Wear your costume to Midnight Madness Fourth Friday Oct. 27

The last Fourth Friday Uptown street festival of the year is just around the corner, Westerville, and a Halloween theme will color the final rendition of 2023, set for Oct. 27.

Kids and adults alike are encouraged to dress up in costume for Midnight Madness, Uptown’s Halloween-themed Fourth Friday, from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27.

Uptown merchants will stay open late, many with staff dressed in Halloween costumes for the Midnight Madness festival.

The 100 or so pop-up vendors that line State Street as well as parts of Main Street and College Avenue have been asked to bring candy to hand out to children, said Lynn Aventino, Executive Director of Uptown Westerville Inc. UWI stages the Fourth Friday festivals, held in the city’s historic Uptown District, from May through October each year.

Children are welcome to go trick-or-treating through the vendors as early Halloween practice – ahead of Westerville’s official Beggar’s Night observation, set for 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31.

The Midnight Madness version of Fourth Friday, presented by Mount Carmel St. Ann’s Hospital, also will bring most the normal Fourth Friday activities to Uptown Oct. 27.

State Street, from Walnut Street on the south to Home Street on the north, will be closed to vehicular traffic from 6-9 p.m., as will the first blocks of East and West Main Street and East and West College Avenue.

Special for Oct. 27 will be the appearance and performances of the Otterbein University Marching Band.

And a Monster Mash Dance Party will be held in the Courtyard at Westerville City Hall, 21 S. State St., led by Matt Ryan DJ, who will spin music in the Courtyard from 6:30-8:30.

Generations Performing Arts Center students will perform on West College during the evening, in front of the Generations studio, 11 W. College Ave.

Science Street will set up on West Main, with local scientists, Otterbein STEAM students, Westerville CHAT (Community Health Action Team) members, and a delegation from Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks, which will bring woodland critters for children to visit.

Balloon artist PhilUP Baloons will set up on East College, near a cotton candy vendor and Mirror Mirror Photo Booth.

A DJ from Tempo Entertainment also will set up on North State Street, in Rotary Park at the southeast corner of State and Home streets.

The Oct. 27 Fourth Friday also will feature roving entertainment, food trucks, your favorite Uptown Westerville restaurants and retail shopping, and adults can take advantage of Uptown’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA), to stroll about with adult beverages sold by several Uptown establishments.

See you Uptown Oct. 27!

Don’t miss our last Fourth Friday until May 2024! Come on out to the Midnight Madness Fourth Friday festival Uptown, from 6-9 p.m. Oct. 27!

CAPTION (above photo): Dancers from the Generations Performing Arts Center West College perform in from of the Generations studio, 11 W. College Ave., at a 2022 Fourth Friday.