8 of the best Halloween events in the Columbia SC area you have to check out
Spooky season is upon us, bringing with it frights, costumes and the occasional holiday-themed adult beverage.
Halloween is mostly known for its single night of children walking door to door in costumes, yelling trick or treat to hopefully get some free candy. But the holiday lends itself to many different kinds of events for all ages.
Be it horror movie marathons or bar crawls, Halloween fun can be whatever you want. Residents and businesses in the Columbia area seem to get it.
There are plenty of Halloween festivities to choose from locally in the coming days.
Here are eight of the best Halloween events to try in the Columbia area this October.
Halloween Bar Crawl
When: Oct. 29 from 4 p.m. to Oct. 30 at midnight
Where: Liberty Tap Room & Grill
Wear your best Halloween costume for the 5th Annual Halloween Bar Crawl in Columbia. Dubbed as the biggest bar crawl of the year for the area, this year more than 500 people are expected to participate.
The crawl will feature exclusive drink specials from participating bars, food specials and professional photographers to snap the perfect shot of you and your friends in costumes.
Along with the crawl, there will be a costume contest with a $1,000 grand prize.
For information on participating businesses or to buy tickets, click here.
The 5th Annual Fright Fight
When: Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Seven Oaks Park: 200 Leisure Lane
Are you a big fan of Halloween and fighting video games? Then the 5th Annual Fright Fight and Fall Festival should be your event of the season.
The event will be hosted by the Midlands Gaming Coalition, a Lexington-based nonprofit that supports the growth of e-sports in the community.
This fighting game tournament will take place at Seven Oaks Park in partnership with the Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission. There will also be vendors, games, contests, raffles, trunk or treating, movies and more.
Interested participants can sign up for the tournament through the link above. If you don’t want to fight, just show up to enjoy the fun.
Not-So-Spooky Halloween Stroll
When: Oct. 27 from 2 to 5 p.m.
Where: Richland Library Main’s Hampton Street Plaza and downtown’s Main Street District
Bring your family dressed in their Halloween costumes to downtown Columbia for a trick-or-treat stroll through the library and participating businesses and organizations. The Columbia Police Department the City Center Partnership Yellow Shirts will be helping families cross streets and stay safe on the stroll.
For a list of participating businesses and more details, click here.
Halloween Run
When: Oct. 29 from 8:30 to 10 a.m.
Where: Strictly Running, 2515 Devine St.
If you like running and costumes, then the Halloween and Spooky Youth Fun Run is right for you. For this event, participants can choose to run a 5K, enter their child into the Spooky Youth Fun Run, or do both.
Along with the runs, there will be prizes of the best Halloween costume and for whoever can eat the most pumpkin pies in 2 minutes.
For information on pricing, how to sign up and other details, click here.
Halloween at Saluda Shoals Park
When: Oct. 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Saluda Shoals Park
Enjoy some Halloween family fun at Saluda Shoals Park.
A trick-or-treat trail will be held at Leo’s Landing Playground at the park.
Tickets are limited and should be purchased in advance icrc.net. If available, tickets will be sold the day of the event.
The event will also feature food trucks, including The Strudel Truck, Tin Can, Pelican’s and Brain Freeze.
Halloween at Hogwarts
When: Oct. 30 at 3 p.m.
Where: Kroger Center for the Arts
“Harry Potter” fans rejoice! Come to this family-friendly Halloween event and see the Kroger Center transformed into Hogwarts, the fabled school of witchcraft wizardry from the “Harry Potter” series. The event will feature music from “Harry Potter,” as well as “Jaws,” “Psycho,” “Night on Bald Mountain,” and others.
Treats will be available and costumes are encouraged.
For more information and to buy tickets, click here.
Vive Trunk-or-treat
When: Oct. 30 at 6 p.m.
Where: Vive Church at 2630 Clemson Road
It’s your tried and true trunk-or-treat event. This one will be hosted by Vive Church. The event will feature trunks full of treats, along with a food trailer with S’mores and hotdog packets, as well as a roasting station.
Boo at the Zoo
When: Oct. 20-Oct. 30, from 6 to 9 p.m.
Where: Riverbanks Zoo & Garden
What could be more fun than seeing cool animals at the zoo? Seeing cool zoo animals while also trick-or-treating, of course.
The Riverbanks Zoo is hosting its Boo at the Zoo event. Gather all your little ghouls and goblins in their favorite costumes for a night of spooky fun.
Extra activities during the event include trick-or-treating throughout the zoo, entertainment by a magician, rides on a haunted carousel and more.
For more information and to get tickets, click here.
This story was originally published October 19, 2022 at 8:00 AM.
