Howell's Halloween Saturday Runs From a Free Trick-or-Treat to the Opera House's Unfinished Theater

On Saturday, October 17, downtown Howell runs a Halloween program from midafternoon until well after dark. Howell Recreation says the Headless Horseman 5K helps make the free trick-or-treating on Walnut Street possible. A few hours later, the ticketed adult storytelling at the Howell Opera House takes place upstairs in a theater that is still waiting for the money to finish it.

Here is how the day lays out, block by block.

The 5K helps keep the trick-or-treat free

Howell Recreation's event page calls the Legend of Sleepy Howell "Livingston County's largest outdoor trick-or-treating event" and says it is free, with no sign-up required. Further down the same page, under the Headless Horseman 5K, the department explains that race funds cover the run's own costs and also "help to make the Legend of Sleepy Howell possible." It adds that the trick-or-treat helps "especially those kids living in rural areas."

So when the trick-or-treating ends at 5 p.m. and runners line up at State and Clinton half an hour later, the second event is helping fund the first. LOC Federal Credit Union is listed as a 2026 sponsor.

The race isn't small. In 2016, when the event still offered both a 5K and a 10K, the Livingston Daily reported that the races drew nearly 1,000 costumed runners. That figure is ten years old and was an estimate at the time. Howell Recreation hasn't published a current count. This year's format is a 5K plus a one-mile Monster Mile. Walkers, strollers, assistive devices and dogs on six-foot leashes are welcome.

Some practical details for anyone still deciding:

• Early packet pickup runs October 14 through 16 at the Oceola Community Center, 1661 N. Latson Rd., during normal business hours.
• The long-sleeved shirt was guaranteed only for runners registered by September 27, so later registrants shouldn't count on one.
• Howell Recreation is still recruiting race course volunteers for the 17th.

This year the Legend is on Walnut Street

The Legend of Sleepy Howell has a longer history than its current page shows. WHMI traced it back to a downtown bookstore's annual celebration for each new Harry Potter book, which Howell Recreation later turned into a free community trick-or-treat. The Livingston Daily counted 2016 as its 14th year, and WHMI called the 2019 edition the 17th annual, which puts its start in the early 2000s.

The location has changed over the years. In 2019, downtown construction pushed the event off Grand River and onto the courthouse grounds and nearby streets. In 2023, trick-or-treating ran along Clinton, Court and Church, with activities on State Street and the courthouse lawn. For 2026, Howell Recreation has put trick-or-treating on Walnut Street at the Fire & Ice Pavilion. Families who remember the courthouse lawn layout will find the candy on Walnut Street this time.

On parking, Howell Recreation hadn't posted a 2026 street-closure or parking notice as of October 12. The race map linked from its page is labeled as the 2025 file. For last year's run, WHMI reported no parking on State, Thompson and Lake from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and warned of possible driving delays between 5 and 8. Those were the 2025 rules, not this year's. They do show which streets the course has used before.

The 8 p.m. show is upstairs in a theater that hasn't been finished

By 6:30 p.m., attention shifts to the Howell Opera House. The Ann Arbor Storytellers' Guild runs a free children's scary story on the first floor at 6:30. The adult session starts at 8 p.m. on the second floor. It's for ages 14 and up, costs $25 with dessert and beverages included, and is already sold out.

The Opera House's listing includes a note you don't usually see on a ticket page. The second-floor space has no heat, so "if it's cold outside, the Opera House Theater space may feel chilly." Anyone with a ticket should dress for an unheated room in mid-October.

That second-floor theater is also the part of the building that has not yet been restored. The Opera House opened its stage on December 30, 1881, and the theater closed in 1924 after action by the fire marshal. The building has been restored in stages since then:

1. The first-floor renovation was completed in 2006.
2. The roof was replaced after a 2008 fundraising effort.
3. A $60,000 gift in 2013 paid for the original theater and balcony windows, which were finished in July 2014.

In September 2025, WHMI reported that the Livingston Arts Council was working with architects and preparing for a capital campaign to restore the second floor. A year later, on September 21, 2026, WHMI reported that executive director Steven Bearden, in the role since July 1, had announced a "bigger vision" for finishing the theater. In that interview, he said plans and bids were still being finalized for "a multi-million dollar restoration project."

Bearden told WHMI how he sees the difference between the work already done and what remains:

"There is an important distinction between saving the building and completing the building."

He told the station the plan includes fundraising and major donor development, more sponsorships and partnerships, and "growing our revenue streams" through rentals and special events. It also includes "strengthening the already strong programming" and building an operating model so the restored Opera House can pay its own way. On October 17, the theater he is trying to finish will be full of people for the adult storytelling, even without heat.

The Opera House calendar keeps going after the 17th

On Friday, October 23, the Opera House is screening the Rocky Horror Picture Show at 8 p.m., with doors at 7 and a costume contest encouraged. Its Storytellers series has Jeff Doyle on Wednesday, November 11, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance or $18 at the door. On Saturday, November 7, the Opera House hosts the Michigan Bright Water Storytelling Festival from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., with workshops, open mics and an evening concert.

Other downtown dates around Halloween weekend:

• Howell Farmers Market, run by the Howell Chamber of Commerce, is open Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on State and Clinton by the courthouse. The last two dates are October 18 and October 25.
• Spooky Trivia at the Howell Carnegie District Library is Wednesday, October 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. Registration is required.
• From Pheasant Back to Turkey Tail: On the Hunt for Fall Mushrooms is at the library on Monday, November 2, from 6 to 7 p.m. Registration is required.

One more change is coming to Grand River after Halloween. On September 28, Fenton-based CRUST a baking co. announced a retail bakery and café at 203 W. Grand River Ave. The storefront will be renovated over the rest of 2026, and the opening is targeted for the first quarter of 2027. Owners Chad and Marybeth Brennan grew up in Hartland and Fenton. CRUST first opened in Fenton on February 1, 2012.

On October 17, runners line up at State and Clinton at 6 p.m., and the free children's story starts on the Opera House's first floor at 6:30.

Halloween Saturday downtown is one of the things I mention when people ask what Howell is like after 5 p.m. If you're thinking about a home within walking distance of Walnut Street and the courthouse square, Sherry Cynowa can show you what's on the market near it. Let's Connect.