Halloween in Oxford: Trick-or-Treating, Parades and More
Celebrate Halloween in Oxford with spooky fun for all ages! With plenty of treats, a few chills and lots of opportunities to dress up, there’s more than one night of Halloween fun to look forward to. Here’s what’s happening in Oxford this Halloween:
Safe Trick-or-Treat
Get an early start on Halloween with Safe Trick-or-Treat from 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 25 at Miami University’s Armstrong Student Center. Hosted by Miami’s Residence Hall Association, the event invites families to come in costume and enjoy free candy, games and activities.
The event takes place in the Armstrong Atrium, east of the main entrance. Parking is available in the lots behind Shriver Hall and Sesquicentennial Chapel.
Howl at the Moon
Head to the Oxford Community Arts Center from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 27 for Howl at the Moon, an evening of Halloween fun for the whole family. Come in costume, make your way through a haunted maze, get your face painted and make masks and other crafts. You can also check out Silly Willy’s Balloons, visit the Lane Public Library’s activity table or stop by the wolfish selfie station for a quick pic. Popcorn and cotton candy will be available for free, and the Fair Food Anytime food truck will be on site selling funnel cakes, corn dogs and lemonade.
From 6 to 7:30 p.m., younger trick-or-treaters can visit resident artists on the third floor for a special indoor trick-or-treat experience. Throughout the evening, you can also enjoy games including an eyeball race, witch’s hat ring toss and spooky slots. And if the weather cooperates, check out the new archery contest or head to the front lawn to try your hand at pumpkin chunkin’.
Howl at the Moon is funded in part by the Anne Ruder Bever and James E. Bever Fund of the Greater Oxford Community Foundation and the Rotary Club of Oxford.
Uptown Trick-or-Treat
Bring your little ghouls and goblins to Uptown Oxford from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 29 for an evening of trick-or-treating, hosted by Oxford Parks and Recreation. Participating businesses will be ready to fill your little trick-or-treaters’ pumpkin pails with goodies. Look for an orange pumpkin in business windows to find candy or a teal pumpkin to find toys for children with food allergies.
The event will also feature Halloween-themed games in the Uptown parks, as well as a pet costume contest.
Lions Club Halloween Parade
Stick around after Uptown Trick-or-Treat for the Oxford Lions Club Halloween Parade, which starts around 6:45 p.m. Oct. 29. Children will gather by age group at the Uptown Park before showing off their costumes as they march along the historic bricks of High Street.
Now in its 77th year, the Halloween Parade has been an Oxford tradition since the Lions Club introduced it as the organization’s first service project. The event has since grown into an annual celebration that draws between 400 and 600 children each year.
Neighborhood Trick-or-Treat
The Halloween fun continues Oct. 31 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., when trick-or-treaters take to Oxford’s neighborhoods in search of candy and other goodies. Grab your costume and pumpkin pail, then head out for an evening of neighborhood trick-or-treating.
Pro Tip: If you’re handing out treats, consider having a few toys or other nonfood options available for children with food allergies.
Steven Dietz’s Dracula
Sink your teeth into a Halloween classic when Steven Dietz’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula takes the stage at Miami University’s Gates-Abegglen Theatre Oct. 28-Nov. 1. The production blends horror, humor and tragedy as Count Dracula’s dark influence spreads through London and a battle for survival unfolds.
Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28-31, with a final matinee at 2 p.m. Nov. 1. Tickets are $19-$23.
