Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, which means Indy gets a full Halloweekend. Between the haunted houses, neighborhood festivals and costume parties, there's more going on from Thursday, October 29 through Sunday, November 1 than you could fit into one weekend.
We sorted it all out for you: things for the kids, things that will scare the daylights out of you, and things that are strictly 21 and up. One bonus to plan around: daylight saving time ends early Sunday morning, so you get an extra hour of sleep after Saturday night.
For the kids (and the kids at heart)
Historic Irvington Halloween Festival
Irvington's festival wraps up its week-long run this weekend, and most of it is free. Here's the lineup from irvingtonhalloween.com:
- Thursday, Oct. 29: A Night Out in Sleepy Hollow at Irving Circle Park, 6 p.m., with stories at 6:30. No ticket or RSVP needed.
- Friday, Oct. 30: Zombie Bike Ride, meeting at 6 p.m. at the Irvington Public Library, 5625 E. Washington St. Free.
- Saturday, Oct. 31: The Vampire Run at 9:30 a.m., the Street Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. along E. Washington Street, Audubon Road and Bonna Avenue, and the parade at 3:30 p.m.
Streets close from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. Parking is $10 at Howe Middle School with a shuttle, or $5 at the Marine Barracks without one. New to the festival? Our Irvington Halloween Festival guide has the backstory.
ZooBoo at the Indianapolis Zoo
ZooBoo runs from 2 p.m. to close Wednesday through Sunday through Nov. 1. The zoo closes at 7 p.m. Thursday and Sunday and 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It's included with regular admission and free for members.
Harvest Nights at Newfields
The seventh season of Harvest Nights wraps up Sunday, Nov. 1, so this is your last shot. The nighttime route through The Garden includes the Pumpkin Path of Peril, the Ghost Train, the Fungi Forest and new this year, Boo Shoo, an interactive shadow show by Lightborne. Inside the Lilly House, Mischief Manor features 30 custom jack-o'-lantern sculptures by Katie Lloyd-Jones. Adults can head upstairs to the 21+ Harvest Nights Lounge, where cocktails are sold separately.
Advance tickets are required. Adult tickets start at $25, with dynamic pricing that varies by date, plus a $2 fee per paid ticket. Kids 5 and under are free. Free parking is available, and reserved priority parking is $20 per car. Plan on 90 minutes to two hours, and check the Newfields calendar for open nights and entry times. Book early if you're set on a Halloween weekend night.
The Children's Museum Guild's Haunted House: Fright Academy
The 62nd Guild's Haunted House runs through Oct. 31. On Thursday and Friday, "Friendly" hours run 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and "Frightening" hours run 4 to 9 p.m. On Halloween itself, it's Friendly hours only, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $9, $8 for members and $5 with an Access Pass, separate from museum admission.
Haunted Conservatory at Garfield Park
Thursday and Friday only, Oct. 29 and 30. The Garfield Park Conservatory goes "less scary" from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and "scary" from 7 to 9 p.m. Admission is $7 per person or $15 per family, paid at the door. It's recommended for ages 8 and up and uses strobe lights and fog.
Fishers Boo Bash
Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater, 6 Municipal Drive in Fishers. Free, and no registration needed.
Trick or Treat on the Rails
The Nickel Plate Express runs a 65-minute trick-or-treat train out of Forest Park in Noblesville on Oct. 31 only. Standard seats are $30 for ages 13 and up and $23 for ages 3 to 12, and kids under 3 ride free on a lap. Book online.
Safe Night Halloween
The 30th annual Safe Night Halloween is free at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St., on Halloween night. Check the fairgrounds' page for times.
One note before you plan: Conner Prairie's Headless Horseman ends Oct. 25, so it's not an option Halloween weekend. Doing the neighborhood rounds instead? Check your town's trick-or-treat hours on Indy's Child.
If you want to get scared
Halloween weekend is the last big push for most haunts, so buy online and expect crowds on Friday and Saturday. Prices below are the starting online general admission price for each night.
| Haunt | Thu, Oct. 29 | Fri, Oct. 30 | Sat, Oct. 31 | Sun, Nov. 1 | Tickets from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Thirteenth Hour, 915 S. Shortridge Rd. | 7:30 to 10 p.m. | 7 p.m. to midnight | 7 p.m. to midnight | Closed | $29.99 |
| Necropolis Underground, 7130 Western Select Dr. | 7 to 10 p.m. | 7 to 11 p.m. | 6 to 11 p.m. | 7 to 10 p.m. | $34.99 |
| Indy Scream Park, 5211 S. New Columbus Rd., Anderson | 7 to 10:30 p.m. | 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. | 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. | 7 to 10:30 p.m. | $29.95 to $41.95, by night |
| Hanna Haunted Acres, 7323 E. Hanna Ave. | Open | Open | Open | Open | $28.95 to $44.95, by night |
| Prime's Haunted Car Wash, 13801 Olivia Way, Fishers | Closed | 7:30 to 10 p.m. | 8 to 11 p.m. | Closed | $25 per car |
A few things to know:
- The Thirteenth Hour uses timed entry, and on-site sales are cash only. Buying online saves $5. Here's our deep dive on the Thirteenth Hour.
- Necropolis Underground suggests a minimum age of 13. Box office tickets cost $5 more than online.
- Indy Scream Park isn't recommended for kids under 13.
- Hanna Haunted Acres doesn't post nightly hours online, so check before you head out. Parking is free.
- Prime's Haunted Car Wash is the low-commitment option: stay in your car for the "Tunnel of Terror," and a basic exterior wash comes with it.
For the grown-ups: parties, shows and a bar crawl
Thursday, Oct. 29
- Frankie's Flicks: TerrorVision at White Rabbit Cabaret, 1116 Prospect St., 8 p.m. Free, part of the Indy Film Fest free movie series. A 1986 cult horror flick to kick off the weekend.
- The Rocky Horror Show Live at The Athenaeum runs Oct. 29, 30 and 31. Grab showtimes and tickets at rockyhorrorindy.com.
Friday, Oct. 30
- Twilight Tales: Beyond the Grave at the Indiana State Museum, 650 W. Washington St. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 for nonmembers and include $4 parking validation, and members get 25% off. Ages 18+.
- Indianapolis Halloween Bar Crawl (Friday and Saturday). One Crawl With Us ticket covers both nights. Check in from 4 to 6 p.m., then crawl until 10 p.m., with an after party until midnight. Friday check-in is at Brothers Bar & Grill; Saturday check-in is at Tom's Watch Bar. Tickets are $25 ($20 each for groups of four or more, $40 at the door) and include no cover at 10 bars plus three drinks or shots. 21+ with ID.
Saturday, Oct. 31
- Fountain Fright Night at 1105 Prospect St. in Fountain Square, 8 p.m., organized by Southeast Neighborhood Development (SEND). Tickets are on Givebutter.
- Spellbound Indy Dark Rave, Halloween Edition at White Rabbit Cabaret, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
- Gettoblaster: Nightmare on Sunset at The Park at Butler Arts, 8:30 p.m. $10 cover at the door, no tickets required.
Heads up: White Rabbit's Burlesque Bingo Bango Halloween show on Friday is already sold out.
Game day on Sunday
November 1 is a busy sports day, and remember the clocks fall back an hour at 2 a.m.
| Team | Game | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Indy Fuel | vs. Fort Wayne Komets, Fishers Event Center | 4 p.m. (doors 3 p.m.) |
| Indiana Pacers | vs. Brooklyn Nets, Gainbridge Fieldhouse | 5 p.m. |
| Indianapolis Colts | at Jacksonville Jaguars (CBS) | 1 p.m. |
The Fuel's Halloween Hangover game is the family pick. Kids are encouraged to come in costume, there's pregame trick-or-treating with players, kids eat free and players sign autographs after the game. Tickets start at $24.
IU fans: the Hoosiers host Minnesota in Bloomington on Saturday, Oct. 31. Kickoff hasn't been announced yet, so check iuhoosiers.com before you plan your costume around it.
For even more scares, see our roundups of the best Halloween attractions in Indiana and the most haunted places in Indiana. Still need a costume? Try one of these Indiana-themed Halloween costumes.
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Sources: irvingtonhalloween.com · Indianapolis Zoo · Newfields · Children's Museum · Garfield Park Conservatory · City of Fishers · Nickel Plate Express · Indiana State Fairgrounds · Conner Prairie · haunt websites linked in the table · White Rabbit Cabaret · Crawl With Us · Indiana State Museum · Givebutter · Butler Arts · Indy Fuel · Colts · Pacers · IU Athletics
