The Best Things To Do In Columbus This Weekend (October 16–18)

Twenty One Pilots play Ohio Stadium Saturday night, the Columbus Marathon takes over the streets Sunday morning, and the Halloween calendar is full, from Boo at the Zoo to Pumpkins Aglow and the Westerville Pumpkin Glow.

Saturday, Twenty One Pilots play Ohio Stadium, a show the Schottenstein Center calls a hometown stadium show and the biggest U.S. headline performance of the band’s career. The Blue Jackets host the Rangers at Nationwide Arena an hour later, so expect campus and the Arena District to both be busy. Sunday morning the Columbus Marathon starts at 7:30 at North Bank Park. The Day of the Dead Festival is back at Green Lawn Cemetery Saturday, the Jonas Brothers are at Nationwide Arena Friday, and much of the rest is Halloween related: Boo at the Zoo, Pumpkins Aglow, the Westerville Pumpkin Glow and All Hallows’ Eve at Ohio Village. Here’s your weekend.

This Weekend At A Glance

Friday, October 16th

Jonas Brothers At Nationwide Arena

The Burning Up Tour All Over Again stops at Nationwide Arena Friday night with Magnus Ferrell and Deleasa opening. Tickets are through Ticketmaster, mobile only.

Location: Nationwide Arena, 200 W. Nationwide Blvd.
When: Friday, 7:30pm
More info: Nationwide Arena

Dublin Halloween Spooktacular

Dublin’s Spooktacular has a Friday afternoon session at the south end of Coffman Park, all of it outdoors, and the first half hour, from 1 to 1:30pm, is sensory-friendly with the lights and sounds turned down. Almost everything is free: a Trunk-or-Treat Trail with more than 20 local businesses and community organizations, live dance performances, professional pumpkin carvers, a petting zoo, a comedy juggler, a haunted playground, a hay maze, games and crafts. The Trunk-or-Treat Trail needed a free timed ticket, and the city says all of them sold out by 11:30am on Thursday, October 15th. Pumpkin Creations is $5 a child. Food vendors sell dinner, and One Dublin is collecting donations of new underwear, shampoo, body wash, baby wipes and lotion. Park at the Rec Center, the Coffman Park lots or the grass at Coffman South Field.

Location: Coffman Park, 5200 Emerald Pkwy., Dublin
When: Friday, 1–5pm
Cost: Free, trail tickets sold out; Pumpkin Creations $5
More info: City of Dublin

HallowEATS Food Truck Friday In Reynoldsburg

Halloweekend in the BURG opens with food trucks at JFK Park: Gourmet Mac Shak, Little Italy Ristorante, OHCHURROS, OX-B’s, Pretzel Shop Etc., Red Head Chef, Roadster, Schmidt’s Sausage Trucks and Tortilla Street Food, with Big Bad Stache playing the whole three hours and a paint and sip with drinks from Eastside Brewing. The costume exchange at City Hall runs all weekend, and Scarecrow City voting in Old Reynoldsburg and JFK Park opens Friday and runs through October 30th.

Location: JFK Park, 7232 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg
When: Friday, 5–8pm
More info: City of Reynoldsburg

Ohio Statehouse Haunted Tours

Conductors with lanterns lead groups through the darkened Statehouse after hours, and figures from Ohio’s past turn up along the way to tell their stories. Tickets are sold through the Statehouse Museum Shop, and as of Thursday, October 15th, only the 8:30pm Friday tour and the 8 and 8:30pm Saturday tours still had tickets, so check the shop’s site for what’s left. Park in the Statehouse Underground Garage, and leave any costume piece that looks like a weapon at home, since the Statehouse says those will be confiscated.

Location: Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capitol Square
When: Friday and Saturday, 7, 7:30, 8 and 8:30pm
Cost: $16; ages 12 and up; early slots sold out
More info: Ohio Statehouse

Pumpkin Walk Around The Pond

Metro Parks sets pumpkins along an easy half-mile walk around Turtle Pond in the Confluence Area at Three Creeks, with treats at stops on the way. Costumes are welcome.

Location: Three Creeks Metro Park, Confluence Area, 3860 Bixby Rd., Groveport
When: Friday, 5:30–7pm
More info: Metro Parks

Friends Of The Library Big Book Sale

The Friends of the Library’s fall sale is in the Main Library auditorium and Meeting Room 1A, all of it books and media withdrawn from the collection. Kids’ books, comics and vinyl start at $1, adult fiction and nonfiction at $2, and DVDs, CDs and audiobooks at $3, with 10% off for Friends members. Sunday is the bag sale: bring a sturdy bag and fill it for $5, or buy a Friends canvas tote and fill that for $12. Purchases are capped at $400 per household. The money goes to library programs and future levy campaigns.

Location: Main Library, 96 S. Grant Ave.
When: Friday and Saturday, 10am–5pm; Sunday, 1–4pm (bag sale)
Cost: Books from $1
More info: Columbus Metropolitan Library

BalletMet: Marilyn, Opening Weekend

BalletMet opens Marilyn at the Davidson Theatre Friday night, a full-length ballet about Marilyn Monroe that BalletMet says sets the glitz of her stardom against the woman behind the icon. Dani Rowe, artistic director of Oregon Ballet Theatre and for ten years a principal with the Australian Ballet, choreographed it, and Shannon Rugani, who was in the original Broadway cast of An American in Paris, wrote the score. The score premiered at Oregon Ballet Theatre in Portland in April 2025, and the production is a collaboration between BalletMet, Oregon Ballet Theatre and Tulsa Ballet. Park in the Riffe Center garage, entered from Front Street. It runs about two hours with one intermission, all sales are final, and the run continues October 22-24.

Location: Davidson Theatre, Riffe Center, 77 S. High St.
When: Friday and Saturday, 7:30pm; Sunday, 2pm
More info: BalletMet

Nightmares Film Festival

Gateway’s horror festival is in its 11th year and runs through Sunday, with screenings in two rooms. Co-founders Chris Hamel and Jason Tostevin host the awards presentation Saturday at 5:15pm. World premieres include Liv’s Last Ride Friday at 10:30pm, When You See It with Bailey Banshee Saturday at 8pm and the Looky Loo Double Feature Sunday at noon, and Saturday has U.S. premieres of Dead Drop with Meadow at 6pm and Astrolatry at 10pm. iHorror called it the Cannes of horror, and last year’s festival showed 18 features and 130 shorts. Single-film tickets are $21.50 with the booking fee; passes are sold through the festival’s own ticketing site.

Location: Gateway Film Center, 1550 N. High St.
When: Friday from 4pm; Saturday from noon, last films at 10pm; Sunday from noon, last films at 3pm
Cost: $21.50 a film
More info: Gateway Film Center

Sweeney Todd, Closing Weekend

Short North Stage’s Sweeney Todd closes Sunday at the Garden Theater. Edward Carignan directs and choreographs, Torrey Linder is Sweeney and Nyla Watson is Mrs. Lovett, and the company calls it a Sondheim show it’s been dying to do for years. It runs 2 hours and 45 minutes, rated PG-13. Limited student rush and pay-what-you-want tickets go on sale at the door two hours before each show.

Location: Garden Theater, 1187 N. High St., Short North
When: Friday, 7pm; Saturday, 2 and 7pm; Sunday, 2pm (final performance)
More info: Short North Stage

Battle Of The Books, Closing Weekend

Columbus Children’s Theatre’s regional premiere closes Sunday in Studio Two at the Riffe Center. Harper and Amelia are rivals in the Mount Vernon Battle of the Books, and then a secret society bans their list of books and cancels the competition. The play won the 2026 Excellence in Playwriting Award through the New Hampshire Theatre Awards, and it mixes comedy, drama, magical realism and movement to get at grief and book banning. It’s rated PG, recommended for ages 12 and up, and runs an hour and 45 minutes with one intermission.

Location: Studio Two, Riffe Center, 77 S. High St.
When: Friday, 7pm; Saturday, 2 and 7pm; Sunday, 2pm (final performance)
More info: Columbus Children’s Theatre

The Great Westerville Pumpkin Glow

Westerville’s four-night pumpkin trail at Heritage Park ends Sunday. The city says there are more artist-carved monster pumpkins than ever, on last year’s path with new displays, and admission covers the bounce houses, a super-sized inflatable corn maze, pumpkin bowling, a mechanical pumpkin ride and LED putt-putt, with bumper cars and pumpkin riding back this year. Food trucks have pumpkin-themed specials. Tickets are sold online and in advance only, $15 for ages 14 to 64 and $12 for ages 3 to 13 and 65 and up, no cash at the gate, and last entry is 9:30pm. Park at the Westerville Sports Complex, the Community Center, The Point at Otterbein or the lot at 310 W. Main St. Some displays use flashing lights and fog. Pets stay home, and so do coolers and backpacks other than diaper bags.

Location: Heritage Park, 60 N. Cleveland Ave., Westerville
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 6:30–10pm; last entry 9:30pm
Cost: $15 ages 14–64, $12 ages 3–13 and 65 and up; advance online only
More info: City of Westerville

Pumpkins Aglow

Pumpkins Aglow is in its second week at Franklin Park Conservatory. The Conservatory closes at 4pm and reopens at 5 on a separate special engagement ticket: $28.35 for ages 13 to 59, $24.15 for 60 and up, $17.33 for kids 3 to 12, and $4 through Museums for All. This week’s entertainment is the Wheel of Death aerial acrobats and fire duo from Cincinnati Circus, from 6 to 8pm at the Pergola, and the food trucks are Liberty Kettle Corn, Ono Turo Turo and Dirty Franks. There’s the pumpkin house, the singing pumpkin patch, the light-up dance floor and the new straw bale maze, the Chihuly glass is lit after dark, and the glass pumpkin patch sells pumpkins by local artists. The Conservatory says many dates sell out, so reserve first.

Location: Franklin Park Conservatory, 1777 E. Broad St.
When: Friday and Saturday, 5–10pm; Sunday, 5–9pm
Cost: $28.35 ages 13–59, $24.15 ages 60 and up, $17.33 ages 3–12
More info: Franklin Park Conservatory

Columbus Zoo Lantern Festival

The Columbus Zoo Lantern Festival has two weekends left before it closes October 25th. More than 70 sets of lanterns, hand-painted by artisans in China, are up around the Zoo, and this year’s new set is dinosaurs. The Dragon Dance is at 7:45pm in Conservation Courtyard and the guzheng, Korean drum and dance show at 8pm on the Conservation Lake Stage. It’s a separate ticket from day admission, sold through the Zoo’s ticket shop, and it includes unlimited rides, both shows and free parking. Tickets aren’t refundable, but an unused one works on any festival night. Pets stay home; service animals are welcome.

Location: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 4850 W. Powell Rd., Powell
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 7:30–10:30pm
Cost: Separate ticket from Zoo admission; free parking
More info: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Saturday, October 17th

Twenty One Pilots At Ohio Stadium

Death Cab for Cutie and Emi Grace open, the lots open at 8am, and the gates open at 4pm for the 6pm show. Day-of parking is $30 a car, card or phone only, and a free shuttle runs from the Carmack lots to the Campus Transit Hub from 1pm until an hour after the show. Ohio Stadium‘s no-bag rule applies, so bags and purses of any size stay home; a wallet, wristlet or clutch up to 5 by 8 by 1 inches is fine, and one bag for medical, dietary or childcare needs can come in through the medical bag lane at any gate. There’s no re-entry once you leave. Floor spots go by a random-number lottery, with wristbands handed out Friday evening at the Schott and Saturday morning at the stadium’s North Rotunda.

Location: Ohio Stadium
When: Saturday, gates 4pm, show 6pm
More info: Schottenstein Center

Blue Jackets vs. Rangers, 80s Night

The Rangers are at Nationwide Arena for the Blue Jackets’ only home game of the weekend, and it’s I Want My CBJ night, so expect neon, leg warmers and 80s hits, with live music and photo ops. The team plays at Minnesota Sunday at 6pm. Ohio State is at Indiana Saturday at noon on FOX, and the Crew are at FC Cincinnati Sunday at 5pm.

Location: Nationwide Arena, 200 W. Nationwide Blvd.
When: Saturday, 7pm
More info: Nationwide Arena

Day Of The Dead Festival At Green Lawn Cemetery

Latino Arts for Humanity’s Day of the Dead festival started in 1999 as a small presentation by Leticia Vazquez-Smith and has been at Green Lawn Cemetery since 2017. Expect ofrendas and decorated graves, a parade with Aztec dancers, live music from Mexican folklore to local acts, and Mexican food, from full meals to snacks and desserts. The ofrenda and Catrina contests are open to anyone, three grand prizes each; enter the Catrina contest at the Latino Arts for Humanity tent. Face painting for kids is free.

Location: Green Lawn Cemetery, 1000 Greenlawn Ave.
When: Saturday, 10am–6pm
More info: Day of the Dead Columbus

Boo At The Zoo

The Zoo’s daytime Halloween in Adventure Cove is down to its last two weekends, Saturdays and Sundays only, and it’s included with admission. New this year are the Rave at the Grave DJ dance party and a Trick or Treat Trail with 11 candy stops and two teal pumpkin stations with candy alternatives. The rest of the lineup has giant pumpkin carving, Henry’s Character Craze Hay Maze, Jesse’s Jack-O-Lantern Journey and the Halloween Hoedown with the Oak Ridge Bears. Adults can dress up but have to keep their faces visible, and no toy or prop weapons. Online day passes start at $34.95 for ages 10 to 59, $27.95 for ages 3 to 9 and $32.95 for 60 and up, with under 3 free; Franklin County residents start at $24.95, $18.95 and $23.95. Parking is $12 and the Zoo is cashless.

Location: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 4850 W. Powell Rd., Powell
When: Saturday and Sunday, 10am–6pm
Cost: Included with Zoo admission
More info: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

MINISO Land Grand Opening At Easton

MINISO says it’s the first MINISO Land in the U.S. The first 100 customers through the door get a free blind box goodie bag that MINISO values at $60. Spend more than $50 and the MINISO Land tote bag is free while supplies last. There’s 10% off all weekend. The store has mascot meet-and-greets and product demos planned as well.

Location: MINISO Land, 175 Easton Town Center, Level 1 of the Station Building near Bath & Body Works
When: Saturday, 10am
More info: MINISO USA on Instagram

All Hallows’ Eve At Ohio Village

All Hallows’ Eve is back at the newly renovated Ohio Village. A storyteller retells The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by the bonfire, with a ghostly Headless Horseman to watch for, the widow Claire explains how her most recent husband died, the funeral parlor is open with a lesson on 19th-century funeral practices, and there’s fortune telling, crafts, games, traditional dancing and pumpkin painting at $5 a pumpkin. Tickets are $18, $14 for ages 4 to 12, free for 3 and under, and $13 and $9 for members, with a 5% city arts fee built in. The Ohio History Connection recommends buying ahead; walk-ups are taken, but they may wait longer to get in. The second and last night is October 24th.

Location: Ohio Village, Ohio History Center, 800 E. 17th Ave.
When: Saturday, 5:30–9:30pm
Cost: $18 adults, $14 ages 4–12, 3 and under free
More info: Ohio History Connection

RidgeFest At Glacier Ridge

Glacier Ridge Metro Park holds its fall festival with local partner organizations. The afternoon has games, hay rides, archery and food from Grilled Cheese Gangsters, Zaki Grill and Graeter’s Ice Cream.

Location: Glacier Ridge Metro Park, 9801 Hyland Croy Rd., Plain City
When: Saturday, noon–4pm
More info: Metro Parks

Plain City Fall Festival

Pastime Park’s fall festival has hayrides, Trick-or-Treat Alley, costume contests, a live giant pumpkin carver, COSI Curbside, bounce houses, archery, axe throwing, a petting zoo, face painting, craft vendors and food trucks. Costumes are encouraged.

Location: Pastime Park, 370 N. Chillicothe St., Plain City
When: Saturday, 2–6pm
More info: Village of Plain City

Halloweekend In The BURG: Spooky Pet Parade And Haunted Vendor Valley

Reynoldsburg’s Saturday starts with the Spooky Pet Parade at Huber Park, with prizes for best group, funniest and most creative costume and a Bluey and Bingo meet and greet. Haunted Vendor Valley takes over JFK Park in the late afternoon with superhero meet and greets, Captain Marvel and Spider-Man for the first two hours and Captain America, Batman and Wonder Woman after that, and the Reynoldsburg Community Association’s community Halloween party overlaps it.

Location: Huber Park, 1520 Davidson Dr., Reynoldsburg (pet parade); JFK Park, 7232 E. Main St. (vendor valley)
When: Saturday, pet parade 1–3pm; vendor valley 4–8pm; community party 5–8pm
More info: City of Reynoldsburg

Mystics And Marvels

Mystics and Marvels sets up in the Burke Building at the Franklin County Fairgrounds, from the promoters of the Angels & Aliens and Gift of Light expos, with fortune tellers, dancers, live music through the day and demonstrations the organizers describe as from days of old. Admission is $6 at the door for anyone, strollers are free, and so is parking.

Location: Burke Building, Franklin County Fairgrounds, 4100 Columbia St., Hilliard
When: Saturday and Sunday, 10am–5pm
Cost: $6; free parking
More info: Mystics and Marvels

A Taste Of Ireland At The Palace

A Taste of Ireland plays the Palace for one night. CAPA’s listing describes it as direct from Off-Broadway and London’s West End, performed by former World Irish dance champions with dancers from Lord of the Dance and Riverdance, with a cappella tap battles and reworked versions of Danny Boy, Tell Me Ma and Wild Rover. It runs about two hours, and the CAPA ticket center is 614-469-0939.

Location: Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad St.
When: Saturday, 7:30pm
More info: CAPA

ProMusica: Mozart’s Great Mass

ProMusica opens its 48th season at the Southern Theatre with Mozart’s Divertimento in D Major, Max Richter’s On the Nature of Daylight, written in protest of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and Mozart’s Mass in C Minor. Guest conductor Nicholas McGegan leads the program, stepping in for David Danzmayr. Sopranos Yulia Van Doren and Abigail Nims, tenor Steven Soph and baritone Kevin Deas sing with the Columbus Choral Artists under chorus director Lynda Hasseler. Doors open at 6, the concert runs about an hour and 40 minutes with intermission, and the Coda conversation with the artists follows. Park in the Columbus Commons garage across Main Street. Tickets are $25 to $70 plus fees, students $15 with ID.

Location: Southern Theatre, 21 E. Main St.
When: Saturday and Sunday, 7pm; doors 6pm
Cost: $25–$70 plus fees; students $15
More info: ProMusica Chamber Orchestra

Abuela, CCT’s SandBox Series

Columbus Children’s Theatre’s series for ages 0 to 5 does Abuela, a 30-minute interactive show for the youngest audiences, with bilingual storytelling, music and movement, where kids imagine soaring above the city. Before each show, kids make paper birds, kites and cityscape art at the craft stations. There are five shows a day Saturday and Sunday, and five more October 25th. Every child 1 and older needs a ticket, each child ticket needs an adult ticket with it, and tickets can be moved to another Abuela time if there’s room.

Location: Columbus Children’s Theatre
When: Saturday and Sunday, 9, 10 and 11am, 1 and 2pm
More info: Columbus Children’s Theatre

Hitchcocktober: Rear Window

Gateway’s seventeenth Hitchcocktober gets to Rear Window this weekend, in a 4K restoration with James Stewart, Grace Kelly and Raymond Burr. It runs 112 minutes and is rated PG. The Saturday matinee is $11.25 with the booking fee, and there’s a second screening Sunday night. Dial M for Murder in 3D follows on October 24th and Psycho closes the series on October 31st.

Location: Gateway Film Center, 1550 N. High St.
When: Saturday, 2pm; Sunday, 7pm
Cost: $11.25 Saturday matinee
More info: Gateway Film Center

Saturday is also day two of the Big Book Sale, day three of Nightmares and the Westerville Pumpkin Glow, the second night of Marilyn, another night of Pumpkins Aglow and the Lantern Festival, the second Statehouse haunted tour night, and the Saturday shows of Sweeney Todd and Battle of the Books.

Sunday, October 18th

Columbus Marathon And Half Marathon

The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon starts and finishes at North Bank Park, and both the full 26.2 and the half are sold out. The race says about 100,000 people line the course on race day, with nearly 100 bands and entertainers. It recommends watching at Drexel and Main in Bexley, at Schiller Park, or at the park at Livingston and Parsons by Nationwide Children’s, where there are bands, butterflies on stilts and hundreds of Children’s Champions signs. Twenty-four of the miles each represent a Nationwide Children’s patient, one is for children taken too soon, and one is an alumni mile for past Marathon Mile Champions. At the start and finish, Long Street closes between High and Hocking, Spring Street from West to Hocking, and Neil Avenue from Nationwide Boulevard to the line, and the course runs through Bexley, Upper Arlington, Grandview Heights and Ohio State, so expect closed streets along the way too.

Location: Start and finish at North Bank Park, 311 W. Long St.
When: Sunday, 7:30am start; corrals open 6am
Cost: Free to watch; full marathon sold out
More info: Columbus Marathon

Whitehall Founder’s Day And Car Show

Whitehall holds its first Founder’s Day at Whitehall Community Park, put on by the Whitehall Historical Society with the city, and the park gets a classic car show, food trucks, a bouncy house and kids’ activities, live music and a beer garden. The Society’s museum, inside its all-steel Lustron house, is open for a look.

Location: Whitehall Community Park, Whitehall
When: Sunday, noon–4pm
Cost: Free
More info: City of Whitehall

Coffman Homestead Open House

The Dublin Historical Society’s October open house at the Coffman Homestead is its Johnny Appleseed Fest, a free afternoon of games, raffles, apple cider and ice cream, and no registration is needed.

Location: Coffman Homestead, Dublin
When: Sunday, 1–3pm
More info: Dublin Historical Society

If you still need a pumpkin, Circle S Farms is open Thursday through Sunday from 9am to 7pm until October 25th. Leeds Farm is open weekends until October 25th and adds a Friday this week, October 16th from 10am to 5pm. Pigeon Roost Farm, in its 46th year, is open Wednesday through Sunday until October 31st, with the market and pumpkin area free and the Great Pumpkin Fun Center $12 for ages 2 and up. Lynd’s corn maze is open Friday through Sunday until November 1st, from 10am to 10pm on Friday and Saturday and from 10am to 7pm on Sunday. The rest are in the pumpkin patch guide and the corn maze guide.

Sunday is also the last day of the Big Book Sale, Nightmares, the Westerville Pumpkin Glow and both closing shows, Sweeney Todd and Battle of the Books, plus the Sunday matinee of Marilyn, day two of Boo at the Zoo and Mystics and Marvels, the second ProMusica concert, the 7pm Rear Window, and the last night of this week’s Pumpkins Aglow and the Lantern Festival.

Everything after this weekend is in the October guide.

Have fun, Columbus!

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