Fall in Indianapolis has plenty of traditions, and the Headless Horseman Festival at Conner Prairie is one families come back to year after year. The festival takes over the Fishers living history museum Thursdays through Sundays, Oct. 1–25, with 16 nights of hayrides, corn mazes, live entertainment, carnival-style activities and a darker Haunted Trail after sundown.
Festival hours are 5–10 p.m. General admission and Access Pass tickets go on sale Sept. 3, with earlier presales for donors and members. One thing to know before buying tickets: Festival admission doesn’t include the Headless Horseman hayride. If that’s on your must-do list, you’ll need to reserve a separate timed hayride ticket.
Headless Horseman tickets and admission
Festival admission is free for Conner Prairie members, but members still need to reserve a festival ticket. Nonmember admission is $26 and Indiana Access Pass admission is $10. Tickets are required for everyone age 2 and older. Children younger than 2 don’t need a ticket.
The Headless Horseman hayride is separately ticketed. Hayride tickets are $10 for members and nonmembers and require a reserved time. Access Pass guests can also reserve a discounted ticket that combines festival admission with the hayride.
- Donor presale: Aug. 20
- Member presale: Aug. 25
- General admission and Access Pass sales: Sept. 3
What families will find at Headless Horseman
There’s a lot happening across Conner Prairie during Headless Horseman, so it’s easy to fill an entire evening without spending all of it waiting for the hayride. Families will find carnival games, live music, magic, fire performances from Circle City Fire, seasonal food and plenty of Sleepy Hollow-themed attractions.
The lineup includes the Barrel Train Ride through a musical pumpkin patch, Perilous Plunge dry tubing hill, two corn mazes, the Haunted Trail, Eerie Illusions magic show, a one-man Sleepy Hollow show, a Sleepy Hollow marionette show and live music. One detail parents of little kids will want to know: Riders on the Barrel Train must be under 48 inches tall.
The Headless Horseman hayride
The hayride is the centerpiece of the festival, and it’s probably the attraction most families are planning their evening around. Guests travel through the woods and into the story of the Headless Horseman, with the experience getting darker as the evening goes on.
Hayride tickets have a designated time, but that time is when guests may enter the line, not necessarily when the wagon departs. In other words, a timed ticket doesn’t mean there won’t be a wait. Conner Prairie notes that a moderate wait may still be possible after entering the line.
Plan to arrive at the festival at least 45 minutes before your selected hayride time. That gives you time to park, get through admission and walk to the hayride area without starting the evening in a sprint.
There aren’t characters touching the wagons or riders during the hayride, and Conner Prairie says the experience doesn’t use gory special effects or decorations. Hayrides after 8 p.m. travel through the woods in the dark, though, and that’s when guests may encounter scarier surprises.
Conner Prairie corn mazes
The corn mazes are included with festival admission. Families can choose between a small maze intended for younger guests and a longer maze for teens and adults. Guests age 15 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
The long maze closes at dusk, so don’t save that one for the end of the night. If your family wants to tackle it, it makes sense to head there earlier in the evening and save the indoor shows and other activities for after dark.
The Haunted Trail
After the sun goes down, the Haunted Trail takes the festival in a decidedly scarier direction. The storyline follows ghostly circus performers connected to a circus train crash, with performers waiting along the trail.
This is the attraction to skip if your kids aren’t into haunted-house-style scares. Families with younger children can stick with the regular corn mazes, rides and shows and still have plenty to do.
Rides, shows and other family activities
There’s plenty to do without heading straight for the scarier attractions. Families can ride the Barrel Train through the musical pumpkin patch, head down the Perilous Plunge dry tubing hill, play carnival games or catch one of the evening performances.
The entertainment lineup includes the Eerie Illusions magic show, Sleepy Hollow One-Man Show, Sleepy Hollow Marionette Show, live music and performances from Circle City Fire. This is also a good way to break up the evening if kids need a little downtime between the bigger attractions.
Food is available throughout the festival grounds, with options including burgers, pizza, pretzels and kettle corn. The Sleepy Hollow Tavern serves themed drinks, including an exclusive Headless Horseman beer from Sun King. The Apple Store is open from 5–9 p.m. during the festival.
The 1859 Balloon Voyage is also available until 10 p.m., weather permitting. Balloon rides require a separate ticket, which is sold at the balloon kiosk on a first-come, first-served basis.
Is Headless Horseman good for younger kids?
Headless Horseman is designed as a family event, but timing can make a big difference if you have a child who’s unsure about Halloween scares. Conner Prairie recommends earlier hayride times for guests who scare easily or are sensitive to loud sounds or bright lights.
If you’re going with younger kids, arriving when the festival opens at 5 p.m. is probably the gentlest way to experience it. Start with the rides, shows and corn mazes, then schedule the hayride before dark. Hayrides after 8 p.m. take place in the dark and include scarier surprises.
The Haunted Trail is the attraction to approach most cautiously with younger kids. There’s no need to push it if haunted attractions aren’t their thing. Families can skip it completely and still have a full evening at the festival.
Accessibility and sensory-friendly options
Accessible hayride wagons are available. Guests who need one should speak with the hayride ticket scanner when they arrive at the hayride area.
Conner Prairie recommends earlier arrival and hayride times for guests who are Deaf or hard of hearing, Blind or have low vision, as well as guests who are sensitive to loud sounds, bright lights or scares. Sensory-friendly boxes are available at the ticket gates.
Paved ADA-accessible paths lead to the lower hill area where the corn mazes and tubing hill are located, and golf cart transportation is available for guests with mobility needs. The corn mazes themselves have rough terrain, which is worth keeping in mind when planning the evening. Accessible parking is also available.
For the latest accessibility information, visit the official Conner Prairie Headless Horseman page.
Indiana Access Pass admission
Families participating in the Indiana Access Pass program can purchase Headless Horseman festival admission for $10 per eligible guest. Access Pass guests can also reserve a discounted ticket that combines festival admission with the hayride.
Access Pass tickets are limited each evening, so this isn’t one I’d wait until the last minute to reserve. Cardholders who have registered their Access Pass with Conner Prairie can reserve tickets online. Guests need to bring their valid Access Pass card, photo ID and event tickets for admission.
Plan your visit to Headless Horseman at Conner Prairie
Dates: Thursdays through Sundays, Oct. 1–25
Festival hours: 5–10 p.m.
Apple Store hours: 5–9 p.m.
Location: 13400 Allisonville Road, Fishers, IN 46038
Parking: Free
Conner Prairie’s regular museum grounds close at 4 p.m. on Headless Horseman festival days. Festival guests may arrive between 5 and 9 p.m., and Conner Prairie recommends arriving at least 45 minutes before a reserved hayride time.
Plan for at least two hours at the festival, and probably longer if your family wants to fit in the hayride, mazes, shows and rides. Crowds and activity lines can stretch out the evening, and some attraction lines may close before 10 p.m. so everyone already waiting has time to finish.
For tickets, weather policies and the most current festival information, visit the official Conner Prairie Headless Horseman Festival page.
