Halloween is the best holiday in existence for a few simple reasons. Not only do you get to dress up in fun costumes, but more importantly, you get to eat candy! In preparation for this holiday, Columbus offers a wide variety of activities that you can partake in to get into the spooky spirit.
Walking With The Dead 5K & 1 Mile Run/Walk
Is there really a better season for running races than the fall? No! Start your weekend right with the Walking With The Dead 5k & 1 Mile Run/Walk. Columbus Rotary is hosting this ghoulish late-night run, which starts at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, and will be located at the Green Lawn Cemetery.
If you’re not into running, the Haunted Tour of the second-largest cemetery in Ohio is another fun event happening at the cemetery right after the run at 7:30 p.m. The tour lasts 90 minutes and it goes over all of the historical figures that are buried there, including Ohio governors and Civil War generals.
The best part about this event is that costumes are encouraged, and all donations go to the maintenance and upkeep of Green Lawn Cemetery. I mean, how often can someone say they’ve run through a cemetery at night on Halloween? For registration information, click here!
Make Fall-Scented Candles at Penn and Beech on High Street
I love candles more than anything. They are so therapeutic and great at turning any atmosphere instantly cozy. Get prepared for any upcoming exam weeks, or just fall in general, by going to Penn and Beech! This company, located in the Short North, allows visitors to create their own scented candles with groups as large as eight people. You can choose any scent available, and the store recently updated their scents to include an array of fall-specific ones, some of the best being Pumpkin Spice, Mulled Cider and Chai Tea.
Once you choose your favorite smell, sit at their fragrance bar and blend and pour your mixture into a candle holder of your choice. Making a candle takes about 30-45 minutes initially, but the candle takes two hours to set. You’ll have plenty of time to go see a scary movie or walk around Goodale Park with a maple latte from One Line Coffee, located just next door!
Penn and Beech is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. To learn more about how to set up a reservation, click here!
“Halloween Kills”
The best way to wrap up any October night is to watch a scary movie, and the newest one in theaters is “Halloween Kills.” This movie is a nostalgic addition to the original “Halloween,” with Jamie Lee Curtis being chased by Michael Myers, essentially just a scary guy in a scary mask with a scary knife. The backstory of Michael Myers is a bone-chilling one: after committing murder at the age of 6, he escapes from prison 15 years later to continue his killing spree.
Before watching this movie in theaters, be sure to watch the original “Halloween” movies to understand the full scope of how this classic movie inspired multitudes of other slasher films, such as “Friday the 13th” and “Nightmare on Elm Street.”
Overall, Halloween is a time to have fun either with your friends or solo, whether you like to run or just bundle up and watch scary movie after scary movie. Hopefully, this list helps you figure out your holiday plans, or at least inspires you to make some. The only rule on Halloween night is to make sure to eat as much candy as you want!