October is one of those months filled with nostalgia. For me, many of those memories focus on Halloween.
I had so many awesome costumes throughout the years, from 50’s poodle skirt girls to Ms. Frizzle, I deeply enjoyed letting my inner theatre kids shine. That was especially true for Trick or Treat.
Halloween in Columbus can sometimes feel like a gamble. You never know whether you’ll have decent weather or if you’ll be bundling the kids up in sweatsuits and coats under their perfectly planned contest. But luckily, no matter what the weather is, the kiddos will be rewarded with candy!
The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) issued guidelines several years ago that set the dates for Trick or Treat in Central Ohio. When Halloween falls on Monday-Thursday, trick or treating is held on October 31. When Halloween falls on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, it’s held the Thursday prior to Oct. 31.
2025 Central Ohio Trick-or-Treat Times
Thursday, October 30
- Bexley: 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- Canal Winchester: 5:30-7 p.m.
- Columbus: 6-8 p.m.
- Dublin: 6-8 p.m.
- Gahanna: 6-8 p.m.
- Grove City: 6-8 p.m.
- Groveport: 5:30-7 p.m.
- Hilliard: 6-8 p.m.
- New Albany: 6-8 p.m.
- Obetz: 6-8 p.m.
- Pickerington: 6-8 p.m.
- Reynoldsburg: 6-8 p.m.
- Upper Arlington: 6-8 p.m.
- Westerville: 6-8 p.m.
- Whitehall: 6-8 p.m.
Friday, October 31
- Grandview Heights: 6 to 8 p.m.
- Worthington: 6 to 8 p.m.
- Marysville: 6 to 8 p.m.
Trick-or-Treat FAQs
Should you be annoyed if older kids come to your door? Don’t assume you know how old a kid is by their size. Plenty of kids are five and a half feet tall by fifth grade. As long as older kids are respectful of the smaller children and the people handing out candy, they’re not hurting anyone by going door to door.
What if you don’t want to hand out candy? Keep your lights off, including landscaping lights. And don’t leave a bowl of candy on the porch with a note unless you’re at peace with one kid dumping the entire thing into his bag in the first 15 minutes.
What kind of candy should you hand out? Stick to the standbys kids universally love and save the creativity for the costumes. If you load up on Reese’s Cups, consider pairing them with a nut-free option for kids with allergies.
What’s the deal with teal pumpkins? A teal pumpkin on the porch signals that a house has non-candy treats available for kids with food allergies.
