Fall Events & Programs

The city of Lexington is known for our amazing fall and Halloween-themed events. The city has been named a Top 10 Halloween Destination by USA Today and was featured in the Top 25 Best Halloween Festivals Across the U.S. by Oprah Magazine. Looking to celebrate spooky season with us? Check out the list of events and programs below, presented by Lexington Parks & Recreation.

Schedule of 2023 Events & Programs

Click the name below to expand and find out more information about each event or program.

Raven 10K – Oct. 1

Raven Run Nature Sanctuary
Sunday, Oct. 1
8:30 a.m. – Noon
Cost: $35 (before Sept. 10) | $45 (after Sept. 10) | $30 (Virtual race)

Join us for the 9th annual Raven 10K Trail Run on the grounds of Raven Run Nature Sanctuary. Our 2023 in-person race will be held on Sunday, Oct. 1 at 9 a.m. There will also be a Raven 10K virtual option for those who want to participate on their own schedule (run/walk your 10K between Sept. 25 and Oct. 1).

Register

Freaky Flicks – Oct. 6, 13 and 20

Fridays, Oct. 6, 13 and 20
6:30 p.m.
Cost: Admission is free

Enjoy family-friendly spooky movies in October. Preshow activities begin at 6:30 p.m. and movies begin at dark. Food trucks will be onsite. Blankets and chairs should be brought for seating.

2023 Schedule

  • Oct. 6 | Hocus Pocus | Masterson Station Park
  • Oct. 13 | Casper (1995) | Moondance Amphitheater
  • Oct. 20 | Monsters, Inc. | Moondance Amphitheater

Story Walk: The Little Ghost Who Lost Her Boo – Oct. 7

McConnell Springs Park
Wednesday, Sept. 13
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Cost: Free

Enjoy reading this fun story, The Little Ghost Who Lost Her Boo by Elaine Bickell, as a way to ring in spooky season. Story walks are a combination of the fun of a story with the added excitement of a hike through the park. Pages of children's stories will be posted along the trails for a self-guided activity for the whole group. No registration is required and you can go at your own pace.

Goo Goo Muck Dance Rehearsal – Oct. 7, 14 and 21

Artworks at the Carver School 
Saturdays, Oct. 7, 14 and 21
3 – 4 p.m.
Cost: Free

Get creepy and kooky, mysterious and spooky, and altogether ooky! Channel your inner Wednesday and her viral Rave'N Ball dance in the Halloween Parade down Main St. just before the Thriller reenactment. Must attend at least one rehearsal to participate. Check-in is at 2:30 p.m. No registration is required.

Witch's Brew Botany – Oct. 10

6 – 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 10 | Duncan Park
Cost: Admission is free

Examine the world of plants and fungi that have been historically associated with witchcraft and potions. Learn about the traditional uses of these plants and their chemical properties!

Campfire S'mores – Oct. 14

McConnell Springs Park 
Saturday, Oct. 14
7 – 8 p.m.
Cost: $5

Enjoy the glow of a campfire and make s'mores as the sunsets at McConnell Springs. Visitors are welcome to take a night hike around the trails before leaving. Registration is required.

Pumpkin Patch Classic – Oct. 15

Tates Creek Golf Course
Sunday, Oct. 15
8 a.m.
Cost: $130 per team or $65 per player (Includes green fee, cart fee, prize money and lunch)

The annual Pumpkin Patch Classic golf tournament returns to Tates Creek Golf Course on Sunday, Oct.16. This 18-hole tournament is open to two-person teams and will be played in a scramble format. Golfers of all ages and skill levels are eligible to participate. Enjoy fun decorations and trophies to match the spooky season!

Register

Fall Nature Wreaths – Oct. 15

Raven Run Nature Sanctuary 
Sunday, Oct. 15
1 – 2:30 p.m.
Cost: Free

Use nature as your inspiration to create some woodland-themed fall decor. This program will be led by Raven Run staff. Supplies provided.

Kenwick Community Center Pumpkin Carving Party – Oct. 16

Kenwick Community Center
Monday, Oct. 16
4 – 6 p.m.
Cost: Free

Join Kenwick staff for an evening filled with family-friendly fun as we have a pumpkin carving party! All you need is your imagination, as we will provide everything from the pumpkins to the carving tools! You can choose to either take the pumpkin home, or you can leave it at the center and we’ll put it on display!

Dunbar Community Center Free Costume Giveaway – Oct. 16

Dunbar Community Center
Monday, Oct. 16
6 – 7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free

Join us for a free Halloween costume giveaway at Dunbar Community Center put on by Caring Costumes, a charitable organization that provides previously enjoyed, gently-used costumes to children who might not otherwise have the ability to participate in fun Halloween activities. Costumes are available while they last. Please consider donating any costumes and they will clean and prepare for another child to enjoy this Halloween!

History & Mysteries – Oct. 21

Raven Run Nature Sanctuary
Saturday, Oct. 21
6 – 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $5

Join park staff on a leisurely golden hour walk through the past at Raven Run. We'll stop by some of our 19th century homestead remnants to learn about some of our mysterious former residents, strange historical happenings, and spooky traditions of the last 150 years at the park.

Register

Halloween Printmaking Workshop – Oct. 21

Artworks, 522 Patterson Street
Saturday, Oct. 21
1 – 4 p.m.
Cost: Free

Make an original piece of art and Halloween keepsake to celebrate the season! Beginners receive a mini-lesson that will introduce the printmaking basics while more experienced printmakers can utilize the studio for their creations. Participants can drop in and choose from several precut designs or may sign up for a longer session to create and print a custom design of their own. Ages 6 and up.

Register

Raven Run Pumpkin Carving – Oct. 21 and 28

Raven Run Nature Sanctuary
Saturday, Oct. 21 | 4 – 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 28 | 5 – 6:15 p.m.
Cost: $5

Come out to the park for a family-friendly fall evening at Raven Run! Carve pumpkins and enjoy hot chocolate while watching night settle over the park. When you’re finished you can take your pumpkin home or for those carving on Oct. 21, they can drop their pumpkins off at McConnell Springs Park for the Jack-o-lantern Trail. All supplies provided. A Full Moon Hike will take place after the carving on Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m. It requires separate registration.

Register

Carve & Chip'n – Oct. 22

McConnell Springs Park 
Sunday, Oct. 22
1 – 5 p.m.
Cost: Bring your own pumpkin

Calling all pumpkin Picassos! Join us at McConnell Springs Park for a Carve & Chip'n event to add pumpkins to this year's Jack-o-lantern Trail! You supply the pumpkin, we'll have tools and stencils, and then will take care of the mess when you're finished. All pumpkins will be donated to the Jack-o-lantern Trail which takes place at McConnell Springs Park Oct. 26 – 28. All donors will receive free admission to the trail and a free poster.

Kenwick Haunted House – Oct. 23

Kenwick Community Center
Monday, Oct. 23
6 – 8 p.m.
Cost: Free

Are you ready to be scared? Come test your fear factor at Kenwick Community Center as we host a spectacular haunted house walkthrough! The event will feature a no-contact scare fest as participants brave dark corridors and unseen threats. Do you have what it takes to make it through? Free to attend, no registration required. Max group size of 6. Groups larger than 6 will be split into smaller groups to ensure safety and quickness for all. Recommended age is 8+, though final decision is left to the parent or guardian's discretion.

Please note: There will be strobe lights featured in one section of the walkthrough. Individuals with light sensitivity and/or a history of light-induced epilepsy are advised to proceed with caution when participating.

Fright Night Bingo – Oct. 25

Kenwick Community Center 
Sunday, Oct. 25
5:30 – 7 p.m.
Cost: Free

Looking for a SPOOKY time with family and friends? Get ready for an evening of fright and fun at the Kenwick Community Center's Fright Night Bingo event! There will be snacks, decorations, and plenty of prizes for everyone! Be there or be scared!

Yappy Hour Howloween Party – Oct. 25

Wellington Park
Wednesday, Oct. 25
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Cost: Admission is free (Donation required to enter costume contest)

You and your dog are invited to a Howloween Party! We will have a pay-what-you-like costume contest ($5 suggested) with winners in several categories including "Greatest DIY" and "Best Overall." Donations go to Friends of the Dog Parks. Locally sourced food trucks, live music, frozen dessert, cold beer, hard cider and activities will be available for you and your furry best friends. Vendors selling accessories for you and your pup are often present. Thank you to Richmond Road Veterinary Clinic and Tates Creek Animal Hospital for making this event possible.

Jack-o-lantern Trail – Oct. 25 – 28

McConnell Springs
Wednesday, Oct. 25 | Thursday, Oct. 26 | Friday, Oct. 27 | Saturday, Oct. 28
6:30 – 10 p.m.
Cost: $6 per person (children 12 and under free)

Enjoy an enchanting Halloween experience at McConnell Springs featuring hundreds of hand-carved pumpkins as they light up the night. In addition to marveling at the glow of the pumpkins, there will be campfires and s’mores, live owls from Critters in the Classroom and tasty fall food and beverages. Perfect for all ages, this night hike will be a great event for all.

Show your pumpkin carving skills and take the Pumpkin Pledge to help bring this exciting Halloween experience to the community. We would like at least 1,000 carved pumpkins to make it around the half-mile trail at McConnell Springs, but without you, we have no trail! If you donate the carved jack-o-lantern, Parks will take care of lighting them. People can donate a single pumpkin or groups can plan a special concept pumpkin grouping or sculpture. The sky is the limit for creativity and participation!

Additional info

Dunbar Community Center October Festival Costume Party – Oct. 27

Dunbar Community Center
Monday, Oct. 27
5:30 – 8 p.m.
Cost: Free

Enjoy a frightfully fun night of candy, music, games, prizes and haunted hallway at Dunbar Community Center! There will be a best costume competition!

Jr. Explorers: Spooky Spiders – Oct. 28

Raven Run Nature Sanctuary
Saturday, Oct. 28
10 – 11:30 a.m.
Cost: Free

Kids K – 5th grade can join park staff to learn about our spooky arachnid friends with outdoor activities and crafts. Registration is required, but free.

Register

Full Moon Hike – Oct. 28

Raven Run Nature Sanctuary
Saturday, Oct. 28
6:30 – 8 p.m.
Cost: $5

Take a walk through the nighttime park to look and listen for our nocturnal wildlife as the moon rises.

Register

POSTPONED TO NOV. 5 – Halloween Variety Show and Halloween & Thriller Parade – Oct. 29

UPDATE: The annual Thriller Parade and Halloween Variety Show has moved to the fairgrounds at Masterson Station Park Nov. 5, 2023 due to rain on the original date. The Halloween Variety Show featuring local performance groups will take place at 4 p.m. followed by the Thriller parade beginning at 5 p.m. Local food and drink vendors will begin at 2:30 p.m.

 

Downtown Lexington
Saturday, Oct. 29
5 – 9 p.m.
Cost: Admission is free

This annual tradition has become a local must-do event as Halloween enthusiasts of all ages descend on downtown Lexington to celebrate the season. Lexington’s largest free Halloween party will kick off with Halloween-inspired art and performances at Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza, then culminate with the Halloween Parade and Thriller reenactment on Main Street. Food and beverage vendors will be onsite serving up good eats and treats. Want to be a zombie in the Thriller reenactment? Click the link below to find out how to join the zombie dance group.

Additional info

Lexington Trick-or-Treat – Oct. 31

Throughout Lexington
Tuesday, Oct. 31
6 – 8 p.m.

Day of the Dead Festival – Nov. 2

Valley Park 
Thursday, Nov. 2
6 – 10 p.m.
Cost: Admission is free

Come join us for our Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Festival! This spirited event will honor the traditional Mexican holiday of remembering loved ones who are no longer with us. There will be special performances by Ballet Folclorico, Casa de la Cultura Ky, and the Latin Dance Club Bryan Station. In addition, we will have food trucks, craft vendors, live music, an Ofrenda contest, fun activities for kids, and much more! We invite you to dress up as a Catrin or Catrina and you are welcome to bring special items to remember your loved ones at the community Ofrenda (decorated altar of remembrance).

¡Únase a nosotros en nuestro Festival del Día de los Muertos! Este evento honrará la tradicional festividad mexicana de recordar a los seres queridos que ya no están con nosotros. Habrá presentaciones especiales del Ballet Folclorico, la Casa de la Cultura Ky y el Latin Dance Club Bryan Station. Además, tendremos food trucks, vendedores de artesanías, música en vivo, concurso de Ofrenda, actividades divertidas para niños y ¡mucho más! Te invitamos a disfrazarte de Catrín o Catrina y puedes traer artículos especiales para recordar a tus seres queridos en la ofrenda comunitaria.

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