Your 2018 guide to Halloween events for kids in Dayton

You don't have to wait until Halloween to get in the Halloween spirit. There are plenty of family-friendly and kid-friendly events all month long just for fun or to get some extended use out of that costume.

>> When is trick-or-treating in your city this year?

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🎃HallZOOween 2018 

Kids are encouraged to wear a costume at the zoo this month to celebrate Halloween with all the animals. Since this year’s hallZOOween is sponsored by Frisch’s Big Boy, two mini Big Boy statues will be hidden somewhere at the zoo and the people who find them will receive prizes.

WHEN: Saturdays and Sundays in October: Oct. 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28

WHERE: Cincinnati ZOO & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St. Cincinnati, Ohio

MORE INFO: Website | (513) 281-4700

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🎃Halloween in the Village 

The Village in New Lebanon is hosting a Halloween celebration. Open to the public, this event will be a night full of family fun and food. Dayton Mobile DJ and a variety of local food trucks will be there. Enjoy a costume contest for all ages, free face painting, free pumpkin carving, Halloween crafts and Trunk-Or-Treat in the municipal building parking lot.

WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 25, from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

WHERE: Stanley Jones Park, 198 S. Clayton Road, New Lebanon.

INFO: Facebook

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🎃Halloscene at Scene75

The trick-or-treat bonanza that has backed up highways in previous years is back to give away more than “a metric ton of candy.” Scene75 will open its doors for a warm and safe trick-or-treat event and costume contest for kids 12 and under. Halloscene is the entertainment center’s biggest special event of the year. Each year, more than 3,500 people have poured into Scene75 looking for a spooky sweet tooth fix.

WHEN: 6 p.m.- 9 p.m. Thursday, October 25

WHERE: Scene75 Dayton, 6196 Poe Avenue

COST: Free

INFO: Website

🎃Pumpkin Party in the Park

The pumpkins will be partying at Austin Landing in an all-out fall celebration. Expect to see classic fall attire like scarfs and boots, with pumpkin spice lattes and hot cocoa in-hand. Internationally recognized carvers are back to create pumpkin masterpieces, “boasting the best fall art in Dayton!”

“We will be celebrating all things fall including GIANT 500-pound pumpkins that will be carved LIVE in the park by our internationally known artists! We will also have over 50 individually carved pumpkins and a pumpkin carving station! Free face painting, glitter tattoos, photo booth and bounce houses will be available in the park, and don't forget to grab your own pumpkin on the way home!”

WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 24, 3 p.m.- 7 p.m.

WHERE: Austin Landing Blvd., 10400 Innovation Drive, Miami Township

INFO: Website

Let's party, Pumpkin style!!! Come out October 24th ALL DAY LONG we have awesome things going on. 11:00am - Chance to...

Posted by Austin Landing on Wednesday, October 10, 2018
🎃Multicultural Fall Celebration 

This holiday celebration combines the traditional Halloween customs of North America with other fall holiday customs celebrated around the world. This includes the African American “Kwanzaa”; the Asian Indian “Diwali”; the Chinese and Vietnamese “Mid-Autumn Festival”; “Chusok,” the Korean Thanksgiving; the Japanese “Bon” holiday; the Nigerian “Yam Festival”; The Mexican “Day of the Dead”; and the Native American Fall Harvest.

The Multicultural Halloween is a collaborative effort of several Wright State student organizations and features diversity of music and dance from all over the world, a variety of multicultural foods, cultural quizzes with prizes awarded, face painting, caricature artists, balloon sculptures and a costume contest for adults and children with prizes awarded.

WHEN: Thursday Oct. 25, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Wright State University Dayton campus, Apollo Room in the Student Union

COST: Free and open to the public. Donations of any kind will be accepted and will go toward student scholarships.

INFO: wright.edu

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🎃KidX Boo Bash

Get your ghoul on with KidX at Dayton Mall’s Boo Bash in Center Court from 2-4 p.m. There will be frightfully fun games, activities, treats from Great American Cookies and more. Plus, BOOgie on down as DJ Jason spins the hottest Halloween hits. So grab your witch’s broom and zoom on down to Dayton Mall.

WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 27, from 2 p.m. -4 p.m.

WHERE: Dayton Mall, 2700 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Dayton

INFO: Facebook

🎃Boo Bash 2018

This annual favorite is a free family event including:

• superhero games

• crafts

• refreshments

• superhero training camp

• obstacle course

• fun photo opportunity

• Superhero School with the Boo Bash Players

Superheroes who complete their training will earn a prize and certificate.

WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 27, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

WHERE: Hayner Cultural Center, 301 W. Main St., Troy, OH 45373

INFO: Facebook

🎃Trick-or-Treat at The Greene

Go to The Greene security office and grab a map the more than 30 stores that will be passing out candy. (Security located in breezeway between Altar’d State & Victoria’s Secret.) If you post a pic of the kiddos’ costumes to The Greene’s Facebook page, you could win a Greene Gift Card. If the event is rained out, the scheduled rain date is from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 30.

WHEN: 6 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. Monday, October 29

WHERE: The Greene Town Center, 4452 Buckeye Lane, Beavercreek

INFO: thegreene.com

🎃Beggar’s Night at Austin Landing 

Know as Trick-or-Treat to most commoners, lots of stores and restaurants around the development will be passing out sweet treats along with fun activities for every little ghoul and ghost.

Participating Stores & Activities:

-Staybridge Suites and Hilton Garden Inn

-Dewey's Pizza

-The Flats at Austin Landing

-Firebirds

-Cold Stone | Coloring Sheets

-PetValu

-Five Guys

-Mike's Nashville Hot

-Truck or Treat at BJ's Brewhouse | 20+ Jeeps loaded with candy for everyone.

-Kroger | Bananas and Oranges

-Beacon Orthopedics

-More coming soon

WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 31 from 6-8 p.m.

WHERE: 10050 Innovation Drive, Miamisburg

INFO: Website

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Credit: Tom Gilliam

🎃Fairborn Halloween Festival

This annual tradition offers fun for all ages. The humble town of Fairborn is responsible for the largest Halloween festival in the Miami Valley, turning their downtown into a three-day party every October. There will be food trucks, carnival rides and games and local merchants open for shopping. The Spooktacular Parade is an annual tradition where costumed revelers will show off their creations for the rest of the festival crowd. The route is a little different this year, coming down Central Ave. from the YMCA, turning left on Main Street, and proceeding to the main stage. This route goes through the middle of the festival. There are age groups for the annual costume contest ranging from newborn to adult. The categories are overall scariest, best couple and best animal (as in your pet, not you dressed up like a werewolf). There is also a Zombie Walk and you can get professional makeup for $6.

WHEN: Oct. 19-21, 4-11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Main St., Fairborn

COST: No admission cost

MORE INFO: 937-878-3191 or search "Fairborn Halloween Festival" on Facebook

🎃Costume Contest and Trick-or-Treat at Cincinnati Outlets

Children ages 12 and under are invited to participate in a ghostly candy collection wearing their best costumes at the Cincinnati Premium Outlets. The center’s shops will hand out candy from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. “To complement the crave for candy, children are welcome and encouraged to enter the center’s annual costume contest held in Cincinnati Premium Outlets’ newly renovated outdoor Green Space, weather permitting, directly outside of the Food Court. The competition will be judged by members of the Monroe Police and Fire Department, and prizes will be awarded in three age groups: 0-3, 4-7 and 8-12.”

WHEN: 4 p.m.- 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26

WHERE: Cincinnati Premium Outlets, 400 Premium Outlets Drive, Monroe

COST: Free

MORE INFO: Website

🎃Trick-or-treating in downtown Troy

Troy Main Street and the Troy Noon Optimists invite all children to downtown Troy on for a frighteningly good time at their annual hometown Halloween event. The event will begin with a costume contest at 9 a.m. in the Hobart Government Center parking lot (510 W. Water St). The competitors will then parade down West Main Street to Prouty Plaza, where awards will be distributed. From 10 a.m. to noon, all are welcome to visit participating downtown businesses to trick-or-treat for goodies of all kinds. Halloween music from The Wayne Alumni Band and a visit from the Sanderson Sisters of “Hocus Pocus.”

WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 27, from 9 a.m. to noon

WHERE: Downtown Troy, starting at 510 W. Water St. for costume judging

INFO: Website

Have more Halloween events perfect for the kids? Send your ideas to us at contact@dayton.com

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