Where does a courthouse town put Halloween when the courthouse is behind a construction fence? In Martinsville this October, it spreads the holiday across nine days and at least eight venues. Most of them sit away from the square that usually anchors the downtown calendar.
The reason is the same one that moved the Fall Foliage Festival, which wraps up today. The Morgan County Courthouse is in the middle of a $25 million renovation and addition. The Morgan County Correspondent reported in April that the project started the year before and includes a 5,000-square-foot addition on the north side, restoration of the clocktower, and new greenspace, sidewalks, and landscaping around the building. In that report, the project manager expected most of the grounds work to finish by fall, with county offices moving in during the first quarter of 2027. On Sept. 29, Visit Morgan County still called the project ongoing when it explained why the Fall Foliage Festival was at the Morgan County Fairgrounds again this year.
So the Halloween calendar went where the space is: a city park, the fairgrounds, a converted church, church parking lots, a drive-in on State Road 67. Downtown gets two short evenings. On Halloween night, one of them falls in exactly the same window as door-to-door trick-or-treat.
The Week at a Glance
Here is every Martinsville event on the county's Halloween list from the Friday before through Halloween night. The dates and times come from the Martinsville Chamber of Commerce, the City of Martinsville, and Visit Morgan County's Haunted Happenings roundup.
| Date | Event | Where | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 23–31 | Halloween movies | Centerbrook Drive-in, 6735 State Road 67 | Gates 7:15 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 23 | First Methodist Church Trunk or Treat | 350 Myra Lane | 5–7 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 24 | World's Largest Trunk-or-Treat | Morgan County Fairgrounds | 5–9 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 24 | 5th Annual HalloweenFest | Jimmy Nash City Park | 7–9 p.m. |
| Sun., Oct. 25 | 9th Annual Sammy Terry Live Stage Show | Art Sanctuary, 190 N. Sycamore St. | 6 p.m. |
| Thu., Oct. 29 | Grand Valley Health & Rehab Trunk or Treat | 621 Grand Valley Blvd. | 6 p.m. |
| Thu., Oct. 29 | Cruise-in on the Square Trunk or Treat | Jefferson Street near City Hall | 6–8 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 30 | Boos & Books | Lady Karma Tattoo Studio | 11 a.m.–9 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 30 | Scooby Doo screening | Martinsville Entertainment Theatre | Doors 6, film 7 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 31 | Downtown Martinsville Safe Trick or Treat | Downtown businesses | 6–8:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 31 | City trick-or-treat hours | Neighborhoods, porch lights on | 6–8:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 31 | Halloween Scaryoke & Costume Contest | American Legion Post 230 | 7:30 p.m. |
Two of these dates are crowded, and they're the two Saturdays.
Saturday the 24th Splits Across Town
The busiest night of the run comes a full week before Halloween. Two of the largest events overlap by two hours at opposite ends of Martinsville.
Porch Time LLC presents its second annual World's Largest Trunk-or-Treat at the Morgan County Fairgrounds from 5 to 9 p.m. The Chamber's announcement lists free entry and free parking, welcomes all kids, and says the event benefits two local families. It has already found the space it needs. The fairgrounds just finished hosting the Fall Foliage Festival, with its carnival rides, vendor booths, car show, and parade, for the second year in a row.
At 7 p.m., the fifth annual HalloweenFest opens at Jimmy Nash City Park, 360 N. Home Ave., and runs until 9. The Chamber's notice invites families to stop by sponsor booths and learn about the organizations behind them. Jimmy Nash has carried a lot of this fall already. It hosted the city's Pumpkin Patch, where the first 200 kids age 16 and under picked a free pumpkin, and an outdoor screening of Remember the Titans that benefited Habitat for Humanity of Morgan County. Both events were rescheduled to Oct. 9.
The timing makes both events possible in one evening. The trunk-or-treat opens two hours before HalloweenFest and stays open for its full run, so a family can start at the fairgrounds around 5 and get to Jimmy Nash after 7.
Sunday the 25th Goes Indoors, Into an Old Church
The next evening moves to a smaller room with a longer history. The ninth annual Sammy Terry Live Stage Show starts at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Art Sanctuary, 190 N. Sycamore St. The Chamber's listing calls it a free, all-ages community event with prizes. All proceeds go to the Morgan County Food Pantry for its holiday food baskets.
The venue is part of the appeal. Visit Morgan County describes the Art Sanctuary as a former Methodist church that houses nearly 20 resident artists. The organization describes itself as a community arts group offering studios, exhibitions, arts education, and events for Morgan County and the surrounding area.
The headliner predates almost everyone in the audience. According to the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, WTTV performer Bob Carter created Sammy Terry in 1962 as a host for horror films, and his son Mark Carter revived the character in 2010 and still makes public appearances. This year's listing promotes Sammy Terry without naming the person behind the cape.
Downtown Gets Thursday, and a Short Saturday
The courthouse blocks get their first Halloween evening on Thursday, Oct. 29. That night, the Martinsville Cruise-in turns into a trunk-or-treat on Jefferson Street near City Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. The Cruise-in brings vintage cars and trucks to Jefferson Street every Thursday from 5 p.m. Visit Morgan County says October is the final month of this year's season, and the event returns in April 2027. Oct. 29 is the last Thursday of the month, so the trunk-or-treat doubles as the season's closing night. Grand Valley Health & Rehab holds its own trunk-or-treat at 6 p.m. the same evening at 621 Grand Valley Blvd.
Friday, Oct. 30, already has a fixed downtown ritual. Taps on the Square has taken place every Friday since December 2012. During the renovation it has moved to the southeast corner of the square, near the Morgan County Veterans Memorial at Washington and Jefferson streets. Names are read starting at 6:55 p.m., and the Indiana Spirit of '45 Buglers sound live, rolling Taps at the seventh bell. Downtown on the same evening, the Martinsville Entertainment Theatre at 36 E. Morgan St. opens its doors at 6 for a 7 p.m. screening of Scooby Doo. Earlier October films at the theater cost $5. Lady Karma Tattoo Studio runs Boos & Books from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with flash tattoos, food trucks, hair tinsel, and crafts on the bill.
Halloween Night Lands on a Saturday, and Two Events Share One Clock
Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and the City of Martinsville announced on Oct. 4 that recognized trick-or-treat hours are 6 to 8:30 p.m. The city asks that visits go only to homes with porch lights on. Residents who would rather skip visitors can leave the light off.
Downtown Martinsville Safe Trick or Treat at local businesses runs during those exact hours, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Neighboring Mooresville sets things up differently. Its downtown businesses hand out treats during business hours, and its door-to-door window runs from 5 to 8 p.m. In Martinsville, the storefront route and the porch-light route share one two-and-a-half-hour window. Families decide which one gets the time, or how to split it.
The night keeps going after 8:30 for two groups:
- American Legion Post 230 holds Halloween Scaryoke and a costume contest starting at 7:30 p.m. Kids are welcome until 9:30, and the event is 21 and over after that.
- The Haunting of Waverly runs from 5 to 10 p.m. at Old Town Waverly Park, in the nearby community of Waverly. It offers a trunk-or-treat, s'mores over a campfire, and traditional arts demonstrations.
The Edges Carried October All Month
The week before Halloween follows the same pattern as the rest of the month. The steady Halloween programming has run outside the square all October. The Centerbrook Drive-in, at 6735 State Road 67, has shown Halloween movies all month, with gates opening at 7:15 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Oakwood Stables holds a free trick-or-treat event on Sunday, Oct. 18, from 3 to 5 p.m., and asks guests to RSVP ahead of time. A short drive north, Anderson Orchard in Mooresville has a fall petting zoo from Barnyard Party Pals through Oct. 25, plus pick-your-own pumpkins and a giant straw pile.
The square's own role this fall has stayed small. The Fall Foliage Festival moved to the fairgrounds, Taps on the Square moved to one corner, and the Cruise-in uses one street. Visit Morgan County did note that people dining outdoors at nearby restaurants stop in respect when Taps sounds on Fridays. That makes the downtown dining room the easiest place to pair with a downtown Halloween stop. The guide calls 1915 Steakhouse & Bar one of Martinsville's newer restaurants.
The April timeline put county offices back in the courthouse in the first quarter of 2027. Next October's calendar will show whether the festival, the Friday ceremony, and the Halloween events move back to the courthouse square.
Amanda has watched Martinsville's square change over many seasons. She pays attention to how a project like the courthouse renovation changes what happens downtown and what nearby property is worth. If you're wondering how the finished square might affect homes within walking distance of it, Amanda Johnson Property Group is happy to talk it through with you. Let's Connect.
