p.m and Oct. 29 at 2:30 p.m. As the curtain rises, all appears to be the essence of Victorian tranquility.
It is soon apparent, however, that Mr. Manningham, a suavely handsome man, is slowly driving his gentle, devoted wife, Bella, to the brink of insanity with an insinuating kindness that masks more sinister motives.
Richland Source will host its Newsroom After Hours Halloween Rave on Oct. 21 from 7:30 to midnight. EDM outfits Tesreflect, Spooky Boy and GET WEIRD will perform. Free drinks and food will be available.
The Renaissance Theater will present the silent film The Phantom of the Opera with live organ accompaniment on Oct. 22 from 2:30 to 5 p.m.
The Ohio State University at Mansfield will show Night of the Living Dead on Oct. 26 at 10:30 p.m. and Oct. 29 and 31 at 7:30 p.m.
This 1968 indie horror film, directed by horror master George A. Romero, has been called the first modern zombie film.
In 1999, it was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
Positively petrifying
Mohican Haunted Schoolhouse, 155 W. Third Street in Perrysville, offers a new set of horrors Fridays and Saturdays throughout October from 7 to 11 p.m., as well as Oct. 22 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Escape from Blood Prison brings the paranormal past of the Ohio State Reformatory to a whole new level on Oct. 20, 21, 27 and 28 from 7 p.m. to midnight.
The Field of Screams at J & J Rietschlin Farm includes a 3 acre woods, haunted path and 5 acre corn maze. Field of Screams is open Fridays and Saturday evenings through October at 5482 St Rt 61 S., Shelby.
Malabar Farm State Park, 4050 Bromfield Rd. in Lucas, will host a Ghost Hike on Oct. 22 and Oct. 29 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The event is recommended for adults; pre-registration is required.