Things to Do in Northwest Indiana This Weekend: Oct. 30 to Nov. 1

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Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, so the whole weekend leans into it. Friday has downtown trick-or-treat in Chesterton, the Hocus Pocus Market at the Lake County Fairgrounds, ghost stories by the fire in Hobart and the last night of Criminally Insane in Crown Point. Saturday brings Boo at the ‘Boo, a cemetery history hike at the dunes, the Haunted Science Lab in Valpo and neighborhood trick-or-treating. Sunday is quieter, with a craft fair near Valpo and a poetry talk in Michigan City.

We’re the shop on South Main in Crown Point. We checked every stop below against the town, park or organizer page on Wednesday, Oct. 28. All times are Central Time. Clocks fall back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday. Plans change, so open the official link before you head out.

The weekend at a glance

Day Event Time (Central) Place
Fri Downtown Chesterton Trick-or-Treat 4 to 6 p.m. Downtown Chesterton
Fri and Sat Hometown Hocus Pocus Market Fri 5 to 9 p.m., Sat 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Industrial Building, Lake County Fairgrounds, 889 S. Court St., Crown Point
Fri Hocus Pocus 5K and 2K night run 6 p.m. start 4-H Building, Lake County Fairgrounds, Crown Point
Fri Campfire Chillers 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Deep River County Park, 9410 Old Lincoln Highway, Hobart
Fri Criminally Insane Haunted House, final night 7 to 11 p.m. Old Sheriff’s House and Jail, Crown Point
Fri and Sat Saw-whets and S’mores owl banding 7 to 10 p.m. Duneside Shelter, Indiana Dunes State Park, 1600 N. 25 E., Chesterton
Sat Boo at the ‘Boo 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bellaboo’s Play and Discovery Center, 2800 Colorado St., Lake Station
Sat Chellberg Farm Open House and Bailly Cemetery History Hike Farm 1 to 3 p.m., hike 5 to 6 p.m. Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm area, Indiana Dunes National Park, near Porter
Sat Haunted Science Lab 5 to 8 p.m. Center for the Sciences, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso
Sat Trick-or-treat hours 5 to 7 p.m. in Crown Point, St. John and Schererville, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Merrillville Neighborhoods in each town
Sun Edge of Liberty Craft Fair 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 606 N. Calumet Ave., just north of Valparaiso
Sun Writing Out Loud with poet Mitchell L.H. Douglas 2 to 4 p.m. Michigan City Public Library, 100 E. Fourth St., Michigan City

Friday, October 30

Downtown Chesterton Trick-or-Treat

The Duneland Chamber of Commerce and downtown merchants hand out candy in downtown Chesterton Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Bring the kids in costume and walk the shops.

Official: Town of Chesterton: Special Events.

If the Duneland side of Porter County is on your list, read our Chesterton town guide and the Real Estate USA guide to Chesterton Indiana homes.

Hocus Pocus Market and night run at the Lake County Fairgrounds, Crown Point

Hometown Happenings fills the Industrial Building at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 889 S. Court St., with the Hometown Hocus Pocus Market. It runs Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Expect local artisan vendors, food, live music, hay rides Friday evening, wagon rides Saturday until 1:30 p.m. and trick-or-treating among the booths. Admission is $5 for adults. Kids 12 and under and US veterans get in free.

The Hocus Pocus 5K and 2K, formerly Witches in the Woods, starts Friday at 6 p.m. from the 4-H Building. It is a night course through the fairgrounds, so bring a flashlight or headlamp. The timed 5K is $30 for adults. Registration through RunSignup closes at the 6 p.m. start, and runners get into the market free.

Official: Hometown Happenings: Hocus Pocus Market and 5K and RunSignup: Hocus Pocus 5K and 2K. The city also lists both in its Weekly Message (Weekend Events Oct. 29).

Campfire Chillers at Deep River County Park, Hobart

Lake County Parks hosts Campfire Chillers Friday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Deep River County Park, 9410 Old Lincoln Highway, Hobart. Members of the Northwest Indiana Storytellers Guild tell ghost stories and old legends around the fire. It is free. Bring a camp chair or a blanket.

Official: Lake County Parks: Campfire Chillers.

If Hobart is on your list, read our Hobart town guide and the Real Estate USA guide to Hobart Indiana homes.

Criminally Insane Haunted House, final night, Crown Point

Friday, Oct. 30, is the last night of Criminally Insane Haunted House at the Old Sheriff’s House and Jail in Crown Point. It runs from 7 to 11 p.m. Admission is $15, with tickets online and at the door.

Official: Old Sheriff’s House Foundation. Times and price are in the city Weekly Message (Weekend Events Oct. 22).

Crown Point is home base for us. Our Crown Point town guide and the Real Estate USA guide to Crown Point Indiana homes are the next read if a move is on your mind.

Saw-whets and S’mores at Indiana Dunes State Park, Friday and Saturday

Indiana Audubon’s Project Owlnet team bands Northern saw-whet owls at the Duneside Shelter inside Indiana Dunes State Park, 1600 N. 25 E., Chesterton. Public nights this weekend run Friday and Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. Volunteers check the nets every hour, and you can watch them band any owls they catch. Owl sightings are not guaranteed.

The program is free after the state park entrance fee, but Indiana Audubon asks you to register ahead because space is limited. Bring a lawn chair, warm layers and a flashlight. Friends of Indiana Dunes provides the s’mores. Rain or high wind can cancel a night, and registered guests get a notice if that happens.

Official: Indiana Audubon: Saw-Whets and S’mores registration and the Friends of Indiana Dunes event page.

Saturday, October 31

Boo at the ‘Boo at Bellaboo’s, Lake Station

Bellaboo’s Play and Discovery Center, 2800 Colorado St., Lake Station, holds Boo at the ‘Boo Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kids come in costume for Halloween crafts, games and the regular hands-on exhibits. Lake County Parks bills it as a not-so-spooky day. It is included with regular admission.

Official: Lake County Parks: Boo at the ‘Boo.

If Lake Station is on your list, read our Lake Station town guide and the Real Estate USA guide to Lake Station Indiana homes.

Chellberg Farm Open House and Bailly Cemetery History Hike, Indiana Dunes National Park

Indiana Dunes National Park opens historic Chellberg Farm Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. Rangers and volunteers lead farmhouse tours, show the animals and tell stories about the area’s history. A ranger-led fall color hike follows from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

At 5 p.m., volunteers and staff lead an evening history hike through the grounds of Bailly Cemetery, the spot in the photo above. It runs about an hour. Meet in the Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm parking lot for both hikes.

Official: Friends of Indiana Dunes events calendar (national park listings).

For the towns near this part of the park, see our Porter town guide.

Haunted Science Lab at Valparaiso University

The Valparaiso University Society of Physics Students runs the Haunted Science Lab Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Center for the Sciences on campus. Expect slimy, glowing and noisy experiments. It is free, open to all ages, and costumes are encouraged.

Official: Valparaiso University: Haunted Science Lab.

Trick-or-treat hours on Halloween night

Crown Point lists trick-or-treating from 5 to 7 p.m., rain or shine. St. John and Schererville also list 5 to 7 p.m. Merrillville lists 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. We only included towns that post their hours on their own websites. Check your town’s site if it is not here.

Official: City of Crown Point: Weekly Message, Town of St. John, Town of Schererville calendar and Town of Merrillville.

Town guides: St. John, Schererville and Merrillville.

Sunday, November 1

Clocks fall back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, so you get an extra hour of sleep after Halloween night.

Edge of Liberty Craft Fair, just north of Valparaiso

The Edge of Liberty Craft Fair runs Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 606 N. Calumet Ave., just north of Valparaiso. Local makers, a food truck, live music, garden walks and nature trails fill the grounds. It is free to attend.

Official: The Edge of Liberty: November 1, 2026.

If Valpo is on your list, read our Valparaiso town guide and the Real Estate USA guide to Valparaiso Indiana homes.

Writing Out Loud at the Michigan City Public Library

Poet Mitchell L.H. Douglas closes the library’s 42nd Writing Out Loud author series Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Michigan City Public Library, 100 E. Fourth St. He talks about his newest book of poetry, Universal Corner. Admission is free.

Official: Michigan City Public Library: Writing Out Loud.

If the lakefront in La Porte County is on your list, read our Michigan City town guide and the Real Estate USA guide to Michigan City Indiana homes.

If one town keeps pulling you back

Pick the town that felt easy and see what’s for sale there. Search homes for sale on Realest. Every town guide we keep is on our communities page.

When you want to talk it through, start on Buy or Sell, send a short question through Ask Realest, or call the shop at (219) 801-0432.

Planning past this weekend? Real Estate USA keeps a regional events calendar and a November 2026 events list.

Questions about this weekend in Northwest Indiana

What is happening in Northwest Indiana this weekend, Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, 2026?

Friday has downtown trick-or-treat in Chesterton, the Hocus Pocus Market and night run at the Lake County Fairgrounds, Campfire Chillers in Hobart, the last night of Criminally Insane in Crown Point and owl banding at Indiana Dunes State Park. Saturday is Halloween, with Boo at the ‘Boo in Lake Station, a cemetery history hike at Indiana Dunes National Park, the Haunted Science Lab in Valpo and neighborhood trick-or-treating. Sunday has the Edge of Liberty Craft Fair near Valpo and a free poetry talk at the Michigan City library.

What are trick-or-treat hours on Halloween 2026 in Crown Point and nearby towns?

Halloween is Saturday, Oct. 31. Crown Point, St. John and Schererville list trick-or-treating from 5 to 7 p.m. Merrillville lists 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Crown Point says its hours hold rain or shine. For any other town, check that town’s own website before you head out.

Are there free events in Northwest Indiana this weekend?

Yes. Downtown Chesterton Trick-or-Treat on Friday, Campfire Chillers at Deep River County Park on Friday, the Haunted Science Lab at Valparaiso University on Saturday, the Edge of Liberty Craft Fair on Sunday and Writing Out Loud at the Michigan City Public Library on Sunday are all free. The Saw-whets and S’mores owl nights are free after the state park entrance fee.

Do the clocks change this weekend in Northwest Indiana?

Yes. Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, so clocks fall back one hour. Lake, Porter and La Porte counties stay on Central Time, the same as Chicago. Every time in this post is Central.

Where can I search homes if one of these towns feels right?

Search homes for sale on Realest. Then read our town guide and the Real Estate USA living guide for that town. Call the shop on South Main at (219) 801-0432 when you want a Realtor walking it with you.

Does Realest run these events?

No. Towns, parks departments, nonprofits, libraries and local businesses run them. We check each official page and post one list from our shop at 112 S. Main St., Suite B, in Crown Point.

Talk to the shop

Realest, 112 S. Main St., Suite B, Crown Point, IN 46307

(219) 801-0432 or send us a note. Love Thy Neighbor.

Sources

Times and details can change. The official page wins.

Top photo: Bailly Cemetery at Indiana Dunes National Park by Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped. Taken in spring 2007, it shows the cemetery where Saturday’s 5 p.m. history hike goes.

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