If you’re stuck wondering, “What should I be for Halloween this year,” fear not!
We’ve come up with the ultimate guide to the most clever, topical, and delightfully ridiculous Columbus-themed costumes that you simply won’t find anywhere else.
Whether you’re aiming for witty, weird, or downright hilarious, these ideas will definitely get you noticed.
Without any further ado, let’s dive into the spooky and hyper specific fun!
Couples Costume Idea: A Car Crashing into a Local Small Business
It seems like every week, some unfortunate small business in Central Ohio gets a surprise drive-thru window… and not the good kind. Whether it’s a drunk driver crashing into Char Bar or someone seating themselves and their vehicle inside a Bob Evans, this hot topic has been the talk of the town. To pull off this costume, have one person dress as a Bob Evans employee and the other as a car. Bonus points if you lightly argue with each other throughout the night (maybe about parking or breakfast combos). It’s funny, it’s timely, and it’ll definitely get some laughs.
*But you can only dress up this way if you promise to frequent these poor small businesses who have been affected by Columbus’s terrible drivers once they reopen. If you’d like to help support Char Bar’s employees while they rebuild the structure, you can donate to their GoFundMe here.*
The Ol’ Reliable: A Traffic Cone
Look, Ohio and construction go together like peanut butter and jelly. From the eternal roadwork on the 70 to 315 interchange to the seemingly permanent construction on Ohio State’s campus, there’s no escaping the orange and white cones. Why not embrace the chaos and become one? Just throw on some orange, maybe LEGALLY snag a real traffic cone, and boom… you’re a staple of Columbus life. You’ll also get some major respect from anyone who’s been stuck in traffic for what feels like a lifetime.
A Stolen Kia
It’s niche but oh-so-relevant. If you’ve heard about the “Kia Boys,” then you know that owning a Kia or Hyundai in this city is the best way to cure your low blood pressure. Thanks to the brilliant minds over at Kia and Hyundai, all you need to steal one of these vehicles is a handy dandy flashdrive. Talk about ingenuity!
To nail this costume, all you need is an all-black outfit, a shirt that says “Kia,” and a flash drive. Walk around looking sneaky, maybe even post a few “Missing Car” flyers for the full effect. It’s a sad reality, but you’ll be the cleverest costume at the party.
A Dirt Bike Doing a Wheelie Down High Street
This costume can either be a stand alone costume, or if you want to be accurate, you can grab 15 to 30 of your closest annoyingly loud friends and go as a group, vroom-ing and honking your costumes all over town. Just throw on some bike helmets and walk around pretending to pop wheelies all night. One of you can even be a frustrated Columbus police officer, shaking their head in defeat. It’s accurate, it’s chaotic, and let’s be honest… it’s hilarious (though we might be biased since it was our idea after all).
Wendy from Wendy’s (With a Twist!)
This classic gets a 2024 remix thanks to the Wendy’s x SpongeBob collaboration! You can go solo as the Columbus redheaded queen herself or team up with friends to create a whole SpongeBob SquarePants crew. Imagine Wendy, Mr. Krabs, and Plankton all at the same Halloween party. Have Wendy hold the Krabby Patty secret formula while Plankton tries to steal it, and Mr. Krabs fends him off. Talk about staying true to the SpongeBob lore!
Closing Arguments
These Columbus-themed Halloween costume ideas are perfect if you want to stand out this year. Whether you’re dressing up solo or with friends, each one captures a unique part of our city’s weird and wonderful (but mostly weird) charm. Now all you have to do is decide which idea will win you the costume contest!
And remember: don’t forget to have fun, stay spooky, and maybe leave the traffic cones where you found them.
