Halloween 2026 lands on a Saturday. In most of the Miami Valley that's just a calendar fact. In Clark County it settles a question that comes up every fall, because for years Springfield's Beggar's Night hasn't been on October 31. It has been on the Saturday before.
Both the Springfield News-Sun's 2026 list and the Dayton Daily News 2026 trick-or-treat times put Springfield at 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 31. This year the Saturday tradition and the real holiday fall on the same night. So everything else Springfield runs in October happens on the weeknights before it.
Why Clark County Picks Saturday
The Saturday habit goes back a long way. According to the News-Sun's account of the county's trick-or-treat history, Clark County held Beggar's Night on the Saturday before Halloween "for many years," because many people felt it made things easier for parents and children who didn't have to rush on a school night.
In 2019 the county moved Beggar's Night to Halloween itself to line up with neighboring communities. New Carlisle and Tremont City kept Saturday that year. The paper says the change drew both criticism and praise, and the date then returned to the Saturday before Halloween. A separate News-Sun report on that debate traces the switch back to complaints, weekend convenience, safety concerns and staffing.
Recent years show how far the Saturday can drift from the 31st:
| Year | Clark County Beggar's Night | Halloween falls on |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Saturday, Oct. 29 | Monday |
| 2024 | Saturday, Oct. 26 | Thursday |
| 2025 | Saturday, Oct. 25 | Friday |
| 2026 | Saturday, Oct. 31 | Saturday |
In 2022, Clark County kids trick-or-treated on Oct. 29. Most of Champaign County went out on Monday, Oct. 31. This year that gap is gone. Clifton, New Carlisle and Springfield are all listed for 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 31. New Carlisle's official event page also lists 10/31/2026, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
One listing says otherwise
The WHIO Halloween guide published Oct. 2 lists Springfield for Oct. 25, 6 to 8 p.m. The same guide lists county-wide Clark County for Oct. 31. Oct. 25 was last year's Saturday, so that line may be a holdover from 2025. We couldn't find a 2026 announcement from the City of Springfield or the Clark County Sheriff's Office to settle it. If you're stocking candy or planning a party around the date, check the city's or the sheriff's office's own channels before the 25th.
The Weeknights Before Saturday
Because trick-or-treat is on the weekend, NTPRD (the National Trail Parks & Recreation District) holds most of its October events on weeknights. Here's what's still ahead as of Oct. 8, in date order.
Friday, Oct. 9: Harvest Hoopla and the Freaky Forest Trail
Harvest Hoopla runs 6 to 9:30 p.m. at George Rogers Clark Park, 930 S. Tecumseh Road. For younger kids there are spooky scenes, pumpkin crafts, a game and trick-or-treat trail, and a food truck. The Freaky Forest is the scarier part and is recommended for ages 12 and up. The News-Sun's weekend roundup says the Freaky Forest Trail starts at 7:30 p.m. The $6 presale ended Oct. 7, so gate admission is $8 for ages 16 and older. Children 3 and under get in free.
Tuesday, Oct. 13: Yappy Howl-O-Ween
Yappy Howl-O-Ween closes out the Yappy Hour season at Snyder Park Clubhouse, 5 to 7 p.m. It's free, for ages 21 and over, and includes a costume contest with prizes. The listing says you can come without a pet.
Wednesdays, Oct. 14 or 21: Brews & Boos
Brews & Boos is a storytelling evening in the brew house at Mother Stewart's Brewery, 7 to 8:15 p.m. Costumed storytellers tell chilling tales from Springfield history, and they're the same stories used on the Ghost Tours. Tickets are $15, ages 13 and up, drinks not included. NTPRD calls it ideal for people with mobility concerns. Registration closes the Friday before each date.
Thursdays, Oct. 15 or 22: Ghost Tours of Springfield
The Ghost Tours start at the Clark County Heritage Center and cover about a mile of historic downtown, with local legends, mysteries and ghost stories, some returning and some new. NTPRD runs them with the Springfield Arts Council. Each night has two walks, 7 to 8:15 p.m. and 7:45 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $15, ages 13 and up, and registration closes the Monday before. The Oct. 1 and Oct. 8 walks have already happened, so two Thursdays are left.
Brews & Boos and the Ghost Tours tell the same stories. Brews & Boos happens in the brewery's brew house. The Ghost Tours cover about a mile through historic downtown.
The Scarecrows on Main Street
The longest-running piece of Springfield's October is outdoors and free. Project Scare-A-Crow is up at National Road Commons, 50 W. Main St. This is its 16th year, and the 2026 theme is "Future Focused: Works of Science Fiction." Six Project Jericho families are working with six local artists on scarecrows that include an avatar, a robot and an alien or two.
Project Jericho is Clark State College's arts program for Clark County youth and families. According to the Urbana Daily Digital write-up, Project Jericho families built the whole display for its first five years. It stood on South Fountain Avenue outside the Clark State Performing Arts Center and the Main Branch of the Clark County Public Library, then moved to Main Street at City Hall Plaza. NTPRD joined in 2016 and opened the competition to public submissions. That partnership led to ChalkFest, which held its ninth year on Oct. 3 at the same park.
The two sources disagree on the closing date. NTPRD lists the display through Oct. 23, and the Urbana article says Oct. 22. Visitors can vote for a favorite, and the top three are announced on Project Jericho's and National Trail's social media on Oct. 29. That means the scarecrows come down about a week before trick-or-treat night. If you want to see them and cast a vote, plan to go by Oct. 22.
Halloween Night Is Also a Closing Night
Because Oct. 31 is a Saturday, trick-or-treat lands on the same night as the end of the Halloween attraction season. WHIO lists Face Your Fears Hotel of Terror, 1291 Cold Springs Road, as open Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 31. Here's the rest of the month:
- Oct. 9 to 22: Harvest Hoopla, Yappy Howl-O-Ween, Brews & Boos and the Ghost Tours run on weeknights, plus one Friday.
- Through Oct. 22 or 23: Scare-A-Crow stays up at National Road Commons.
- Oct. 29: Scarecrow winners announced online.
- Saturday, Oct. 31: Trick-or-treat from 6 to 8 p.m. in Springfield, Clifton and New Carlisle per the 2026 News-Sun and Dayton Daily News lists, and the last weekend for Hotel of Terror.
After the Porch Lights Go Off
NTPRD's calendar picks back up in November. Miracle on Mitchell, a holiday bazaar, is Sunday, Nov. 8, at the Parks Administration Building. Splash Bash is Wednesday, Nov. 25, at the Wittenberg University Natatorium. Furry Family Photos is Thursday, Dec. 3, and the Yuletide Celebration is Friday, Dec. 4, both at Snyder Park Clubhouse. The Visitors Bureau's Holiday in the City Grand Illumination page still shows the 2025 lineup, so its November date isn't confirmed for this year. Wait for the 2026 program before planning around it.
If you're getting your house ready for Saturday, Oct. 31, and wondering what it would sell for in today's Springfield market, Michele Hines can give you a clear, data-backed number quickly. Get Your Free Home Valuation, and you'll have it before the holiday events start in November.
