Things to Do in October

FRI 01 Family Night Hikes Bring the whole family along for a night of exploration with a resident naturalist. You'll hit the trails to observe the nighttime bird songs, wildlife movement and maybe even hear an owl call. • Location: Central Park, Time: 6:30-8 pm,

SAT 02 Buddy Walk A familyfriendly event open to all children and adults with Down syndrome, their families, friends and local supporters. • Location: Celebration Plaza in White River State Park, Time: 9 am-Noon, dsindiana.org/

Garfield Park Oktoberfest Celebrate this annual German festival and enjoy live music, German dance performances from die Fledermäuschen Tanzgruppe, art activities, games, German food and more! • Location: Garfield Park Sunken Gardens, Time: 4-8 pm, gpacarts.org FREE

Monument Circle Art Fair This family-friendly public event showcases the work of regional artists, plus music, food and more. • Location: Monument Circle, Time: 10 am-5 pm,

Potter’s Bridge Fall Festival Enjoy autumn at this family-friendly festival! Listen to live music, visit 90+ art and food booths, watch your little ones play in the KidZone, or simply take in the natural beauty of the most scenic park on the White River Greenway trail. • Location: Potter’s Bridge Park, Time: 11 am-4 pm, facebook.com/

Shen Yun A production that takes you on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, featuring one of the world’s oldest art forms: classical Chinese dance. • Location: Clowes Memorial Hall, Time: 2 & 7 pm, butlerartscenter.org

SAT 02‒SUN 03 35th Annual

Heartland Apple Festival Celebrate the fall harvest with farm family fun and games, including a corn maze, hayrides, pony rides, u-pick pumpkins, live music, craft vendors and more. Occurring again on Oct. 9-10. • Location: Beasley’s Orchard, 9 am-6 pm, beasleys-orchard.com

Brickworld Indy See more than 65,000 square feet of spectacular creations all built from LEGO bricks by local LEGO enthusiasts. Enjoy interactive activities, LEGO and DUPLO play brick areas, seek and finds, fighting robots, buy your favorite LEGO sets, and more. • Location: Indiana State Fairgrounds, brickworld.com/

Pumpkin Express Take a 20 minute ride down the tracks to the Cicero pumpkin patch and enjoy fall games, hay rides, a straw maze, obstacle course, face painting and more. Pumpkins are available for purchase at the patch. After spending 45 minutes at the patch, the train will take you back to Noblesville. • Location: Forest Park in Noblesville, Time: 11 am, 1 & 3 pm,

SUN 03 Kids Eat Free Sunday @ Indianapolis Indians Children 14 and under receive a hot dog, bag of chips and bottle of water with the price of admission. • Location: Victory Field, Time: 1:35 pm, milb.com/indianapolis

MON 04 Movies at Midtown: The Aadams Family Enjoy an outdoor movie shown on the big video screen in Midtown Plaza. • Location: Midtown Plaza Carmel, Times: Noon, 3, 5 & 7 pm, midtownplazacarmel.com

TUES 05 Small Wonders: Spooky Science Participate in pumpkin art projects, ghostly sensory play and become a spooky scientist as we do hands-on experiments. • Location: Indiana State Museum, Time: 10-11 am,

WED 06 Beastly Brunch Get an up-close look at Holliday Park’s animal ambassadors and experience a live feeding. Ages 2+ with their adult. • Location: Holliday Park Nature Center, Time: 11-11:30 am, hollidaypark.org FREE

Storytime at Cool Creek Nature Center Enjoy a nature inspired story, sing songs, do a craft, and go outside to discover. • Location: Cool Creek Nature Center, Time: 10:30-11:30 am, hamiltoncounty.in.gov/296/Parks-and-

THURS 07 First Thursday Night @ The Children’s Museum On the first Thursday of every month, it's just $6 admission per person! • Location: The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Time: 4-8 pm, childrensmuseum.org

Preschool Story Hour: Snakes Preschoolers will read a book, do a craft, and participate in a fun activity all related to the theme of the day. • Location: Taylor Center of Natural History, Time: 11 am-Noon, hamiltoncounty.in.gov/296/

THURS 07‒SAT 09 A

Midsummer’s Night Dream The Garfield Shakespeare Company presents this Shakespeare classic with an outdoor performance. No reservations required. Seating is first come, first serve. • Location: MacAllister Amphitheater at Garfield Park, Time: 7:30 pm, gpacarts.org FREE

THURS 07‒SUN 10 Morgan County Fall Foliage Festival A Martinsville tradition featuring a carnival, craft fair, 5K run/walk, car show and so much more! • Location: Morgan County Fairgrounds,

FRI 08 Family Fright Night Dress in your Halloween best for a night of spooky fun! Conduct eerie experiments, discover the creepy monsters of Indiana’s past as you wind your way through our chilling galleries by flashlight, hear spine-tingling tales during story time, and show off your costume on the haunted dance floor. • Location: Indiana State Museum, Time: 6-8 pm,

SAT 09 13th Annual German Fest Don your lederhosen and bring the kinder to celebrate Indiana's biggest and best German heritage festival! There's something for everyone to enjoy, including weiner dog races, kids games, music and more. • Location: Athenaeum, Time: Noon,

ArtsPark Fall Festival Enjoy art, activities, and artisanal goods from local and regional artists with one-of-a-kind work. Guests can participate in paid and free art activities, while enjoying food trucks, local beer and a variety of wine for purchase. • Location: Indianapolis Art Center ArtsPark, Time: Noon-5 pm, indplsartcenter.org

Pumpkin Float For one special night, Lilly Lake will glow with floating pumpkins! Bring your own 8-pound-or-lighter pumpkin to carve, then place it on a raft and watch it float. Families are welcome to bring snacks or a picnic dinner, and blankets or chairs to sit on the hill to enjoy the view. There will also be a lantern-lit trail around Lilly Lake. Registration required. $1 per raft. • Location: Eagle Creek Park Lilly Lake, Time: 7-9 pm,

SUN 10 Wizard Express Experience magic with the whole family! Learn new spells, meet famous wizards and enjoy a butter beer during this hour and 15 minute ride. Ticket includes wand and butterbeer. • Location: Nickel Plate Express, Time: 12:30, 3 & 5:30 pm,

MON 11 Movies at Midtown: Monsters University Enjoy an outdoor movie shown on the big video screen in Midtown Plaza. • Location: Midtown Plaza Carmel, Times: Noon, 3, 5 & 7 pm, midtownplazacarmel.com

TUES 12 Fall Break Scavenger Hunt Looking for something to do during fall break? Stop by the Conservatory front desk to pick up a scavenger hunt that will have you exploring the park and checking off what you see. Return the hunt for a prize. • Location: Garfield park Conservatory, Time: 11 am-1 pm, indyparks.org FREE

WED 13 Nature Preschool Program: Spiders Spiders get a bad rap, especially at Halloween. Learn why they should be celebrated instead! Be ready to have your mind changed. • Location: Cool Creek Nature Center, Time: 10:30-11:30 am, hamiltoncounty.in.gov/296/

THURS 14 Fall’s Fruits and Leaves Many of our wild plants that we see every day have edible fruits for the wildlife to fatten up on, as they get ready for winter. We can enjoy some of them as well. Join us as we discuss and taste the fruits of an Indiana fall. • Location: Cool Creek Nature Center, Time: 1:30 pm, hamiltoncounty.in.gov/296/Parks-and-

FRI 15 Mini Explorers Designed to give young children the opportunity to socialize and engage in learning through play. Participate in crafts, games and activities that will help improve fine motor skills and development. • Location: Christian Park Activity Room, Time: 6-7:30 pm, indyparks.org

Signs of Fall Hike Join a park naturalist for a walk in the woods. Experience all the signs of fall as you use your senses to see, smell, listen to and feel the fall season. • Location: Washington Township Park, Time: 5-6 pm, washingtontwpparks.org

FRI 15-SUN 17 Indiana Comic

Convention Indianapolis' largest, true comic convention. Enjoy comic books, magazines, toys, games, Star Wars, Star Trek, anime, manga, cosplay, artwork and more. • Location: Indiana Convention Center, indianacomicconvention.com

SAT 16 Fall Colors Festival Celebrate the brilliant colors of autumn with hands-on activities, including tree-climbing, archery, throwing an atlatl (an ancient hunting weapon), hayrides, pumpkin painting, candle dipping, yard games and more! • Location: McCloud Nature Park, Time: 10 am-3 pm, hendrickscountyparks.org FREE

Pioneer Fall Fest Enjoy a day of pioneer fun! Join a “quilting bee," make a corn husk doll, churn fresh butter, and learn all about pioneer plants. • Location: Taylor Center of Natural History, Time: 1-4 pm, hamiltoncounty.in.gov/296/Parks-and-

SAT 16‒SUN 17 Pumpkin Fest

Enjoy wagon rides throughout the farm, a corn maze, pedal cars, a barrel train, kid-size games and much more. • Location: Stuckey Farm, Time: 9 am-5 pm,

SUN 17 Sensory-friendly Sundays @ Conner Prairie The third Sunday of every month, exhibit components that make noise will be turned off. All quiet spaces can be utilized and staff trained in Sensory Friendly Practices will be on hand in case anyone needs assistance. • Location: Conner Prairie, Time: 10 am-Noon,

MON 18 Tween Zombie Party Participate in games, crafts and much more! End the night with a zombie walk through the library. Costumes are encouraged but not required. For kids in grades 3rd-5th. • Location: Noblesville Library, Time: 6-7 pm, hepl.lib.in.us FREE

TUES 19 Fall Break Scavenger Hunt Looking for something to do during fall break? Stop by the Conservatory front desk to pick up a scavenger hunt that will have you exploring the park and checking off what you see. Return the hunt for a prize. • Location: Garfield Park Conservatory, Time: 11 am-1 pm, indyparks.org FREE

TUES 19‒SUN 24 Charlie and the

Chocolate Factory Roald Dahl’s amazing tale is now Indianapolis’ golden ticket! It’s the perfect recipe for a delectable treat: songs from the original film, including “Pure Imagination,” “The Candy Man,” and “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket,” alongside a toe-tapping and ear-tickling new score from the songwriters of Hairspray. • Location: Clowes Memorial Hall, butlerartscenter.org

WED 20 Twilight Tales Venture through the dark museum on this flashlight tour to visit some of the creepiest artifacts in the ISM collection, as staff share how these items are connected to supernatural rumors and Indiana folklore. The museum will have flashlights for guests to use. Registration required. • Location: Indiana State Museum, Time: 7-8 & 8:30-9:30 pm, indianamuseum.org

THURS 21 Little Haunt on the Prairie Halloween activities for kids and their families! Come in your costume and enjoy nature interpretation, entertainment, a hayride, food for purchase, and activities for the little ones as they trick-or-treat their way through this spooky event. $5. • Location: Cool Creek Nature Center, Time: 5-8:30 pm, hamiltoncounty.in.gov/296/Parks-and-

SAT, OCT 16 ̶ SUN, OCT 17

PUMPKIN FEST AT STUCKEY FARM FRI 22 4th Annual Kids Costume & Candy Event Kick off the fall season with some spooky good fun. All participants must register for this event. • Location: Christian Park Large Gym, Time: 6-8 pm, indyparks.org FREE

Monster Mash Don your costume for a spooktacular celebration! Highlights include trick or treating, bounce houses, music, food and much more. • Location: Greenwood Community Center, Time: 5:30-8 pm, greenwood.in.gov

Moonlight Monster Egg Hunt Dare to venture out into the moonlight to search for plastic eggs with candy and prizes inside. There will also be games, crafts, refreshments and a howling great time! Bring a flashlight. If you wear a costume, you get an extra special prize! Registration required. $10. • Location: Broad Ripple Park, 7-8:30 pm,

SAT 23 Boo ‘N Brew Fall Festival Families can stroll up and down Clay Terrace collecting goodies from retailers and sampling treats from restaurants. Children can enjoy face painting, balloon artists, Silly Safari shows, and horse drawn carriage hayrides. Parents and craft brew lovers can delight in the large beer garden and sip beverages from local brewers while enjoying live music. • Location: Clay Terrace, Time: 2-6 pm, clayterrace.com

Haunted House After Dark Leave the little goblins at home! Werewolves and vampires 21+ will dare to be scared as they enter The Children’s Museum Guild’s 57th Annual Haunted House for an adults-only event! • Location: The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Time: 6-11 pm, childrensmuseum.org

Mutt Strut 2021 One of Indiana’s largest pet walks and IndyHumane’s signature annual fundraiser. Attendees can enjoy pet-friendly activities, live entertainment, and a festival featuring local retailers, sponsors and vendors. • Location: Victory Field, Time: 8:30 am, indymuttstrut.org

Sensory-friendly Trick-or-Treat Walk If trick-or-treat is difficult for your kiddo, here’s a great solution! Friendly volunteers will be dressed-up without scary or frightening masks or costumes along Central Park Trails. Enjoy the festive fall experience at your own pace. Only trick or treaters need to be registered, but pre-registration is required. $5. • Location: Central Park, Time: 1-3 pm,

SAT 23‒SAT 30 75th Historic

Irvington Halloween Festival A week of Halloween events, including a run, masquerade ball, contests, Halloween-themed movies, storytelling, ghost tours, live theater, bike rides, a haunted puppet show and more. The Festival culminates on Saturday with a street fair which includes over 120 vendors, live-music and a costume parade. • Location: Downtown Irvington,

SUN 24 Children’s Halloween Party Participate in games and the annual contest for best costumes for children and adults. • Location: Scottish Rite Cathedral, Time: 2-4 pm,

SUN 24‒SUN 31 Festival of

Jack-o-Lanterns The Riley Gardens pathways will be dotted with individually carved pumpkins for a candlelit walking tour. Guests are invited to tour the grounds at their leisure. • Location: JW Riley Boyhood Home and Museum, Time: 7-9 pm, greenfieldin.org

MON 25 Movies at Midtown: Ghostbusters Enjoy an outdoor movie shown on the big video screen in Midtown Plaza. • Location: Midtown Plaza Carmel, Times: Noon, 3, 5 & 7 pm, midtownplazacarmel.com

Polka Dot Pumpkins Decoupage pumpkins using tissue paper dots and Mod Podge, as we celebrate the work of Yayoi Kusama, widely known as the princess of polka dots. All ages. • Location: Ignite Studio at Fishers Library, Time: 6-7 pm,

TUES 26 Story Time Puppet Show Join the library for the Three Little Kittens. Registration required. • Location: Westfield Washington Public Library, Time: 10:30-11:30 am, wwpl.

WATCH & WONDER: BATS & SPIDERS AT WESTFIELD WASHINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

WED 27 Garfield Park Spooky Stroll Enjoy a not-so-spooky evening starting with a stroll through the creepy Conservatory, followed by carnival games and goodies, and Halloween crafts. Spooktacular, family-friendly performances will serenade you in the Sunken Garden as you participate in trick-or-treating with local community partners. Registration required. $5. • Location: Garfield Park Conservatory, Time: 5:30-7:30 pm, garfieldgardensconservatory.org

THURS 28 Haunted Conservatory Get spooked as you walk through the Haunted Conservatory, complete with scary music, decoration and ghouls! Note: Event includes the use of strobe lights and artificial fog. Recommended for ages 8+. $2. • Location: Garfield Park Conservatory, Time: 7-9 pm, garfieldgardensconservatory.org

Watch & Wonder: Bats & Spiders Learn the real facts about these creepy symbols of Halloween. • Location: Westfield Washington Public Library, Time: 4-5 pm, wwpl.lib.in.us FREE FRI 29 Halloween @ Riverside Park Need a fun, safe place for your little ones to trick or treat? Enjoy Halloween fun at Riverside Park for a boo-tastic time! • Location: Riverside Park, Time: 6:30-8 pm, indyparks.org FREE

Spooky Night Hike Ever wonder what makes those strange noises outside? Join a park naturalist on an evening hike to learn more about owls, their calls, their feathers and amazing eyes. Discover that owls aren’t so spooky after all! • Location: Washington Township Park, Time: 6-7 pm,

@ Brookside Park An evening of spooktacular fun! Treats and goodie bags will be given to those who make it through the haunted house. Lights on from 5-6:45 pm; light off from 7-9 pm. $5. • Location: Brookside Park Family Center, Time: 5-9 pm, indyparks.com

SAT 30 Boo Bash Enjoy local vendors offering safe trick-or-treating around the Fishers Municipal Complex, Teal Pumpkin Project booths providing non-food items for children with food allergies and special needs, a display of communitycarved jack-o-lanterns, live music, food, games and more! Costumes are encouraged. • Location: Nickel Plate District Amphitheater, 10 am-1 pm, playfishers.com

Halloween Parade Enjoy a Halloween parade through downtown Greenwood! All ages are welcome. Wear your costumes and line the street along the route for a parade of trick or treating. • Location: Downtown Greenwood, Time: 5 pm,

SUN 31 Indianapolis Youth Orchestra 40th Season Premier This concert will feature over 150 of central Indiana's most talented young musicians. • Location: The Palladium, Time: 5 pm, thecenterpresents.org

Harvest Nights Through Oct. 31. Features thousands of glowing pumpkins along a hidden path at Newfields. The spooky (not scary) outdoor walking experience guides guests around twists and turns of the enchanted forest, an eerie ghost train and a grand finale at Mischief Manor at the Lilly House mansion. • Location: Newfields, discovernewfields.org

ZooBoo Oct. 6-31. Enjoy Halloween activities, amazing animals and pumpkins galore! October weather means active animals, colorful foliage and a new season to explore. Combine that with engaging, hands-free activities, spooktacular costumes and trick-ortreating — plus, the chance to boogie-woogie to a live DJ — and you’ve got an unforgettable family tradition. Wed., Thurs. & Sun., 2-7 pm; Fri. & Sat., 2-9 pm. • Location: Indianapolis Zoo, indianapoliszoo.com

SAT, OCT 30

BOO BASH AT NICKEL PLATE DISTRICT AMPHITHEATER Headless Horseman Festival Oct. 7-30. Conner Prairie’s annual fall festival is full of activities, shows and spooktacular family fun. Take an adventure on our haunted hayride where you’ll get chased down by the Headless Horseman! • Location: Conner Prairie, connerprairie.org

Phantom Oct. 7-Nov. 21. The haunting story of the Phantom of the Opera is lifted from the pages of Gaston Leroux’s novel and brought to the stage in this mesmerizing performance. It's the passionate tale about the man behind the mask and his love for a woman and a world that he could never have. • Location: Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, beefandboards.com

Sullivan Express to PumpkinTown Oct. 7-31. Hop aboard the Sullivan Express for a 15-minute mini train ride to PumpkinTown. Families can enjoy fall activities like magic shows, trick-or-treating, pumpkin decorating and other not-so-spooky goodies. • Location: Sullivan Hardware & Garden Allisonville location, sullivanhardware.com

Frightful Frontier Haunted House Oct. 9-31. Round up the cowpokes and saddle up for a spook-tacular ride through the Frightful Frontier, The Children's Museum Guild's 57th Annual Haunted House. Chaos ensues once you board the last train to Tombtown, where goblins and monsters roam the wicked west! • Location: The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, childrensmuseum.org

Indiana Lore Through Nov. 6. Trace the roots of our state’s tall tales. Learn about the palm reader at the Tuckaway House, the supernatural spirits surrounding the Avon Bridge, the green-eyed ghost of a bulldog that guarded its owner’s grave at Terre Haute’s Highland Lawn Cemetery, and many more. • Location: Indiana History Center,

Hoosier Art Salon: Indiana Art by Indiana Artists Through Oct. 24. See artwork from Hoosier artists in this annual competition. The show is Indiana’s longest-running art exhibition and is considered to be the preeminent juried exhibition of Indiana art by Indiana artists. • Location: Indiana State Museum, indianamuseum.org

Powerful Women: Contemporary Art from the Eiteljorg Collection Through Jan. 18, 2022. This exhibit explores the work of visionary women artists who shaped and changed the ways people think about contemporary art. • Location: Eiteljorg Museum, eiteljorg.org

You Are There 1920: Celebrate

Indianapolis! Through April 2, 2022. Guests can step back in time to a re-created scene where costumed museum theater actors portray characters who worked on the city’s centennial pageant, planning outfits for 2,000 performers. Visitors can explore a variety of topics with exhibit actors, such as Native Americans and Indian removal, the first pioneers, city development and expansion, local businesses and more. • Location: Indiana History Center,

The Lume Indianapolis Through May 22, 2022. Step into a digital world of art with The Lume Indianapolis. Explore the combination of great art and cutting-edge technology at its finest with floor to ceiling projections of some of the most famous paintings in the world. As the largest exhibition experience in Newfields’ 137-year history, guests will be able to walk through nearly 30,000 square feet of immersive galleries and take in breathtaking masterpieces as you explore a new multi-sensory digital world. • Location: Newfields, discovernewfields.org

PLEASE NOTE WE WORK HARD TO ENSURE OUR CALENDAR AND GUIDE INFORMATION IS ACCURATE. OCCASIONALLY, EVENT SPECIFICS CHANGE AFTER WE GO TO PRESS. THEREFORE, WE ENCOURAGE OUR READERS TO CALL LOCATIONS OR VISIT THEM ON THE WEB TO VERIFY INFORMATION.

WORLD SMILE

DAY NAME YOUR CAR DAY

CHANGE A LIGHT DAY

HANDBAG DAY

TACO DAY

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY

WORLD TEACHERS DAY

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NOODLE

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WORLD OCTOPUS DAY

MOLDY CHEESE DAY

TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

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GLOBAL HANDWASHING DAY DICTIONARY DAY

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INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS DAY

EVALUATE YOUR LIFE DAY INTERNATIONAL SLOTH DAY

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