Fall Family Fun: List of events in Crawford, Richland and Marion counties

As the leaves change and colder weather settles in, the area has many festivities planned to celebrate all that fall has to offer.

Crawford County

• The Crawford Park District will offer a fall nature craft from 6 to 7 p.m. Oct. 2 at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 Ohio 598, Crestline. Participants will make a wooden slab pumpkin by  painting, drilling a hole for a stem and decorating. Participants can take a nature walk to find their wooden stems, acorns or other embellishments. The program is limited to 25 participants. This craft is free, but sign-up is required by calling 419-683-9000.

• Apple Butter Festival, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 6 at Cooper's Mill and Market, 1414 N. Sandusky Ave., Bucyrus. This family-friendly event features apple butter being stirred in a copper kettle over a wood fire, with samples; live music by Common Thread and Grail; kid's area with games, bounce houses and pumpkin decorating; fall-flavored treats like apple cider donuts, apple cider slushies, apple fritters, caramel apples, fudge and more. Shredded chicken and beef sandwiches, grilled hot dogs, German bologna, kettle-fried chicken, pork tenderloin and more will be available. Admission is $3 per person and the first 300 kids receive a free pumpkin bucket to decorate. For details, call 419-562-4215.

• Harvest Celebration Fundraiser, 1:30 to 4 p.m. Oct. 7 at Signature Healthcare of Galion, 935 Rosewood Ave., Galion. This fundraiser benefits Signature residents and features pumpkin painting, raffles, bake sale, games, crafts, concession stand, music, face painting and more. From 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., the Crawford County Park District will present a live animal demonstration. To donate items to this event, call 419-468-7544.

• Linda Friend Memorial Spooktacular, 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 20 at Aumiller Park. The rain date is Oct. 27. The annual event features a costume contest, corn hole tournament, wiffle ball tournament, hayride, straw maze, pumpkin decorating contest, children's games and more. For details, visit the City of Bucyrus website.

• Halloween Family Fun Night, 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 20 at Lowe-Volk Park, 2401 Ohio 598, Crestline. The Crawford Park District invites families to dress in costume and participate in face painting, nature art, wagon rides, night hike in the "haunted woods" and more. There will also be a treat bag for kids and a bonfire.

• Galion Middle School Spooktacular, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25 at the middle school, 474 Portland Way North, Galion. This GMS Lighthouse-sponsored event is for toddlers through fifth grade and features trick-or-treating, games and more. This event is open to the community and parents must accompany their children. Candy donations are appreciated and may be dropped off at the school.

• All-Night Skate Halloween Party, 10 p.m. Oct. 27 at SK8 Factory, 233 E. Mansfield St., Bucyrus. Regular skate is from 6 to 10 p.m. The Halloween party will begin after 10 p.m. and features a haunted walk, pizza, pop, snacks, games and dance. Patrons may wear costumes. For kids staying the entire night, parents should pick them up at 6 a.m. Cost is $20 for all-night, skates included. Cost for regular skate, from 6 to 10 p.m., is $7.

Richland County

• J&J Rietschlin Farm is offering seasonal activities at 5482 Ohio 61 S., Shelby. The farm is open weekends through Oct. 28, from noon to 7 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 7 p.m. Sundays. The farm will have a "Wizard of Oz" themed corn maze, costing patrons $5 for ages 6 and older. Other events include a hay ride for $2 for ages 6 and older, kids zone for $2 per child, and pumpkin sling shot for $2 for three shots.

• The Barnyard Park is offering Scary Hollow Haunted Wagon Rides from 7:30 p.m. to midnight Sept. 28 through Oct. 31. The 25-minute ride tickets are $15 for regular tickets, $20 for VIP Fast Pass.

• Prairie Peddler Festival will take place Sept. 29 and 30 at 3170 Ohio 97, Butler. This is a handmade marketplace featuring more than 180 artisans booths, live music, festival food, horse-drawn wagon rides, artist demonstrations and hands-on crafts for kids. Admission is $8 for adults, $3 for ages 6 to 12, and 5 and younger are free. No pets will be permitted, except service dogs.

• The Barnyard Park will have its annual Pumpkin Princess Pageant at 2 p.m. Oct. 6 at, 1179 Kings Corners East Road, Mansfield. Registration fee is $10 and deadline is Sept. 25. This pageant is for ages 2 to 10, with five age categories. Participants should wear a princess costume; a pumpkin-themed dress is not required, but may be a factor in judging. A brief paragraph about the child should be submitted, including ambition, favorite princess and hobbies. For details, visit the-barnyard.ticketleap.com.

• Apple Hill Kids' Weekend, noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 6 and 7 at Apple Hill Orchards, 1175 Lexington-Ontario Road, Mansfield. Features petting zoo, scavenger hunt, hayrides, pick-your-own apples and pumpkins, live cartoon characters, face painting, cider-oressing, pony rides, balloon man, food trucks and more. Parking is $5 per vehicle.

• Mansfield Art Center has planned a glowing glass pumpkin workshop from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 11. This class is for ages 13 to 18 and cost is $45 for members, $70 for non-members. Participants will create fused glass window ornaments. For tickets and details, visit eventbrite.com.

• The annual Halloween camp-out will start at 6 p.m. Oct. 12 at Pleasant Hill Lake Park, 3431 Ohio 95, Perrysville. Oct. 12 events include a live owl program from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., movies on the big screen at 8 p.m., and campers can decorate their sites for a contest. Oct. 13 events include trick-or-treating from 2 to 3 p.m., apple contest, chili contest, pumpkin carving contest, crafts, zombie and pumpkin archery shoot, potluck dinner, hayrides, costume ball, karaoke and more. Camping fee is $25 per night. For details or reservations, call 419-938-7884 or visit pleasanthillparkohio.org.

• The 6th Annual Butler Apple Festival returns noon to 11 p.m. Oct. 12 and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Oct. 13. Features a bake-off, 5K, bathtub race, garden show, live music, Civil War enactment, baseball game, petting zoo, children's games, tractor pull and more. For details, visit the Butler Area Merchants' Association

• The Renaissance Theatre will show the film "Hocus Pocus" at 3 p.m. Oct. 14. Tickets are $5. For details, visit mansfieldtickets.com.

• The 8th annual Great Pumpkin Glow returns for two nights at Kingwood Center Garden. The event will be from 5 to 10 p.m. Oct. 20, and 5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 21. The event features nearly 2,000 lit pumpkins, harvest decorations, hay rides, food trucks, live music, "Scarecrow Row," the Lil Carvers Carnival and more. Tickets are $6 online and $8 at the gate; ages 6 and younger are free. For tickets and details, visit www.kingwoodcenter.org. Those who want to volunteer to carve pumpkins may do so between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Oct. 17 through 19. Admission is free when you come to help carve.

• Malabar Farm State Park is offering a new event, Haunting at the Harvest, from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 19 and 20, and noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 21. Guests can experience a haunted hayride and hike around the harvest fields at Malabar. Family-oriented fall acitivities and concessions will be available. Cost is $3.

Marion County

• Applefest, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 29 at Lawrence Orchards, 2634 Smeltzer Road, Marion. Wagner's food truck and Riverside Dairy ice cream truck will be providing the food. The event will feature caramel apples, apple pies, horse drawn wagon rides, pony rides, apple train rides, haymaze, field maze, Grail Band and more. Admission is $5, with 2 and younger free. 

• ECO Center's Fourth Annual Fall Festival runs Oct. 6 through 14 at 1757 County Road 59, Caledonia. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. General admission activities include barrel train ride, mini zip lines, playground, wooded interpretive trail, giant corn box, prairie, tube slide, gerbil wheel, farm animal interaction, education and sensory activities, naturalist lessons, and scavenger hunt. Admission is $9 for ages 3 to 17, $6 for ages 18 and older, and free for kids 2 and younger. Parking is free. Last admission is at 4:15 p.m. Food and seasonal items will be available for purchase. Cash or check, only. For details, visit www.ecocenterohio.com.

• Family Fun Night at 6 p.m. Oct. 10 at Marion Public Library, 445 E. Church St., Marion. Participants will make  glow-in-the-dark slime. For more fall/Halloween-themed library events, visit the Marion Public Library Facebook Page or marionlibrary.org.

• Monster Mash dance party, 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Marion Palace Theatre May Pavilion. Tickets are $6 at the door; $1 fee added for nonmembers. The event features games, music, food, DJ Dennis Cametti, carnival games, take-home craft and costume contest.