Haunted Hayrides Return Tonight — Reserve Slots Early
Fishers, IN · October 2, 2026
Grab your slicker before heading out this morning — the rain is setting in, but the first weekend of October is packed once the skies clear.
The Lead
Conner Prairie’s Headless Horseman Festival kicks into gear this weekend for its annual run through October 25, bringing four full weekends of carnival thrills, cornfield labyrinths, and Sleepy Hollow lore. While the gates officially opened Thursday, tonight marks the first true weekend rush for the forty-plus-year tradition, which routinely draws thousands of visitors nightly to the historic prairie grounds. Families can expect returning favorites like the 11-acre corn maze, fire artistry shows, and the Perilous Plunge tubing hill, alongside midway games and seasonal treats. For anyone planning to catch the signature twilight hayride through the wooded banks of the White River, waiting until arrival is a risky bet. Wagon capacity fills quickly, and weekend time slots frequently sell out days in advance. Reserving admission passes and hayride boarding windows online ahead of time guarantees a seat before the wagons roll into the dark.
Local Pulse
Fourteen Local Seniors Named Merit Semifinalists Schools Students from Fishers and HSE high schools now advance toward multimillion-dollar collegiate scholarships this spring.
Police Open House Draws Hundreds Downtown Safety Families toured municipal headquarters, explored specialty squad vehicles, and met neighborhood patrol officers on Wednesday evening.
Allisonville Road Intersection Work Enters Final Stretch Roads Crews are completing curb work and signal installations at 116th Street ahead of late-autumn completion deadlines.
Today's Outlook
- High 75°F · Low 55°F — Rain (84% chance of precipitation)
- Keep an umbrella close at hand today as steady showers taper into a cooler evening.
What's On Around Town
Today
Pilates on the Plaza The 106 Plaza (8100 E 106th St), 12:15–1:00 PM · Free Outdoor lunchtime mat flow to recharge your Friday afternoon.
Fall-A-Palooza The Yard at Fishers District, 5:00–8:00 PM · Free Kick off the weekend with lawn games, music, and local dining specials.
Headless Horseman Festival Conner Prairie (13400 Allisonville Rd), 5:00–10:00 PM · $26 Venture through the haunted corn maze and catch fire performance spectacles.
Tomorrow
Christmas in October Craft Fair Fishers High School (13000 Promise Rd), 9:00 AM–2:00 PM · $5
AgriPark Fall Festival Fishers AgriPark (11171 Florida Rd), 11:00 AM–7:00 PM · $5
Movies in the Plaza: Miracle Fishers Event Center (11000 Stockdale St), 7:00 PM · Free
Sunday
Russell Farms Country Fall Festival Russell Farms (12290 E 191st St), Noblesville, 10:00 AM–5:00 PM · Paid
AgriPark Fall Festival Fishers AgriPark (11171 Florida Rd), 11:00 AM–7:00 PM · $5
Indiana Wind Symphony The Palladium (1 Carter Green), Carmel, 7:00 PM · Paid
Spotlight & Story
- Abigail Staffelbach
- Fishers painter Abigail Staffelbach earned Best in Show at the seventh annual Juried Exhibit of Hamilton County Artists for her oil painting, "Through Clouds, Blue". The honor comes with a dedicated solo gallery exhibition at City Hall in 2027.
Fishers Daily Digest — compiled from local sources as of 6 AM. For breaking updates, follow your local newsrooms.
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