With the fall season creeping up just around the corner, it's time to brainstorm some costume ideas and family outings for Halloween. The Halloween Fair at Carlisle Reservation in LaGrange, Ohio is the perfect place for both family-friendly fun and spooky fun during fall in Ohio. Featuring a Halloween-themed trail that's both spooky and non-spooky, this one-of-a-kind park is the perfect place to kick off the season. With glowing jack-o-lanterns and skeleton trees, this Carlisle Halloween Walk will get you in the Halloween spirit as it's one of the best Halloween events in Ohio. Here's why this unique trail belongs on your October bucket list.
Every October, a Halloween-themed trail is held at Carlisle Reservation, part of the Lorain County Metro Parks. Both locals and visitors alike are enchanted. The Halloween Fair takes place on select Friday and Saturday evenings in October. This year, the event will take place between October 9 and October 25, 2025. The October 9, 2025, date is reserved as an all-abilities event.
During the afternoon and early evening, the trail is family-friendly (and not spooky) from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. You'll pass through Pumpkin Lagoon, the Skeleton Tree, and other fun exhibits. Moreover, the Halloween Fair will also feature live entertainment, a costume contest, an outdoor theater, Boo Choo train rides, tractor-pulled wagon rides, games, carnival games, face painting, and more.
When the sun sets, however, things start to take on a slightly eerie quality. On each night of the event, the haunted trail will close briefly, from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., while it is cleared and the transition is made from family-friendly to spooky. The Spooky Trail is open from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Along the spooky trail, you'll encounter mechanical scare props, some scary actors, and spooky stations. It's the perfect way to kick off the Halloween season.
With all the spooky fun to be had at the Halloween Fair, this may be the best thing you do this spooky season. You should, however, be aware of a few additional things before attending the Carlisle Reservation Halloween Fair. Admission is only $7 per person. Children aged 3 and under are admitted free of charge. Parking is available at the Carlisle Reservation Visitor Center. However, parking will close at 9:30 p.m., and no visitors will be admitted after 9:45 p.m. Flashlights, masks, and pets are prohibited. Visit the Carlisle Reservation Halloween Fair web page for more information or to purchase your tickets online.
Have you ever been to the Halloween Fair at Carlisle Reservation in LaGrange, Ohio? What are some of your other go-to Halloween events in the Buckeye State? We'd love to hear all about your favorites. While you're in the area, why not take a scenic hike to a beautiful waterfall in Ohio before you head on the haunted trail? You won't be disappointed.
Feeling inspired? Try planning your own spooky adventures in the Buckeye State using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.