Four Saturdays this October have both a daytime event and an evening event in Clarkston and Independence Township, and each pair is held at two different venues. None of them is on Main Street. The daytime events are at Clintonwood Park, the Waldon Road farmers market and the Oakland County Sportsmen's Club. The evening events are at the Clarkston Village Players' Depot Theatre on White Lake Road and Independence Oaks County Park on Sashabaw Road. Halloween night is the exception. As of October 4, neither the Village nor the Township has posted 2026 trick-or-treat hours.
If you plan October by Saturdays and keep the venues straight, the month is easy to manage. Most of it is walk-up. Two dates need action ahead of time: a ticket deadline this Thursday and a night when two events overlap.
The month on one page
| Saturday | Daytime | Evening |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 10 | Farmers market's final day, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.; Friendly Forest, noon–3 p.m. | Open Mic Night, Depot Theatre, 7 p.m. |
| Oct. 17 | Nothing confirmed | Lakeside Lights, Independence Oaks, 6–9 p.m.; Improv Show, Depot Theatre, 8 p.m. |
| Oct. 24 | Trunk or Treat, Sportsmen's Club, noon–2 p.m. | Twisted Tales of Poe, Depot Theatre, 8 p.m. |
| Oct. 31 | No confirmed public event | Trick-or-treat hours not yet posted |
October 10 has the most going on. October 17 has the scheduling conflict. October 31 has the gap.
October 10 starts with a Thursday deadline
The Clarkston Area Farmers Market has been open Saturdays since June 13 at the Clarkston Community Education Center, 6558 Waldon Road, and its 2026 season ends October 10. Hours that final morning are the usual 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
At noon, the Friendly Forest opens at Clintonwood Park, 6000 Clarkston Road, and runs until 3 p.m. Independence Township Parks, Recreation & Seniors puts on the event with Junior Optimist International, the National Honor Society and other local school groups, which provide the characters. Kids walk a decorated trail with backdrops, collect treats from cartoon and fairy-tale characters, and finish with a snack and a drink. The event is for children ages 2 to 9.
The ticketing is what catches people. Tickets are $10 for residents and $12 for nonresidents, and adults get in free. Each ticket comes with a start time in 15-minute increments. Sales close Thursday, October 8, at 5 p.m., and no tickets are sold at the park. For tickets or questions, call the Township at 248-625-8223.
Because entry is by assigned time slot, the market and the Forest fit together on the same day. A family with a 2:15 entry can shop Waldon Road in the morning without rushing to beat a line at the park.
The evening event is at the Depot Theatre, 4861 White Lake Road, where the Clarkston Village Players host Open Mic Night at 7 p.m. Admission is $10, and it costs nothing to perform.
October 17 puts two evening events in the same window
The following Saturday has nothing confirmed in the daytime and two events at night.
At Independence Oaks County Park, Oakland County Parks is holding Lakeside Lights: Hike the Night from 6 to 9 p.m., starting at the Lake Point Picnic Shelter at 9501 Sashabaw Road. Luminaries will line a trail around Crooked Lake, with several trail lengths and surfaces to suit different abilities. Pontoon rides let guests see the lights from the water. The night ends with a lakeside bonfire where nature educators talk about nocturnal animals. Warm drinks and light snacks will be for sale. The event is free, needs no registration, depends on the weather, and is recommended for adults only. The county's line for questions is 248-858-0916.
The Clarkston Village Players' Improv Show also starts at 8 p.m. that night at the Depot Theatre, with a second performance Friday, October 16, at the same time. Tickets are $10 online. The two evening events overlap, but each has a way around the conflict. The hike runs a full three hours, so people who arrive at 6 have time on the trail before the bonfire. The Improv Show also runs Friday, so you can see it then and keep Saturday for the lake.
The Lakeside Lights trail is in Independence Oaks, which isn't the same as the land next to Clintonwood Park. In February 2026, the Township Board heard a presentation on plans for land the Township bought beside Clintonwood. Ideas include restoring a trailhead and paths, adding observation areas and building boardwalks later. A connection to Independence Oaks was still under discussion. As the Clarkston News reported, the plan has no set timeline because it depends on the budget and grants.
October 24 is the only day with free events for all ages
The Oakland County Sportsmen's Club holds its Trunk or Treat on Saturday, October 24, from noon to 2 p.m. at 4770 Waterford Road. It's free and open to everyone. The Friendly Forest is ticketed and limited to young children, and Lakeside Lights is aimed at adults, so this is the October event without an age limit or a price.
That evening, the Depot Theatre stages its second Halloween-season show. Twisted Tales of Poe runs October 23 and 24 at 8 p.m. General admission is $10, or $11.25 with fees.
Between October 10 and 24, the Depot Theatre has an event on every Saturday night. Over the month it hosts five evening performances across three different formats. That makes it the most consistent part of the calendar.
- Open Mic Night, Saturday, Oct. 10, 7 p.m., $10
- Improv Show, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16–17, 8 p.m., $10
- Twisted Tales of Poe, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23–24, 8 p.m., $10
- Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!), opens Friday, Nov. 6, and runs through Saturday, Nov. 21. Most evening shows start at 8 p.m., the Thursday, Nov. 19 show starts at 7:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. matinees are on Nov. 8, 14 and 15. Tickets are $20, or $17 for seniors.
The last Friday and the at-home contests
Acorn KinderHouse hosts Enchanted Halloween on Friday, October 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission is $5 per person, and both children and adults need tickets. The school is at 5300 Maybee Road, inside Sashabaw Presbyterian Church.
The Township's other two Halloween events don't have a location. In its Fall 2026 guide, Independence Township Parks, Recreation & Seniors lists a HOWL-O-WEEN Pet Costume Contest. Owners submit photos of their pets in costume by October 26, the public votes on Facebook, and the winner gets a prize. The free Halloween Pumpkin Carving Contest takes entries by email until midnight on October 31, and winners are announced the first week of November.
Halloween night is the one date without a confirmed plan
As of October 4, the Village of Clarkston's news page has no 2026 trick-or-treat announcement. Independence Township's October calendar shows only Clerk's Office hours on October 31. The Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce calendar shows no events that day, and no downtown Halloween event has been announced.
Past years don't settle the question, because the hours have varied:
- In October 2020, the Clarkston News reported 5–7 p.m. for the Village and 6–7 p.m. for the Township.
- In October 2023, the Clarkston News reported 6–7 p.m. for both.
- A parenting guide published September 28, 2026, recommends 5–7 p.m. and cites Clarkston Village Hall and Township Parks & Rec as its sources.
The Village and the Township have set different hours in at least one past year, so the answer may depend on which side of the boundary your street is on. Village Hall can be reached at 248-625-1559, and Township Parks & Rec at 248-625-8223. Call either office before Halloween week rather than assuming last year's hours still apply.
Fall in Clarkston is also when many of our clients start planning what to do next, and our team handles every step of that work, from schedules and vendors to the paperwork. If spring is on your calendar, Emily Ford and the team can sit down with you after the Depot Theatre's holiday show closes on November 21 and plan a timeline that works around your family's schedule. Schedule your free consultation.
