It’s time to set your Halloween phasers to stun — one of the spookiest weekends of the year is nearly here. Celebrate the spine-tingling chills of the season with free spooky movie screenings, ghost tours, a Halloween-themed 5K and more in Greater Cincinnati this weekend.
If you’re looking for even more to do every day of the week, visit the CityBeat events calendar, which is free to use if you have something planned that you’d like to advertise to CityBeat readers.
Oct. 24-26 at multiple locations
This weekend’s Fright Fest will give you an excuse to rewatch your favorite Halloween classics (or discover new seasonal favorites). Fright Fest will include free screenings of Hocus Pocus at 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 24 at Washington Park; Nightmare on Elm Street at 11 p.m. on Oct. 24; Haunted Mansion at 7 p.m. on Oct. 25 at Imagination Alley; and Scooby Doo (the live-action movie) at 7 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Ziegler Park.
The Rocky Horror Show at The Carnegie
Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Oct. 26 at 3 p.m. at The Carnegie, Covington
The Carnegie’s production of The Rocky Horror Show was such a hit last year that they are literally doing the time warp again. Join Brad, Janet and Dr. Frank-N-Furter in this not-for-children celebration of campy science fiction and horror.
Oct. 24-26 in Covington
Inspired by Kathryn Witt’s book Secret Cincinnati: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure, this two-mile walking tour highlights more than a dozen spooky locales along the way, including a number of “secrets” from the book, like the Baker-Hunt Art and Cultural Center, the Riverside Drive Statue Tour and Hail – Records and Oddities.
The Grave Rave at Sawyer Point
Oct. 24 from 7-11 p.m. at Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove
Cincinnati Parks is hosting a Halloween-themed rave beneath the Purple People Bridge tunnel, complete with a high-energy DJ set, spooky decor, drinks and a Rave Drip Off costume contest.
Fall Fest Weekend at Washington Park
Oct. 25 and 26 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Washington Park, Over-the-Rhine
Soak in the magic of the season at Washington Park’s Fall Fest Weekend with musical performances, free mini trains, a free petting zoo, local vendors and a pumpkin patch.
Oct. 25 from 3-9 p.m. at West Sixth Covington Haus, Covington
Sip on boozy drinks and wander the aisles of this book fair in support of Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, a grassroots organization driving voter engagement to impact climate justice, economic justice and more in Kentucky.
Oct. 25 and 26 at Music Hall, Over-the-Rhine. General entry is between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., but earlier start times can be purchased for an additional fee.
The Cincinnati Coffee Festival is back and more caffeinated than ever. Considered to be one of the most popular coffee festivals in the Midwest, the Cincinnati Coffee Festival is set to host more than 55 vendors, showcasing the best of the bean. Even if coffee isn’t your thing, you can sip on tea, enjoy live music and chow down on baked goods. Just be sure not to miss the Latte Art Throwdown.
Hocus Focus at the Cincinnati Observatory
Oct. 25 from 6-9 p.m. at the Cincinnati Observatory, Mount Lookout
Let the mysteries of the cosmos fuel a spine-tingling adventure at the Cincinnati Observatory this weekend. The observatory will be hosting a Halloween-themed “Hocus Focus” event, complete with family-friendly thrills like costume contests, a spooky planet walk with a scale model of the solar system, trick-or-treat stations and more.
Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. at The Banks
According to an event description, this Halloween-themed 5K is packed with all of the elements that make a race truly fun, including “community, costumes, and just the right amount of chaos.” Participants will race along a route at The Banks where they should expect to run into a few ghouls and “devilish surprises” along the way.
Mythika: A Monsters Ball – Burlesque & Aerial Variety Show
Oct. 25 from 8 p.m.-2:30 a.m. at The Mockbee, Brighton
Step into a world of “sensually spooky” burlesque and aerial entertainment at The Mockbee this weekend. Follow the twists and turns of The Mockbee’s tunnels, where you’ll encounter a number of different entertainers, from burlesque performers to fire dancers and more around every corner.
The Northside Copycat Tour 2025
Oct. 26 from 3-6 p.m.; the tour begins at the Kitty City Dane Shelter and wraps up at Northside Yacht Club
Inspired by another tour of window cats in Minneapolis, Cincinnati Animal CARE is inviting cat lovers of all varieties to stroll through Northside and admire the kitties in the windows of up to 50 homes and businesses.