Fall always seems to go by in a flash, but it’s jam-packed with festivities, from picking pumpkins and apples to Halloween parties, costume contests and trick-or-treating.
To help you make the most of the season, Signal Akron and Signal Cleveland’s Najee Hall teamed up to create a schedule of events happening in and around Northeast Ohio.
There’s something for everyone, and many of the events listed here are free. As always, check the individual event’s website for more information, as details can change.
Ongoing events
Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magic
Year round
2155 Broadview Road, Cleveland
It’s that spooky time of year. Are you interested in learning more about the history of witchcraft and magic? The Buckland Museum is located on Cleveland’s West Side and has more than 500 artifacts to view. Online: $8 plus tax and fees, at door: $10 plus tax, bucklandmuseum.org
September events
Bark After Dark
Sept. 26 and Nov. 1 | 6 to 9 p.m.
Akron Zoo (500 Edgewood Ave., Akron)
Bring furry friends for a walk around Akron Zoo this fall. Pets can enjoy vendors, toys, pup cups and water bowls throughout the zoo. Adults are limited to one dog per adult. Prices range from $5 for members to $10 to $15 for nonmembers. Dog prices: $25 to $33, akronzoo.org
SeptemberFest
Sept. 27 | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Oviatt House (3771 Oviatt Road, Richfield)
Have fun supporting Oviatt House during its largest community event, which doubles as a fundraiser. Tour the house and participate in games and antique tool demonstrations. Remember to bring your National Park Service Passport and receive a freedom stamp. Proceeds from tickets for the basket and 50/50 raffle will go toward the Open Doors to History Capital Campaign. Free, oviatthouse1836.com
Fall Family Fun Fest
Sept. 27 | 2 to 5 p.m.
Water Works Park (2025 Munroe Falls Ave., Cuyahoga Falls)
There will be plenty to keep young ones busy at this festival, from music, bounce houses and hayrides to a petting zoo, face painting and games. Guests will have a dozen food trucks to choose from as well, making it the perfect place for families to spend an autumn afternoon. Free, cityofcf.com
FallFest
Sept. 27 | 4:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Longwood Park (1566 E. Aurora Road, Macedonia)
Sip on craft beer and wine and sample bites from food trucks while enjoying live music at Macedonia’s FallFest. Free, macrec.com
Stow Harvest Festival
Sept. 27-28 | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days
Heritage Reserve Park (5120 Young Road, Stow)
Stow Historical Society’s annual festival features free tours of historic buildings, activities for kids and adults and music, as well as handmade artisan goods and food for sale. Proceeds from the events will support the historical society’s work of preserving its artifacts and maintaining its archives. Free, stowhistory.org
Barberton Mum Festival
Sept. 27-28 | 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days
Lake Anna Park (615 W. Park Ave., Barberton)
This long-running event celebrates fall’s favorite flower: the chrysanthemum. The festival — which is in its 34th year — provides visitors with plenty of food and shopping options as well as a variety of live entertainment and kid-friendly activities. Of course the real show stopper is the floral display: More than 17,000 mums are planted to create a unique design each year. Guests who want to bring the festival home with them can purchase potted mums. Free, barbertonparksandrec.com
Fall Festival Series
Select dates through Oct. 26
Mapleside Farms (294 Pearl Road, Brunswick)
Mapleside Farms will be hosting a series of themed festivals throughout September and October. Festival themes include Hometown Heroes, Johnny Appleseed Festival, Wild Wild West, Superhero, Great Pumpkin Fest and Spooky Fest. Fall favorites such as caramel apples, apple pie and more will be available for purchase. $15 and up, mapleside.com
Fall Fest & Clambake
Sept. 28 | Noon to 4 p.m.
Elmwood Park (6200 Wisnieski Parkway, Independence)
The City of Independence will be hosting a Fall Fest & Clambake. Airbrush tattoos, face painting, food, magic shows, live music, a petting farm, hayrides and more will be provided. Admission is free with a canned food donation. All clambake food must be pre-ordered by Friday, Sept. 20. Free, independenceohio.org
Want to find more things to do around Akron? We’ve got you covered from big events to neighborhood happenings. Discover more things to do in Akron here.
October events
Build a Bat for Teens and Tweens
Oct. 1 | 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Tallmadge Branch Library (90 Community Road, Tallmadge)
Set the Halloween mood with a bat you make. Participants will create their own bat mobile and bats to hang from it using paint and glitter. The crafts created at this event is sure to add a little Halloween spirit wherever you place it. Free, akronlibrary.com
Ohio Mart
Oct. 2-4 | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday to Saturday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday
Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens (714 N. Portage Path, Akron)
From ceramics and jewelry to furniture and art, there’s something for everyone at this annual showcase of artisans. Grab lunch or a sweet treat (custom chocolate, anyone?) from one of the 16 food vendors, and get a head start on holiday shopping — or buy something for yourself. Ohio Mart is a fundraiser for the estate, so this is one shopping trip you won’t feel guilty about. Adults: $12 to $16; youth ages 3-17: $6 to $8 (admission includes a self-guided tour of the estate.) stanhywet.org
“The Hobbit”
Oct. 2-26 | 2 p.m. (Sundays only) and 7:30 p.m.
Greystone Hall (103 S. High St., Akron)
Ready for an adventure you will not want to miss? Ohio Shakespeare Festival’s production of “The Hobbit,” based on the J.R.R. Tolkien novel, will follow Bilbo Baggins on a quest riddled with dwarves, goblins and wizards. This gallant tale is sure to get audiences in the Halloween spirit. Adults: $20 to $35; students: $5 to $30, ohioshakespearefestival.com
Fire Truck Pull
Oct. 4 | 11 a.m.
Front Street, Cuyahoga Falls
Grab nine friends and see if you all have what it takes to pull a Cuyahoga Falls fire truck — all 40,000 pounds of it — 40 feet in the fastest time. (Teams can also choose to pull the truck just for fun.) The fifth annual event benefits Keys 2 Serenity. The organization offers assistance to children and families impacted by addiction. Team: $250; individual: $25, downtowncf.com
Aurora Fall Festival
Oct. 4 | 12 to 4 p.m.
Sunny Lake Park (885 E. Mennonite Road, Aurora)
This festival doubles as a fall activity and business showcase. Participants can shop for handmade crafts and goods in the Artisan Alley or browse local businesses in Aurora’s Chamber of Commerce. There will be inflatables, caricatures, hayrides and more activities to enjoy. At noon there will be an animal show with Jungle Terry, then stick around for a magic show at 2 p.m. Free, auroraoh.com
Children’s Fall Festival
Oct. 4 | 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Bedford Square (730 Broadway Ave., Bedford)
This family-friendly event will include games, a pumpkin patch scavenger hunt, dancing, singing and more. Free, https://bedfordoh.gov/event/childrens-fall-festival-2/
Ohio City Oktoberfest
Oct. 4 | 3 – 8 p.m.
Market Square Park (West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue)
Enjoy local brews on tap, food vendors serving local favorites and Bavarian eats, a pretzel toss, Steinholding competitions, a kid zone and live music from Die Unpronouncables. Free.
Vermilion Woollybear Festival
Oct. 5 | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Vermillion Chamber of Commerce (5495 Liberty Ave.)
Downtown Vermilion will play host to the 53rd annual Vermilion Woollybear Festival. Activities will include the woollybear parade, games, live entertainment, crafts, vendors, food and more. Free, vermilionohio.com
Solon Fall Festival
Oct. 5 | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Solon Community Park (6679 SOM Center Road, Solon)
Solon Parks & Recreation and Solon Center for the Arts present the Solon Fall Festival. Enjoy vendors, inflatables, a petting zoo, music, crafts, food trucks, pumpkin decorating and more. Admission and parking are free. For more information, click here. Free.
Harvest Festival and Dinner
Oct. 5 | 3 – 5 p.m. (free), dinner from 5 – 7 p.m. (ticket purchase required by Sept. 23)
Pepper Pike Park (28000 Shaker Blvd., Pepper Pike)
Enjoy the fall festival, which will include face painting, hay rides, pumpkin painting and more.The festival is free, but dinner tickets must be purchased in advance.
Fall into Nature
Oct. 5 | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Bath Nature Preserve (4160 Ira Road)
Bath Township will host an afternoon of seasonal activities, including face painting, hayrides and a pumpkin patch at the picturesque Bath Nature Preserve. Guests can also tour and view demonstrations at the on-site University of Akron Field Station. Free, bathtownship.org
West Hill 5K of Wonders
Oct. 4 | Noon to 3 p.m.
88 Oakdale Ave., Akron
Revel in a runner’s high in Akron’s West Hill 5K. Participants can run or walk through the West Hill neighborhood. Registered participants will receive a custom T-shirt, a hand-dyed bandana and a beer or non-alcoholic drink token from Wonderfest. Soak up the fun post-run at Wonderfest, highlighting arts and culture in the neighborhood. Registration is $35, midohioracemangement.com
Wonderfest
Oct. 4 | Noon to 7 p.m.
88 Oakdale Ave., Akron
Celebrate Akron’s West Hill neighborhood at this arts and culture festival. Wonderfest will feature live music, art workshops, historic tours, kids’ activities, a handmade marketplace, a silent auction and raffles. Food trucks and a beer garden will also be on site. Free, https://akron200.org/event/wonderfest-2025/
Fall Family Outing
Oct. 4 | 2 to 7 p.m.
Munroe Falls Metro Park (521 S. River Road, Munroe Falls)
Take in a lumberjack show, go on a hayride and enjoy refreshments, naturalist activities and bonfires at this all-day event hosted by Summit Metro Parks. Free, summitmetroparks.org
Brew at the Zoo
Oct. 4 | 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Akron Zoo (500 Euclid Ave., Akron)
Guests are encouraged to don their Halloween costumes for this frightfully fun night of dancing and libations. Registration includes eight drink samples and admission to the zoo after hours. Food and additional drinks will be available for purchase. Early bird tickets: $20 to $38; general admission: $30 to $53, akronzoo.org
City of Seven Hills Fall Fest
Oct. 4 | 1 to 5 p.m.
Seven Hills City Hall (7325 Summitview Dr., Seven Hills)
Seven Hills City Hall will be having a Fall Fest. Bring the family out and enjoy food trucks, a beer tent, live music, hay rides, a bounce house, petting zoo and more. Free, sevenhillsohio.org
Harvest Festival
Oct. 4, 5, 11 and 12 | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. all days
Hale Farm and Village (2686 Oak Hill Road, Bath)
This annual festival gives guests the chance to explore seasonal traditions, including an apple cider press and apple butter making, at a working 19th century farm. Other activities include a pumpkin patch, food preservation, farmyard animals and a nature scavenger hunt. Admission includes the heritage gardens, demonstrations, and early American craft and trade demonstrations. Adults (age 13 and older): $15; youth (ages 3 to 12): $8; Western Reserve Historical Society members, active military and youth 2 or younger: Free, wrhs.org
Stow Haunted Hayride
Oct. 11 | 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Silver Springs Park (5238 Young Road, Stow)
Something sweet awaits guests after this spooky trip: a Toasty Trail where attendees can roast marshmallows and make s’mores before heading back to their cars. Food trucks will also be on site. Wagons leave every 15 minutes from the baseball field’s parking lot. Registration is required. Stow residents: $6; nonresidents: $8, stowohio.org
Spooky Pooch Parade
Oct. 11 | 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Madison Park (13201 Madison Ave., Lakewood)
LakewoodAlive will be hosting the 17th annual Spooky Pooch Parade. The parade will travel along Madison Avenue and surrounding streets and will conclude with an awards ceremony for the best-dressed dog. The event is free to attend, but you must register to enter the costume contest or march in the parade. Pre-registration: $15 per dog; day-of registration: $20 per dog, lakewoodalive.org
The Haunted Library
Oct. 11 | 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Tallmadge Branch Library (90 Community Road, Tallmadge)
What goes bump in the library? Find out when the Tallmadge branch is transformed into a family-friendly haunted library. Costumes are encouraged. For more Halloween events at Akron-Summit County Library branches, check out the events schedule. Free, services.akronlibrary.org/event/11395871
Boo at the Zoo | Ultimate Fall Fest
Oct. 11-26 (weekends) | 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (no entrance after 6 p.m.)
Akron Zoo (500 Euclid Ave., Akron)
Guests have three weekends to attend the zoo’s annual Halloween event. Twelve stations will be set up throughout the zoo for treaters to visit and collect candy. Allergen-friendly options will be available at each station. Treaters: $16 to $22; observers: $13 to $17 (no treats); youth 2 and younger and zoo members: Free. akronzoo.org
Fall Street Festival
Oct. 18 | 1 to 5 p.m.
Tallmadge Recreation Center (46 N. Munroe Road, Tallmadge)
Attendees at this festival will want to save room for dessert. The pie-eating contest starts at 2:30 p.m. sharp. Also on the schedule: hayrides, pony rides, live music, crafts and cornhole. Food trucks and a beer garden will also be on site. Beer tickets and wristbands for the kids’ activities are $5 each, cash only. Free, tallmadge-ohio.org
Spook-tacular Twinsburg Fall Family Festival
Oct. 18 | 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Glen Chamberlin Park (10260 Ravenna Road, Twinsburg)
This event hosted by Twinsburg Parks and Recreation will feature face painting, food trucks, games and contests, a pumpkin giveaway and trunk-or-treat. Free, mytwinsburg.com
Trick-or-Treat Trail and Costume Contest
Oct. 18 | 2:15 p.m.
Central Park (1795 Steese Road, Green)
Local businesses and organizations will hand out candy to costumed treaters at Central Park in Green. Kids as old as 12 can also participate in a costume contest that begins at 2:15 p.m. Admission: Nonperishable food item or personal care item, cityofgreen.org
2025 Downtown Akron Fall Fest
Oct. 18 (more details coming soon)
Main Street in downtown Akron will be open to trick-or-treaters for the third annual Fall Fest. Free, downtownakron.com
Truck-or-Treat
Oct. 18 | 5 to 7 p.m.
Silver Creek Metro Park Lake House area (5000 Hametown Road, Norton)
Kids of all ages will enjoy getting an up-close look at the vehicles that make Summit Metro Parks run. The trucks will be decked out in their Halloween best. Along the way, visitors can collect treats from SMP staffers and enjoy games and refreshments. Guests are encouraged to wear costumes. (Summit Metro Parks will host a second Truck-or-Treat Oct. 25.) Free, summitmetroparks.org
Nightmare on Front Street
Oct. 18 | 3 to 8 p.m.
2085 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls
One of downtown Cuyahoga Falls’ signature events moves to Saturday as it features breweries, vendors, food trucks and costume contests. This indoor and outdoor event takes place at the plaza, amphitheater and pavilion in downtown Cuyahoga Falls. Free, downtowncf.com
Hands-On Halloween
Oct. 25 | 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Akron Children’s Museum (216 S. Main St., Akron)
This annual event features live music, face painting, photo ops, trick-or-treating and hands-on experiments including pumpkin volcanoes and 3D-printed bones. Costumes are encouraged. Guests can also bring new, fuzzy socks that will be donated to children in foster and kinship homes through Summit County Children Services. Tickets: $8 to $12, akronkids.org
Truck-or-Treat
Oct. 25 | 5 to 7 p.m.
Goodyear Heights Metro Park Lodge (2077 Newton St., Akron)
Kids of all ages will enjoy getting an up-close look at the vehicles that make Summit Metro Parks run. The trucks will be decked out in their Halloween best. Along the way, visitors can collect treats from SMP staffers and enjoy games and refreshments. Guests are encouraged to wear costumes. Free, summitmetroparks.org
Trick-or-treat on the Trail and Spooky Tales
Oct. 26 | 1 to 4 p.m.
Richfield Heritage Preserve (4374 Broadview Road, Richfield)
Spend the afternoon exploring the beautiful nature preserve and gather treats along the way. Games, crafts and refreshments will be available. Costumes are encouraged. Free, richfieldheritagepreserve.com
Perkins Paranormal Trick-or-treat
Oct. 31 | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Perkins Stone Mansion (550 Copley Road, Akron)
Families can collect treats in each room of the historic mansion at this Halloween event. Along the way, they can hear scary stories and explore the home’s exhibits. Costumes are encouraged, but no masks please. $5 per family, eventbrite.com
November events
Smells Like Snow Coffee Festival
Nov. 1 | 12 to 6 p.m.
Lock 3 (200 S. Main St., Akron)
Coffee, coffee and coffee are on the menu at this festival in downtown Akron that’s a nod to the Gilmore Girls television series. Attendees can sample some caffeinated sips from local businesses. Participants can enjoy a live concert from Grant-Lee Phillips around 6 p.m. Free, downtownakron.com
Bark After Dark
Nov. 1 | 6 to 9 p.m.
Akron Zoo (500 Edgewood Ave., Akron)
Bring furry friends for a walk around Akron Zoo this fall. Pets can enjoy vendors, toys, pup cups and water bowls throughout the zoo. Adults are limited to one dog per adult. Prices range from $5 for members to $10 to $15 for nonmembers. Dog prices: $25 to $33, akronzoo.org
Shop-a-Holidays
Nov. 15 | 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Akron Zoo (500 Euclid Ave., Akron)
Check some names off your holiday shopping list at this local market. There will also be a kids’ craft corner and animal encounters. Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck will be on site. Free, akronzoo.org