October in Cincinnati – so many events are ramping up for fall! Plan some days to get outside and enjoy some fall events, from pumpkins to corn fields to hayrides!
Enjoy this month long list of Things to Do in Cincinnati for the month of October:
You might also want to check out these seasonal guides:
Pumpkin Patches
Corn Mazes
Fall Festivals and Events
Haunted Houses and Haunted Events
October 3-5: Donauschwaben’s Oktoberfest happens in October! Check out our Guide to Cincinnati Area Oktoberfests {2025} for details.
October 3-5: Kentucky Wool Festival will be held in Falmouth, Ky. Live animals/petting areas for the kids, over a hundred arts/crafts vendors, live bluegrass music, sheep shearing demonstrations, local farm products, historical/pioneer village reenactments and demonstrations, and loads of food vendors – from barbeque to chili to corn on the cob to homemade fudge – you’ll go home happy! Admission charged.
October 4-5: Head to Gorman Heritage Farm for the Sunflower Festival. Live music, hayrides and mule carriage rides, craft vendors, food trucks, meet the farm animals, visit education stations, HighGrain Beer Garden and Cut Your Own sunflowers ($1 per stem). Admission charged. Save when you buy tickets online / in advance.
October 4-5: Get some shopping started at the Lakota West Arts and Crafts Show. You’ll find 200 indoor booths, concessions, and on-site parking at this craft show. They’ll even have food trucks this year! $3 regular admission ($5 early bird) – cash only.
October 4: The Westwood Art Show and Wine Festival is happening at the Westwood Town Hall business district, 12-6pm. You’ll find more than 50 unique vendors on the grounds along with food, drink, activities for all ages, and more.
October 4: It’s CAM Kids Day at the Cincinnati Art Museum, 11am-3pm. Get ready to search for treasure and create your own at this CAM Kids Day inspired by the exhibition Rediscovered Treasures. Explore the galleries with an interactive treasure hunt and join in a Taiko drumming performance. Paint a giant scroll with Japanese calligraphy artist Emiko Kuisel, make shell art with artist Charity Rust Jordan, design your own jewelry, and more! See times on their site (link above).
October 4: The City of Milford hosts a Fall Festival, 12-3pm. Enjoy an afternoon of fall family fun at Five Points Landing Park.
October 4: Head to Wyoming, Ohio for the 42nd Annual Fall Festival, 10am-5pm. The day includes live music, great food, inflatables, petting zoo, and more than 100 artists, crafters, vendors, and organizations.
October 4: The 4th Annual Brew Ash is taking place at Summit Park, 2-8pm. The day starts with the Brew Ash Beer Run and continues afterwards with live music, a fall market, food trucks, and lots of local brew.
October 4: Barktoberfest is happening at the Harry Whiting Brown Community Center in Glendale, 2-6pm. Enjoy training and demos, a costume parade and contest, dog games, live music, family friendly games and activities, and more.
October 4: The Great Pumpkin Fest is happening at Keehner Park in West Chester, 2-6pm. All are invited for an afternoon of fun and entertainment. Activities include games, a petting zoo, the “Not-So-Scary” haunted trail, and more. Children are encouraged to wear a costume and take part in a costume parade.
October 5: Flea in the Fort returns for one last time for the 2025 season, 10am – 3pm. This artisan craft show is held in Ft. Thomas, Ky. inside Tower Park on the grounds of the “Mess Hall”. They’ll have more than 70 artists and crafters, live music, food trucks, and craft beer.
October 10-12: Operation Pumpkin returns to Hamilton, Ohio in October. The largest festival in Butler County, this family-friendly event features over 100 artisan and food vendors, giant pumpkins, live entertainment, costumes, and more. Hours are Friday and Saturday: 11am-10pm and Sunday: 11am-5pm.
October 10: Head to Summit Park for Spooky Cinema, starts at dusk (approx. 8pm). This year’s Spooky Summit Cinema will feature the brand-new Beetlejuice Beetlejuice on the big screen.
October 11-12: The Ohio Sauerkraut Festival will be happening in Waynesville. This regional favorite includes lots of great food, entertainment, and vendors/artisans. Held on historic Main Street in downtown Waynesville, hours are Saturday: 9am-8pm and Sunday: 9am-6pm.
October 11: Springfield Township’s Fire Department Open House will be happening from noon to 3pm. See firefighters in action, see fire trucks and other emergency vehicles, spray water from a fire hose, learn about fire safety, watch fire extinguisher demos, and much more. Happens at 9150 Winton Road.
October 11: City Flea will cover Washington Park with their urban flea market vendors, 11am-4pm.
October 12: Art on Vine will have a Fall Market at Washington Park, 12-6pm.
October 12: Stricker’s Grove is opening up for a Customer Appreciation Day starting at noon. Admission charged.
October 13-19: It’s Cincinnati Taco Week! Enjoy $2.50 tacos from some of Cincinnati’s most popular taco joints. Each participating Cincinnati Taco Week restaurant will be offering their own unique tacos.
October 16-18: The Original Sewing and Quilt Expo will be at the Sharonville Convention Center. It’s three days full of sewing, quilting, machine embroidery, and more.
October 17-19: Big Bone Lick State Historic Site hosts their annual Salt Festival. The festival features demonstrations of European settler living and skills, frontier ingenuity, traditions, and lifeways. Browse the crafter’s corner to see the many unique and hand-crafted items for sale and find lots of good eats at the food court. Enjoy folk and bluegrass music, listen to a storyteller, view prehistoric artifacts, and watch traditional Native American drumming and dancing. See how salt was extracted from the springs of Big Bone, explore environmental education, and watch a flintknapper make a stone point. Admission charged.
October 17: Get yourself registered for the Costumed Character Halloween Hike at Caldwell Nature Preserve. Registration is required and it usually sells out so don’t delay!
October 18: Enjoy a Jack-O-Lantern Hike at Caldwell Nature Preserve, 7-9pm. Enjoy the jack-o-lanterns and luminaries on the trail. There will be no costumed characters during this Saturday evening event. This a great “date night for adults” or a low-key walk for families. Groups leave every 5 minutes. Registration required.
October 19: Head south to the Boone County Fairgrounds for the Burlington Antique Show, 6am-2pm. This is the last show for 2025. Admission is charged; parking is free.
October 21: Head to Sharon Woods for Trunk or Treat. Put on your favorite costume and get ready for a spooktacular time with Great Parks and Sharonville Parks & Recreation! Perfect for kids of all ages, this fun-filled evening offers a safe and exciting way to collect candy, show off costumes and enjoy the festive spirit of the season. Timed ticketing is required for entry.
October 23: Head to the Cincinnati Museum Center for their “After Hours: Halloween Edition” event. Strange science, mysterious specimens and spooky experiments all take center stage in the Museum of Natural History & Science. Beware of things that go bump (or bubble) in the night as you wander the exhibits and experience hands-on demonstrations and creepy curiosities. Costumes are certainly encouraged (and may even win you prizes!). Tickets required.
October 25: Blue Ash Nature Park hosts a Halloween Walk in the Woods, 12-3pm. Enjoy trick-or-treating, crafts, concessions and shows. Free & open to the public. Geared towards ages 10 & under.
October 31: Cincinnati Art Museum’s Art After Dark event – info TBA.
ONGOING OCTOBER EVENTS:
The Ohio Renaissance Festival is open every weekend in October. Each October weekend has a special theme (Viking Weekend, Romance Weekend, Time TravelersWeekend, Highland Weekend, Heroes and Heroes & Young Adventurers Weekend).
“A Healing Garden” is at the Krohn Conservatory through Oct. 12, 2025.
