Things to do in Rutherford County in October and November

►FIND CANDY, FESTIVALS

Haunted fun at Barfield

Barfield Bash is set for Oct. 23-26 at Barfield Crescent Park, 697 Veterans Parkway in Murfreesboro.

Take a haunted hayride on Old Scream Road from dark until 9 p.m. Oct. 23-26. Tickets are $5 per person and can be purchased on site.

The Halloween carnival and Twilight Trail is 5-7 p.m. Oct. 25-26. The carnival features games, prizes, costume contests, food, music, dancing, cake walks and much more. There are fees for food and game tickets. The Twilight Trail is a hayride that is appropriate for all ages. The ride winds through the backcountry with games, puppet shows, story time and live animals. 

For more details, call 615-890-5333.

Halloween in the Park

Smyrna Parks & Rec presents Halloween in the Park from 3-8:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at Sharp Springs Natural Area, 1000 Espy Drive. There will be costume contests, hayrides (age-appropriate), inflatables, train rides, a corn maze, food vendors and more. Admission is free. Some fees are charged for activities.

Treats in La Vergne

The city's of La Vergne presents Goblins and Goodies at the Park is from 12-3 p.m. Oct. 26 at Veterans Memorial Park, 115 Floyd Mayfield Drive, complete with games and a hike through the park.

Candy at the mall

Stones River Town Centre, 1720 Old Fort Parkway in Murfreesboro, is hosting a Halloween Boo Bash from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 26 for ages 10 and younger can dress in their favorite costumes and partake in some Halloween-themed activities. 

The Avenue

Dress your best at The Avenue: Various stores will hand out candy at The Avenue Murfreesboro, 2515 Medical Center Parkway, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 26. For more details, visit theavenuemurfreesboro.com.

Indoor treats

Middle Tennessee Baptist Church: Enjoy a "trunk or treat indoors" at Middle Tennessee Baptist, 706 Richard Road in Murfreesboro from 5-7:30 p.m. Oct. 26.  

Halloween Comic Fest

Linebaugh Library, 105 W. Vine St. in Murfreesboro, will host a Halloween Comic Fest from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 26. Dress in costume and enjoy free comics, games, movies and prizes. Be sure to dress in your favorite costume.

Blackman Methodist

From 4-7 p.m. Oct. 26, Blackman United Methodist Church, 4380 Manson Pike in Murfreesboro, will host a trunk or treat and fall festival with inflatables, train rides and potluck supper.  slide, bounce house, trackless train, games, potluck supper, and then a trunk or treat will begin at 6:30 p.m.  

Highland Heights

Start at 6 p.m. Oct. 27, Highland Heights Church of Christ, 785 S. Lowry St. in Smyrna, will host a trunk or treat for the public.

Smyrna Methodist

Visit the church at 301 Sam Davis Road in Smyrna, for a fall festival from 4:30-6 p.m. Oct. 27. The event includes candy, a chili cookoff, inflatables, and lots of treats.  

River of Life

Train rides, fall treats, giveaways, character appearances and more at the church at River of Life church, 596 Sam Ridley Parkway in Smyrna, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 27.

North Boulevard West

Enjoy Put on your Halloween costumes for a night of family fun starting at 4 p.m. Oct. 27 at Lane Agri-Park, 315 John Rice Blvd. in Murfreesboro. Hot dogs and drinks provided. Contests for best costumes and best-decorated trunks. There will be prizes for the best costumes and the best-decorated trunks. After the trunk or treat, there will be a potluck, inflatables and hayrides. The church will provide hot dogs and drinks.

World Outreach Church

Food, games and a variety of activities on deck at the annual Fall Hoedown, 1921 New Salem Highway in Murfreesboro, will host its annual Fall Hoedown from 1-4 p.m. Oct. 27. 

Abiding Faith Fall Fest

Abiding Faith Lutheran Church, 10411 Old Nashville Highway in Smyrna, will host a free fall festival for the community Oct. 27. There will be a petting zoo, face painting, live music, balloon artists, bounce houses, an obstacle course, cornhole, volleyball and basketball, and horseshoes. Free food will be offered and the menu includes barbecue, hot dogs, beans, slaw, and ham and beans.

The day kicks off with worship at 10:30 a.m. followed by the festival until 1:30 p.m.

The Grove

Celebrate A celebration of local heroes will be held at The Grove at Williamson Place, 3250 Wilkerson Pike in Murfreesboro, on Oct. 29. Activities will open at 4 p.m. and feature a variety of emergency vehicles and agencies on site, food trucks, a chili cookoff and trunk or treat from 6-9 p.m. 

Toddler party

Patterson Park Community Center, 521 Mercury Blvd. in Murfreesboro, will host a toddler Halloween party from 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 30, with costume contest, games and candy.  

Greek Row

Middle Tennessee State University's Greek Row, located off Rutherford Boulevard, will host trick-or-treaters from 5-7 p.m. Oct. 30. Games, candy and other activities for ages 12 and younger. 

Candy on the boulevard

Belle Aire Baptist Church, 1307 N. Rutherford Blvd. in Murfreesboro, will host its annual trunk or treat from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 30.

LifePoint Smyrna

A fall festival will take place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at LifePoint's Smyrna campus, 506 Legacy Drive. There will be food trucks, games, inflatables and trunks filled with treats. LifePoint Church's Stewarts Creek campus, 5100 Almaville Road, will host a trunk or treat at the same time. starting at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 30 with games, inflatables and food.

Get your candy:18 best neighborhoods for trick or treating on Halloween in Murfreesboro, Smyrna

ON HALLOWEEN

Downtown fun

Trick-or-treating on the Square is set for 3-6 p.m. on Oct. 31 in downtown Murfreesboro's Public Square. Dress in your costume and get candy from local businesses.

Oaklands Mansion

Starting at 4 p.m. on Oct. 31, Oaklands Mansion will hand out free candy to trick-or-treaters on the front steps, located at 900 N. Maney Ave. in Murfreesboro.

Candy at the mall

Stones River Town Centre, 1720 Old Fort Parkway in Murfreesboro, will welcome trick-or-treaters starting at 5 p.m. on Halloween. A DJ will be playing fun music and various treat stations will be giving out candy until supplies last.

Harvest View Church

Take the family Harvest View Church, 8560 John Bragg Highway in Readyville, from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31 for food, games, treats, face painting, food and more. 

Florence Baptist

A trunk or treat will be held for the public from 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 31 at Florence Baptist Church, 4528 Florence Road in Murfreesboro.

Springhouse in Smyrna

Springhouse Worship and Arts Center, 14119 Old Nashville Highway, will host a trunk or treat from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31.  

►THIS WEEK

Flashlight Nights

Explore Murfreesboro’s most mysterious mansion and experience some of the unusual mourning customs and creepy superstitions of the Victorian era at Oaklands Mansion, 900 N. Maney Ave. Be sure you bring your own flashlight.

Flashlight Nights are set for 7-10 p.m. Oct. 24-26. Admission is $10 for ages 12 and older and $5 for ages 6-11. Purchase your tickets in advance, at oaklandsmansion.org or in the gift shop. Park at Oaklands Park Picnic Pavilion located at 427 Roberts St.

City-wide escape game

Locked Escape Game of Murfreesboro presents Monsters of Murfreesboro, a city-wide escape game set for 6-9 p.m. Oct. 26. Teams of players go on a family-friendly adventure to solve puzzles and find 11 monsters at different locations across the city.

Participants start the evening at 1970 Medical Center Parkway with registration and instructions for the first stop. Each team downloads an app that will guide them from one location to the next and deliver puzzles at stops along the way. Puzzles will be at a level that allows all ages to enjoy the family-friendly game for all ages.  

Cost is $31 per person, regardless of age, and there should be one team per vehicle. You don't need to preregister. But you can get more information about the game at monstersofmurfreesboro.com/.

"Kiss Me, Kate"

MTSU Theatre students present the classic Broadway musical “Kiss Me, Kate” in Tucker Theatre Oct. 24-27. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Oct. 24-26, and there’s a 2 p.m. matinee Oct. 27.

Tickets, available at mtsu.edu/theatreanddance/ and at the box office, are $15 general admission and $10 for K-12 students and senior citizens. MTSU students will be admitted free at the box office with a current ID. Tucker Theatre, located inside MTSU’s Boutwell Dramatic Arts Auditorium at 615 Champion Way.

"Sweeney Todd"

Center for the Arts, 110 W. College St. in Murfreesboro, presents "Sweeney Todd" on stage. The plot follows an unjustly exiled barber who seeks vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him. The murderous barber teams up with the owner of a pie shop who begins wowing London with her meat pies. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25-26, and 2 p.m. Oct. 27. Tickets are $14 to $18. Purchase at boroarts.org.

The Judgment 

Mt. Hermon Baptist Church, 2433 Mt. Herman Road in Murfreesboro, will host Judgment from 6-8:30 p.m. Oct. 25-27. The alternative haunted house is free and open to all ages. Walk through scenes that follow the story of someone's life as it unfolds, from tragedy to triumph. To learn more, call 615-893-4885.

Ghost tours

Sam Davis Home, 1399 Sam Davis Road in Smyrna, will host ghost tours from 6-10 p.m. Oct. 25-26. This is an event the whole family can enjoy. Tour the historic property in the dark. Meet ghosts from the past, hear some of the most haunted tales in Tennessee, enter the historic house in the dark and go on a haunted hay ride. Cost is $10 for ages 6 to 12 and college students with ID, $13 for military and seniors, and $15 for adults. Call 615-459-2341 for details or visit samdavishome.org.

What's in the shadows?

Shadow Walk Ghost Tours will step off at 7 p.m. Oct. 25-26 from Big B Cleaners on the Murfreesboro Public Square. Tours run every 30 minutes and are approximately an hour long. Cost is $5. Purchase at Big B's.

Haunted Murfreesboro

Boro Tellers will host Haunted Murfreesboro tours Oct. 25-26. Tours step off at 7 p.m. and run every 30 minutes. Cost is $5 per person. Meet at Sugarees on Maple Street near Vine Street. 

Costumes and Cocktails

The Journey Home will host Costumes and Cocktails from 7-10 p.m. Oct. 25 at The Walnut House, 116 N. Walnut St. in Murfreesboro. Dress up for this Halloween-themed event featuring a custom menu created by Dallas & Jane's Alex Belew. There will be magicians from Nashville's House of cards, costume contests, a DJ, dancing and more.

Tickets are $85 per person or $150 per couple. Purchase online at eventbrite.com. Proceeds benefit The Journey Home, a faith-based program that provides food, shelter, clothing and support services for those in need.

Harvest Days

The 43rd annual Harvest Days is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 26 at Cannonsburgh Village, 312 S. Front St. in Murfreesboro. There will be craft vendors, hayrides, Cripple Creek Cloggers, 231 South Band, Uptown Country, Mid State Cloggers, Murfreesboro Art League and blacksmith demonstrations.

The antique auto building will be open, so you can tour the facilities. There will be food trucks, storytelling, hands-on demonstrations and much more. Admission is free. 

Free fall concert

Tennessee Philharmonic Orchestra presents a Latin family concert from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 26 at Patterson Park Community Center, 521 Mercury Blvd. in Murfreesboro. Admission is free. Visit tnphil.org to learn more.

Fall festival on the square

Love Your Neighbor on the Square is set for 2-8 p.m. Oct. 27 on the Murfreesboro Public Square. The free, family-friendly event will feature live music, activities for children, and foods representing favorite dishes from nearly 20 countries. To learn more about the event or to get involved, visit www.murfreesboromuslimyouth.org/ or email MurfreesboroMuslimYouth@gmail.com.

Magic show

See a magic show starting at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at The Walnut House, 116 N. Walnut St. in Murfreesboro. Rutherford County magicians Jim (Jimbo) Hooten and David Williams will entertain kids of all ages with their comedy-filled magic performances. Tickets are $10 for ages 12 and younger and $12 for general admission. Purchase online at walnuthousemurfreesboro.com or at the door.

Ladies roller skate nights

Rutherford Roller Queens is hosting all-ladies skate night at Smyrna Skate Center, 1505 Plaza Drive, from 7-9 p.m. Oct. 29. Skate nights are $15 per skate and include skate rental. Membership to the league, which is ladies only, is $50 per year and covers cost to rent the facility for the private event. No reservations are necessary. To learn more visit the group's Facebook page.

Discovery Center fundraiser

Lunch, learn and network to benefit Discovery Center at "Playing for the Future," set for 12-1 p.m. Oct. 30 at Copper Ridge Event Venue, 3597 Betty Ford Road, Murfreesboro.

Enjoy lunch from Vine Street Market while showing your support for the Discovery Center and education in the community. Gifts made at the luncheon provide critical support for the Discovery Center and community programs like Kids First.

Laura Huerta Migus is the executive director of the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) in Arlington, Virginia, will speak. To reserve your free ticket, visit explorethedc.org/lunchbox/.

Halloween not just for kids

After downtown trick or treating and the pumpkin patch for the kids from 2-6 p.m. Halloween, the "Downtown Balcony” for "Hallothankmas" and a free concert by The Will MacLean Band. Bring non-perishable food items to be collected by the Greenhouse Ministries for the Thanksgiving food drive. For more information, call 615-893-2371 or email ben@moonstruckmanagment.com.

Drag fest

Veronica Paige will host a Halloween drag show at Mayday Brewery, 521 Old Salem Road in Murfreesboro, from 8-10 p.m. Oct. 31. Admission is $10 and includes costume contests. In addition to the show, which is $10 admission, there will be costume contests. Visit facebook.com/MaydayBrewery/ for tickets or purchase at the door.

►COMING UP

All souped up

Usher in the chilly weather with the annual Cookin' to Build to benefit Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity, set for 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 2 on the Murfreesboro Public Square.

Tickets are $20 and includes admission to the all-you-can-eat soup festival, and you even get to take your bowl home. Purchase tickets online before the event and get in at 10:30 a.m. Tickets for children are $10, but the price does not include a commemorative bowl. Ages 5 and younger eat free.

For $5 more, you can paint your own bowl at Pottery Place and it will be ready for you to use and then take home on the day of the event. Purchase tickets online at eventbrite.com or drop by the Habitat office, 850 Mercury Blvd. in Murfreesboro.

Symphony concert

Tennessee Philharmonic Orchestra presents its annual Veterans Concert: Treasures of Times Gone By at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro.

A mainstage concert will feature patriotic music. Tickets are $15 to $40. Purchase online at tnphil.org/events/.

BoroDash

Kick off your Thanksgiving Day festivities with BoroDash. The 4-mile run/walk fundraiser steps off at 8 a.m. Nov. 28 from MTSU's Dean Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium on Greenland Drive. Price is $30 now through Oct. 31. After that, the price increases to $40. Group discounts are available. Proceeds benefit local charities. 

Register at runsignup.com/Race/TN/Murfreesboro/Borodash and visit borodash.org/ to learn more about the organization. Volunteers are also needed for this annual event. Email volunteers@borodash.org for more details.

Art Studio Tour

The Stones River Craft Association's 26th annual Rutherford County Art Studio Tour is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 23-24, featuring eight studios, most of which will have holiday refreshments, as well as all types of art. To learn more about locations, visit artstudiotour.org/.

►ONGOING

Walden Farm now open

Kick off fall at Walden Farm, 8653 Rocky Ford Road in Smyrna. Through Oct. 31, hours are 3-6:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sundays.

There's free parking and admission. A variety of fall- and farm-related activities are offered for a fee. Enjoy face painting, the pumpkin patch, toddler town, pumpkin train, hay rides, a corn maze and other activities for all ages. 

You'll also find a hand-made baked goods and treats at the concessions stand and market. To learn more, visit waldenfarm.biz/.

Fall festival at Lucky Ladd

Lucky Ladd Farms, 4374 Rocky Glade Road in Eagleville, kicks off the fall season Saturday with the Fall Family Festival. Fall festivities run through Oct. 31. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 12-5 p.m. Sundays.

The Predators-themed corn maze returns this year. Play games in the maze or simply wind your way from start to finish.

Pay for admission is you'll get to pick your own pumpkin, or get a shopping pass. You can also peruse the gift shop, which offers a variety of decorative and edible items for sale. 

The farm has also expanded playgrounds, an interactive petting zoo, wagon rides, corn maze, pony rides, tractor train and more. Don't miss fall treats include kettle corn, gourmet caramel apples and camp-fire s'mores.

Activities are part of the admission, which is $13.99 for ages 13 and older, $11.99 for 2 to 12, and 65 and older. You can purchase online at luckyladdfarms.com/ or at the gate. Group discounts are available. For more details about the farm, visit or call 615-274-3786.

Reach reporter Nancy DeGennaro at degennaro@dnj.com and follow her on Twitter @NanDeGennaro.