Halloween season is in full swing.
And for local residents looking for some eerie entertainment, the choices are as robust as a 10-pound bag of candy.
Take the little ones trick-or-treating at one of Greenwood’s newest traditions. Find the perfect autumn decor and gourds of all kinds in downtown Franklin.
Get in the spooky spirit with a concert of Halloween-inspired tunes, or jam to the best local musicians in intimate front-porch performances.
If you’re really daring, sit through a mini-marathon of the best classic monster movies of all time.
The weekend is short, and there’s so much to do. Here’s a rundown of the best options to maximize your fall fun.
Monster Mash
Details: 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Craig Park, 10 E. Smith Valley Road, Greenwood
On Friday night, monsters, ghosts, superheroes and more will take over Old Town Greenwood for Monster Mash. Costumed attendees can walk down a candy-laden trail to collect treats and take part in a variety of activities. The event is a longtime Greenwood tradition, situated along Craig Park’s Play Pocket Trail, where people can visit vendors along the trick-or-treat trail while enjoying music, hayrides, bounce houses and more. General admission is free to the public. Parking will be available at the corner of Meridian Street and Surina Way.
Universal Horror Monster Madness
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, and 2, 5, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, the Historic Artcraft Theatre, 57 N. Main St., Franklin
Everyone knows about Frankenstein, Dracula and the Mummy. But the horror-minded maestros at Universal Studios have a lot more creatures than that in their features. Come experience some of the lesser-known but no less fun films during this mini-film festival at the Historic Artcraft Theatre. Friday’s offering will be “The Island Earth,” while Saturday features “House of Frankenstein,” “Son of Frankenstein,” “The Black Cat” and “Island of Lost Souls.” Local legend and horror host Sammy Terry will perform a stage show prior to the 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. shows. Individual show tickets are $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, college students and military with ID, and $4 for children 12 and under. Full festival passes are also available to all five movies, and are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, college students and military with ID, and $15 for children 12 and under.
Pumpkin Fest
Details: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Farm Girl Mercantile, 436 E. Jefferson St., Franklin
Get everything you need to turn your home into a pumpkin-spiced paradise as Farm Girl Mercantile presents its Pumpkin Fest. The shop will be overstocked with pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, mums and more to go along with its regular collection of rustic-chic home decor. Outside vendors will be set up selling their own goods, and live music will be featured throughout the day. Organizers have also staged special fall-themed displays — ideal for capturing that perfect autumn-inspired selfie or group photo.
Porchtober
Details: 6 p.m. Saturday, Nick Dittmeier & the Sawdusters, 200 S. Main St., Franklin; 8 p.m., Shack #9, 99 S. Home Ave., Franklin
Summer may be long past, but downtown Franklin has an outdoor live experience that’s not to be missed. Porchtober, organized by the Creative Council of Franklin, is bringing some of the area’s best musicians to perform off front porches around the downtown area. Porchtober has been around since 2020, as the council wanted to find a showcase to support local musicians and other creatives. The events has changed formats over the years; this time around, it’s spread out over four weekends, with performers set up on different porches each Saturday. Check out the Hoosier twang of Nick Dittmeier & the Sawdusters first, then hoof it a few blocks and catch Shack #9.
A Very Alien Halloween Concert
Details: 6 p.m. Sunday, Perry Meridian High School auditorium, 401 W. Meridian School Road, Indianapolis
Aliens have descended on central Indiana, and they’re … playing music? That’s the idea behind the annual Halloween concert from the Greater Greenwood Community Band. An all-volunteer band that has been performing since 1994, the band presents “A Very Alien Halloween,” which will immerse the audience in the realm of UFOs, alien encounters and celestial mysteries. Band director Randy Greenwell promises musical tales of playful aliens frolicking in on the southside and mysteries from galaxies far, far away unfolding on stage. Band members will play in costume, and audience members are encouraged to wear their best alien or Halloween attire — prizes are available for the best dressed.
