Halloween Scream on the Green Returns to Civic Center Oct. 31 |
Free costume contests, pumpkin carving and hayrides at 4 p.m., with a horror double feature at 7 p.m. — RSVP required |
The Columbus Civic Center turns its lawn into a free Halloween party on Saturday, October 31, when Halloween Scream on the Green opens at 4:00 p.m., presented by The J.M. Smucker Co. in partnership with Boyz 2 Men Development and the Kimp Krew.
The afternoon lineup is built for families: costume contests, pumpkin carving, hayrides, horse rides, sack races, a candy giveaway and what organizers call "spooky scenes and more." Admission is free, but the event page says RSVP is required, and guests must register using their legal name.
Families should bring blankets and lawn chairs for the evening portion, since the event moves to watching "on the lawn" once the sun goes down. |
 Illustrative image, not the Columbus event. Photo by Charles Parker on Pexels |
At 7:00 p.m., the Civic Center screens a horror double feature: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Insidious. Both films are rated PG-13, so parents should weigh the content before bringing younger children to that portion of the night.
Guests 17 and younger must be accompanied by an adult 21 or older, and children may not be dropped off at the event. The Civic Center will enforce its Clear Bag Policy for everyone entering.
Families planning to attend can RSVP online ahead of the free event, which gives Columbus trick-or-treaters an early-evening alternative before heading out for the night. |
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If you're staying after sunset, bring a blanket even if you have lawn chairs. That grass gets chilly once the sun goes down.
kim_87Good call. We sat on that lawn last fall and wished we'd brought an extra layer for the kids.
Good tip, thanks for sharing it! Blankets and lawn chairs are both on our bring-along list for the evening.
Does anyone know what they'll be showing on the lawn after dark? We'd bring chairs if it's something our youngest can sit through.
Ben CarterI couldn't find a movie title in the event details either. I'd want to know before keeping my youngest out that late.
The event details don’t say what will be shown on the lawn after dark. We’d check the Civic Center’s event page for any updates before heading over.
We went to a hayride at the Civic Center a few years back and the kids still talk about it. Nice to see horse rides on the list too.
Tasha B.My kids still bring up that hayride too. I'm hoping the horse rides start early enough for the little ones.
What a lovely memory! Hayrides and horse rides are both on this year’s activity list.
Requiring legal names to register for a free lawn event seems a little much. Is that for the whole family or just the adult signing up?
Dave ThompsonI wondered that too. The event page says to use legal names, but it isn't clear whether each child needs to be registered separately.
We understand the concern. The event page says RSVP is required using a legal name, but it doesn’t clarify whether that applies to every family member or just the person registering.
The costume contest sounds like something my kids would love. Glad admission is free, but I'll make sure we RSVP first.
Maria G.Same here. My daughter has been planning her costume for weeks, so I'm glad you mentioned the RSVP.
We hope they have a great time in the costume contest! Admission is free, but an RSVP is required.