“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” — L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
MANSFIELD — You have no excuse to be bored during the month of October.
Whether you’re into pumpkin spice or apple donuts, craft shows or craft beers, harvest festivals or Halloween — there’s tons to do in Richland County during the month of October.
Below, you’ll find an in-depth guide of this year’s autumn events and must-see attractions.
Indulge in some autumn sweets and beverages
Stop by Apple Hill Orchards for apple picking, donuts and cider. This classic destination also offers hayrides and barrel car rides from 1 to 4 p.m on Saturday and Sunday. Families can make a day of it by stopping at the playground and saying hello to the chickens, ducks and goats.
The 6th Annual Food Truck Festival is back at South Park on Oct. 4 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Halloween Bar Crawl The second annual downtown Mansfield Halloween Bar Crawl takes place Oct. 5 and starts at 6 p.m. Stops include The Warehouse Tavern, City Grille, The Clubhouse, The Phoenix Brewing Company, and DLX. Begin at the Warehouse Tavern to receive your crawl log, then stop at any participating location at your leisure. End the night at the Warehouse with your completed crawl log to participate in the costume contest. Three winners will be chosen to receive a prize bucket. Each bucket will contain swag from each location from the crawl as well as a mid shelf bottle of your choice.
Indulge for a good cause with the 3rd Annual Dogs Donuts and Drinks on Oct. 12 at 10:30 a.m. Kick off the event with a .5k (about 350 steps), then enjoy some beer (or root beer) and donuts. There will be raffles, a caricature artist, and dogs. Bring your own friendly pooch to join the festivities. All money raised to benefit The Humane Society of Richland County. Tickets are $45. This event takes place at the Phoenix Brewing Company Beer Garden in downtown Mansfield.
Join in on timeless tradition at the 66th Annual Apple Butter Festival in Shiloh on Oct. 12. Enjoy a homemade lunch of soups, sandwiches, pies and apple dumplings at Shenandoah Christian Church. Take in the sights and smells of homemade apple butter being cooked in giant copper kettles. To place your order ahead of time, call 419-895-1966 or 419-895-1365 (Church). Sugar and spice, spice only and no sugar added varieties available.
Warehouse Tavern will host the Halloween Beer Olympics Oct. 12 from 4 to 9. Put on your best costume and get ready to compete in exciting beer-themed games. Team registration is $25; prizes are available.
Why should kids have all the fun? Stop by The Phoenix Brewing Company for Adult Trick or Treat from Oct. 24 to Oct. 31. Enjoy a pairing of Halloween candies with Phoenix beer — choose between two flights or try them both for a treat-filled experience! While costumes aren’t required, they’re definitely encouraged.
An Afternoon with Edgar Allen Poe at the Phoenix on Oct. 27 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Take your tastebuds on a tour with two specialty cocktails and readings from some of Edgar Allen Poe’s selected passages read by John Moser. Seats are limited, and tickets are required. Click here for more information.
Monster Mash at the Buckeye Imagination Museum This adults-only event gives you the opportunity to act like a kid. Enjoy games, speciality drinks, snacks and a costume contest on Oct. 26 from 7 to 10 p.m. Click here for more info and tickets.
Halloween Block Party at the Warehouse Tavern, Oct. 26 starting at 8 p.m. Get ready for an exciting night filled with a costume contest featuring cash prizes, outdoor games, Halloween cocktails specials, and live DJ.
Halloween Disco at DLX on Oct. 26 from 9 p.m. to midnight. This a 70s and 80s themed disco party has no cover charge, you can enjoy a free fangtastic feast, dance to the beats of their DJ, and dance the night away. Don your best disco attire and let’s get ready to party.
Masquerade Murder Mystery Dinner at the Wishmaker House, Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m., reservations are required. Click here for more info.
More things to do this fall
Head to a pumpkin patch
Pumpkin Head Pumpkin Patch offers a corn maze as well as pick-your-own pumpkins and gourds. The patch is open from 10 a.m. to sundown. This self-serve patch accepts cash, Cash App and Venmo.
J & J Rietschlin Farm offers self-serve pumpkin, straw and corn stalks for sale. Stop by Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 20 to check out the corn maze. Or visit at night for a haunted experience.
Wayne’s Country Market is more than just a place for groceries. All through October, the market offers a variety of activities for children preschool age thru 3rd grade, including two large slides, a rope swing, a zip line, a corn bin and a straw maze. These activities are located in the barn and are free to enjoy during store hours.
Check out these family-friendly events
Haunt the Carrousel on Oct. 4 from 3 to 8 p.m. Children enjoy free rides at Richland Carrousel Park from 3 to 6 p.m. Anyone who comes in costume gets a free treat.
The Charles Mill Halloween Weekend runs Oct. 4 and 5. It features crafts, contests, trick or treat, wagon rides and more. Click here for more information.
American Heritage Days returns to South Park Oct. 5 and 6. Discover life in early America during the 18th and 19th centuries from living historical reenactors. Throughout the day there will be crafts, trades, demonstrations, and activities, including blacksmithing, games and children’s activities, open hearth cooking demonstrations, and Civilian and Military reenactments.
National Alpaca Farm Days Stop by Shady Lane Alpaca Farm on Oct. 5 and 6 from noon to 5 p.m. for pony rides, blacksmithing demonstrations, bean soup and cornbread. Hand feed the alpacas or pick up some pumpkins, gourds or other materials for fall decorating.
Family Fall Festival & Trunk or Treat on Oct. 6 from 2 to 4 pm. at Mansfield 1st Presbyterian Church. There will be games, prizes, crafts, acctivities, donuts and cider. All are welcome. The event also includes a canned food drive in support of The Salvation Army. Please bring new canned goods and help us support those in need in our community.
The Ohio Bird Sanctuary Fall Festival takes place Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entry is $20 per car. Enjoy keeper talks, raffle baskets, a bonfire, crafts and activities, food and hot chocolate, kids activities and more.
Fall Community Festival at Light & Life Christian Camp takes place Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. All are welcome and admission is free. Come enjoy festival games, face painting, horse rides, hay wagon rides, food trucks, pumpkin patch and more.
Fall Harvest Festival at Traveling Acres Petting Zoo. This event kicks off Oct. 12 and continues during the last three weekends in October. A variety of activities are available, including the corn pit, Apple slingshot, pumpkin sling shot, pony rides, petting zoo and pick your own pumpkins. Snack on some caramel corn or sip on an apple cider slushy. Visit Traveling Acres Petting Zoo’s Facebook page for more information and tickets.
Autumn in the Village takes place Oct. 13 from 11 a.m .to 4 p.m. at Village Roots in Plymouth. This community-inspired gathering will feature local products and handmade products, plus a bounce house for kids, food trucks, live musical, small carnival-style games and more. This event takes place rain or shine.
Community Pumpkin Carving at Kingwood Center Gardens on Oct. 16 and 17 from noon to 8 p.m. Help carve jack-o-lanterns for the annual Pumpkin Glow and enjoy free admission to the gardens. Pumpkins, stencils and tools are provided.
The Great Pumpkin Glow at Kingwood Center Gardens returns Oct. 18, 19 and 20. This annual tradition features close to 1,000 jack-o-lanterns lining the paths of estate, plus a 15-foot mum tree, scarecrow row, greenhouse glow, enchanted forest, a children’s carnival, live DJ, food trucks, autumn activities and stunning fall décor. Tickets are available at KingwoodCenter.org.
Mosaic Mansfield Fall Festival This annual church festival is open to all and concludes trunk or treat, children’s games and free chili, hotdogs and chips. Mark your calendars for Oct. 18 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Gaslight Tours return to Oak Hill Cottage on Oct. 18 and 25. These guided tours require a reservation. Call 419-524-1765 and leave a message. The price of all tours is $5 for Adults and $1 for Children 12 and under.
Moos & Brews will be co-hosted by The Phoenix Brewing Company, Pfarr Farms and Downtown Mansfield, Inc. on Oct. 19. Come to the Brickyard and take your own fall-themed photos with Scottish Highland cows for $10.
Sluss Realty’s Halloween Treasure Hunt takes place Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to noon at The Ontario Center (formerly known as the Richland County Mall) Families are invited to participate in a Treasure Hunt anytime during the 2-hour period at their own pace. One gold coin found will be worth $500, Also enjoy a trick-or-treat walk-thru, bounce houses, inflatables and other surprises. Costumes are encouraged.
Fall Festival sponsored by the Lexington PTO. Stop by the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Oct. 26 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to experience live music, food trucks, vendors, games, a costume contest, hay ride, pie your teacher, trunk or treat and more.
Renaissance Theater’s “The Spooky Old House” Teddy Bear Concert This humorous Halloween story is perfect for children ages 2 through 10. This free Teddy Bear concert features audience participation and interactive storytelling with local actors and live musicians from the Mansfield Symphony. The event takes place OCt. 26 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the main branch of the Mansfield-Richland County Public Library.
Embrace all things spooky
Escape from Blood Prison is a harrowing walk through the unrelenting horrors of the Ohio State Reformatory—the state’s notoriously haunted prison. In this unsettling space where paranormal activity abounds, hear the ear-splitting wail of the warden’s widow. Encounter the frightening phantasms of maniacal inmates and deformed guards in the world’s largest free-standing steel cell block. Descend into the suffocating blackness of The Hole. Blood Prison runs from Oct. 4 to Nov. 2. Visit BloodPrison.com for hours, tickets and more information.
J & J Rietschlin Farm Field of Screams Things have taken a spooky turn at this fifth-generation family farm in Shelby. Check out the hayride, haunted woods and haunted corn maze every Friday and Saturday in October. For more information and tickets, click here.
Mohican Haunted Schoolhouse This terrifying attraction provides over 30 minutes of fear and frights across 3 floors, an ominous basement and outdoor exhibit packed with freakish, terrifying landscapes and creatures. Originally built in 1924, this haunted schoolhouse endured years of vacancy with rumors of strange noises and ghost sightings through its dark, winding, and foreboding hallways. The schoolhouse is open Fridays and Saturdays in October, as well as Oct. 27 and Nov. 2. For more information, click here.
Ghost Hike at Malabar Farm State Park on Oct. 13, 20 and 27 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Embrace the Sunday scaries with two hour walks across eh land that became Malabar Farm. Hear haunting local tales from the Valley, American Indian folklore, Early Pioneer history, the supernatural, mythological and more. Pre-registration required by calling 419-892-2784. There is limited space available. This hike is suggested for adults.
Go for a hike
In my humble opinion, Ohio is at its most beautiful in the fall. There’s nothing more peaceful or picturesque than hiking through the woods in mid-October — and there are plenty of places to do that in and around Richland County.
On a budget? Take advantage of parks like Gorman Nature Center, Malabar Farm State Park, Mohican State Park, Fowler Woods State Nature Preserve and North Lake Park. Or check out the Richland B& O Bike Trail or Clear Fork Valley Scenic Trail. You can also find free-to-access trails near the Clearfork Reservoir and Shelby Reservoir.
Have a few bucks to splurge? Visit Kingwood Center Gardens to check out the fall flowers, wooded paths and iconic mum tree.
Gorman Nature Center is hosting an Autumn Nature Walk for Seniors on Oct. 10 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Participants should meet at the Picnic Pavilion. Call (419) 884-3764 for more details.
The Richland County Health Department is sponsoring a Fall Hike for Health at Malabar Farm State Park on Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the visitor center for maps and refreshments.
Take in a concert or show
Check, Please at the Ohio State University Mansfield Theater. A crowd favorite returns with this blend of the best scenes from Jonathan Rand’s 3-play trilogy. Two people hope for the best but suffer through the worst as they struggle through blind dates with a kleptomaniac, a pirate, an EXTREME thrill-seeker, an obsessive sports fan, a mime, and many even more outrageous suitors. Are they doomed to eternal dating nightmares, or can they find true love? Showtimes include Oct. 4, 5 and 7 at 7:30 and Oct. 6 at 2:30 p.m. Click here for more info and tickets.
Community Drumming Circle The Mid-Ohio Reiki Group will be hosting a Community Drumming Circle in the field on the south side of the Gorman Nature Center building on October 5th from 2 to 4 p.m. Be sure to bring a chair, your drums, rattles, etc., and even a friend or two! A minimum donation of $5/person goes directly to the Richland County Parks District.
Rodger and Hammerstein’s South Pacific The latest production by the Renaissance Performing Arts Association runs the first two weekends in October. Set against the backdrop of the World War II’s Pacific Theater, the story revolves around two parallel romantic tales that unfold amidst the challenges of war and cultural differences. Tickets for this performance at the Renaissance’s Theater 166 are available at rentickets.org.
Mansfield Symphony: The Music of John Williams. Experience the magic of Williams’ iconic film scores brought to life at the Renaissance Theater on Oct. 19. From the stirring melodies of “Star Wars” to the enchanting themes of “Harry Potter” and the thrilling soundtracks of “Jurassic Park” and “Indiana Jones,” immerse yourself in the timeless brilliance of one of cinema’s greatest composers.
Deathtrap at the Mansfield Playhouse tells the story of Broadway thriller writer dealing with a string or writer’s block. when he receives a script from a student in the seminar he has been conducting at a nearby college, he plans to offer collaboration to the student for co-credit. . . or does he? Show dates include Oct. 18, 19, 25, 26 and 27. Visit the Mansfield Playhouse website for tickets and info.
CrowFest at the Mansfield Art Center begins with an artist reception on Oct. 26 and runs through Nov. 16. This annual tribute to the local crow population features crow-inspired art in every medium. The Oct. 26 artist reception will include food trucks, craft beer, fall festivities and an awards presentation.
Proximity of Fate, a curated exhibition, is on display through Oct. 20 at the Mansfield Art Center. Entrance to the exhibit is a $5 to $10 suggested donation.
Watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Renaissance. Costumes are highly encouraged.
Newsroom After Hours: Hip-Hop Halloween Stop by the Richland Source basement on Nov. 1 for free music, free food and free beer (for attendees 21 and older). Catch live performances by Devi Kay, Thuh Koz and A.P. The Kidd. Dro Jack will provide tunes before and between sets. Doors open at 7 p.m. Come in Costume.
