Looking for something to do in October in Crown Point, the rest of Northwest Indiana, or the nearby Chicago south suburbs? This is the October 2026 archive from our local events hub — not a national listings dump. We pull dates from official city, park, chamber, festival, and venue pages so locals can plan a Saturday, and so people relocating from Illinois can see what life actually looks like here.
If you are comparing towns, start with our guides to Crown Point, Schererville, and Valparaiso, or the Illinois to Indiana relocation page. When you are ready to look at homes, talk to a local broker at Realest Realty in downtown Crown Point.
Dates on this page are for October 2026 and were checked against official sources on Friday, September 4, 2026. Always click through before you go — weather, tickets, and hours change. We skip anything we cannot verify.
Talk to a local broker
Realest Realty is at 112 S. Main St., Suite B, Crown Point, IN 46307. Call Sash at (219) 808-1520, use the Realest.com contact form, or browse listings on Realest.com. Licensed in Indiana and Illinois.
October 2026 events
Wickedly Whiting
Friday, October 2 and Saturday, October 3, 2026 · Downtown Whiting
10th annual all-Halloween festival on 119th Street: spooky vendors, live entertainment, costume contests, and a beer garden. Hours and stage lineup can change — confirm on the official festival site before you go.
Official: Wickedly Whiting
St. John Oktoberfest
Friday, October 2 – Sunday, October 4, 2026 · Fri 5–11 p.m., Sat 1–11 p.m., Sun noon–8 p.m. · St. John
St. John the Evangelist Old Parish parking lot, 9400 Wicker Ave. Parish festival with German food, Hacker-Pschorr bier garden, live music (Ed Wagner Band, Pech Schwefel, Prost!, and others), kids’ activities, and football on the big screens.
Official: St. John Oktoberfest
Crown Point Oktoberfest
Saturday, October 3, 2026 · Noon–10 p.m. · Crown Point
Bulldog Park. Free city festival: German-inspired food, beer garden, kids’ games, hayrides, and live music (PROST! / I.P.A., Ed Wagner Brass Band, Anthem Band).
Official: 2026 concert / festival lineup
Lansing Fall Uncorked & Untapped
Saturday, October 3, 2026 · Check-in 11:30 a.m.–noon; tasting trail noon–4 p.m. · Lansing, IL
Fox Pointe check-in, then a ticketed 21-and-older wine, beer, and cider tasting trail through downtown Lansing’s Ridge Road businesses. $55 participant registration through the Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce; photo ID required.
Official: Lansing Area Chamber / Eventbrite
Buckley Homestead Fall Festival
Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4, 2026 · 10 a.m.–4 p.m. · Lowell
Lake County Parks historic farm festival. $5 per person. Park on Hendricks Street from Route 2 — the mailing address GPS pin is wrong. Pets are not permitted.
Official: Lake County Parks
Pumpkins, Witches & Hayrides
Saturday, October 3, 2026 · 10 a.m.–2 p.m. · Munster
Centennial Park North Lot, 900 N. Centennial Dr. Munster Parks & Recreation fall festival: pumpkin patch, hayrides, games, costume contest, and trick-or-treating with vendors.
Official: Munster Parks 2026 vendor packet
Great Pumpkin Party
Saturday, October 3, 2026 · Sessions 10 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1–3 p.m. · Orland Park, IL
Centennial Park, 15600 West Ave. Village fall festival geared to younger kids: hayrides, inflatables, games, trunk-n-treat, and a pie-sized pumpkin per registered child. Registration required; see the official village events page for fees.
Official: Village of Orland Park events
Griffith Oktoberfest
Friday, October 9 through Sunday, October 11, 2026 · Fri 5–10:30 p.m., Sat 2–10 p.m., Sun 2–8 p.m. · Griffith
Central Park, 600 N. Broad St. Town festival: German food, authentic German music, biers and wines, a pumpkin patch, and kids’ entertainment Saturday and Sunday 2–6 p.m. under the big tent (free pumpkins and decorating kits for kids 12 and under). No outside coolers or alcohol.
Official: Town of Griffith
Valparaiso Fall Harvest Festival
Saturday, October 10, 2026 · 10 a.m.–2 p.m. · Valparaiso
Central Park Plaza. Free family event with pumpkin painting, cider, caramel apples, bounce houses, and face painting, on the last day of the Valparaiso Market.
Official: Valparaiso Events
Homewood Fall Fest
Saturday, October 10, 2026 · 12–9 p.m. · Homewood, IL
Martin Avenue from Hickory Road to Ridge Road. Village fall festival: live music, craft vendors, pumpkin patch, kids’ crafts, chili cook-off, and food from local restaurants. Alcohol for purchase. Martin Avenue closes Friday, October 9 at 8 a.m.
Official: Village of Homewood
Grandpa’s Garage Sale
Saturday, October 10, 2026 · 9 a.m.–3 p.m. · Homewood, IL
Lions Club Pool parking lot, 1041 Ridge Road. Homewood-Flossmoor Park District community garage sale; sellers pre-register ($25 residents / $30 non-residents) and bring their own tables.
Official: Homewood-Flossmoor Park District events
Civil War Days
Saturday, October 10, 2026 · Orland Park, IL
Stellwagen Farm. Village America 250 living-history day: reenactors, drills, artillery demonstrations, period games and crafts, with food and beer for purchase. Confirm hours on the official village events page before you go.
Official: Village of Orland Park events
Portage Haunted Hayride
Thursdays–Saturdays, October 15–17 and October 22–24, 2026 · Starts 6:30 p.m. · Portage
Woodland Park, 2100 Willowcreek Rd. Portage Parks haunted hayride; four tractors, concessions and food trucks on site. The line can close early when they hit capacity — check the official parks page the day you go.
Official: Portage Parks Haunted Hayride
Community Bonfire (Ballantrae Park)
Tuesday, October 13, 2026 · 6–8 p.m. · Flossmoor, IL
Ballantrae Park, 1404 Lanark St. Free Homewood-Flossmoor Park District bonfire with s’mores materials; all ages.
Official: Homewood-Flossmoor Park District events
Autumn Promenade
Saturday, October 17, 2026 · 12–4:30 p.m. · Valparaiso
Downtown Valparaiso. Second-annual ticketed stroll: fall-themed treats from downtown shops and restaurants. Check in at the Valparaiso Events tent on the Courthouse lawn starting at 11 a.m.
Official: Valparaiso Events
Brewski Fest
Saturday, October 17, 2026 · 5–10 p.m. · Valparaiso
Central Park Plaza. Valparaiso American Legion Post #94 fundraiser: food trucks, live music, and beer. Proceeds benefit the post. Listed on the Valparaiso Events calendar.
Official: Valparaiso Events calendar
Downtown Trick-or-Treat
Friday, October 23, 2026 · 4–6 p.m. · Valparaiso
Downtown Valparaiso. Free rain-or-shine trick-or-treating at 100-plus local businesses and organizations. Pack an umbrella just in case.
Official: Valparaiso Events
Trick or Treat Trail
Saturday, October 24, 2026 · 11 a.m.–2 p.m. · Homewood, IL
Millennium Park, 18600 Harwood Ave. Homewood-Flossmoor Park District Halloween trail for ages 10 and younger. Free for H-F residents with pre-registration; non-residents $2. Confirm on the park district calendar.
Official: Homewood-Flossmoor Park District
Crown Point Anime-Fest
Saturday, October 24, 2026 · 10 a.m.–5 p.m. · Crown Point
Lake County Fairgrounds Building 4H. Anime collectors’ convention with vendors, cosplay, voice-actor guests, panels, and family-friendly programming. Ticketed (general admission listed on the official site).
Official: Crown Point Anime-Fest
Boos & Brews Brewfest
Friday, October 30, 2026 · 6 p.m. · Portage
Woodland Park. Portage Parks Halloween-themed brewfest listed on the official parks calendar. Confirm hours and tickets on the parks site before you go.
Official: Portage Parks calendar
Hometown Hocus Pocus Market
Friday, October 30, 2026 · 5–9 p.m. and Saturday, October 31, 2026 · 9 a.m.–2 p.m. · Crown Point
Industrial Building, Lake County Fairgrounds, 889 S. Court St. Halloween-themed artisan market from Hometown Happenings.
Official: Hometown Happenings
More Northwest Indiana events
This is one month from the local hub. See the Northwest Indiana events month index, then August 2026, September 2026, or October 2026.
October 2026 frequently asked questions
What Northwest Indiana events are listed for October 2026?
This archive covers the October 2026 dates we could verify as of September 4, 2026. The first weekend is Wickedly Whiting (October 2–3), St. John Oktoberfest (October 2–4), Crown Point Oktoberfest and Lansing Fall Uncorked & Untapped (October 3), Buckley Homestead in Lowell, Munster’s Pumpkins, Witches & Hayrides, and Orland Park’s Great Pumpkin Party. Mid-month: Griffith Oktoberfest (October 9–11), Valparaiso Fall Harvest Festival and Homewood Fall Fest (October 10), Portage Haunted Hayride weekends, Autumn Promenade and Brewski Fest (October 17), downtown Valparaiso trick-or-treat (October 23), Crown Point Anime-Fest (October 24), and the Hometown Hocus Pocus Market plus Portage Boos & Brews (October 30–31). Johnson’s Farm pumpkin weekends continue through October 31. We do not invent events.
Do I need tickets for October 2026 events?
Most of these are free or low-cost community festivals. Crown Point Oktoberfest and Griffith Oktoberfest are listed as free town/city festivals. Valparaiso Fall Harvest Festival, Homewood Fall Fest, and downtown Valparaiso trick-or-treat are free. Buckley Homestead Fall Festival is $5 per person. The Great Pumpkin Party, Autumn Promenade, Lansing Uncorked & Untapped, and Anime-Fest require registration or tickets. Portage Haunted Hayride and Boos & Brews: check the parks page. Always click the Official link before you go.
Where is the official source for these October dates?
Each listing ends with an Official link — parish festival site, city concert lineup, Lake County Parks, Munster Parks, Valparaiso Events, or Hometown Happenings. Those organizers set hours, tickets, and cancellations. This page is a verified local index. Email saso@realest.com with an official URL if we missed a real date.
Submit an event
Know a real Crown Point, Lake County, Porter County, or south-suburb event we missed? Email saso@realest.com or use the Real Estate USA contact form. Include the official source link. We will not post dates we cannot verify.
Thinking about a move to NWI?
Festivals are a good way to walk a downtown before you buy. If you are relocating from the Chicago suburbs, start with Illinois to Indiana relocation, then talk to Realest.
Realest Realty
112 S. Main St., Suite B, Crown Point, IN 46307
Call Sash at (219) 808-1520 · saso@realest.com
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