October brings Halloween, autumn colors, Oktoberfest, baseball history and bright night skies. Try these 56 October trivia questions and answers in four short rounds with friends, family or a classroom group.
For another month, browse our January–December trivia guide.
The rounds cover October dates, fall traditions, spooky films and seasonal facts. Some celebrations, such as Día de Muertos, continue into early November. Answers appear immediately after each question, and links point to sources for corrected or dated facts.
October dates, events and sports
- Q: What name is given to the October 29, 1929 stock-market crash?
A: Black Tuesday federalreservehistory.org - Q: In which year was the first Oktoberfest held in Munich, Germany?
A: 1810 Oktoberfest - Q: What major event took place in October 1962?
A: The Cuban Missile Crisis - Q: Which U.S. president was born on October 27, 1858?
A: Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Center - Q: When did the Boston Red Sox win their first World Series title in 86 years?
A: October 27, 2004 - Q: Which two NFL teams each reached six Super Bowl wins?
A: Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots NFL - Q: Which MLB team made a historic comeback in the 2004 ALCS, starting in October?
A: Boston Red Sox - Q: Which Peanuts Halloween special first aired on October 27, 1966?
A: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown Schulz Museum - Q: Which Austin, Texas music festival takes place over two October weekends?
A: Austin City Limits Music Festival ACL Festival - Q: What New York City Halloween parade grew from Ralph Lee’s 1973 neighborhood walk?
A: The Village Halloween Parade Village Halloween Parade - Q: At which Virginia battle did Cornwallis surrender on October 19, 1781?
A: The Siege of Yorktown NPS - Q: Which former U.S. president survived an assassination attempt on October 14, 1912?
A: Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Center - Q: Which British singer-songwriter was born on October 9, 1940?
A: John Lennon The Beatles - Q: Which American actor was born on October 24, 1947?
A: Kevin Kline imdb.com - Q: Which American politician was born on October 26, 1947?
A: Hillary Clinton Clinton Library - Q: Which German city hosts Oktoberfest, a festival that now begins in September and ends in early October?
A: Munich Oktoberfest - Q: What was the name of the first human-made satellite launched in October 1957?
A: Sputnik 1 NASA
Autumn nature, sky and food
- Q: Name one October birthstone.
A: Opal GIA - Q: Which other gemstone, besides opal, is an October birthstone?
A: Tourmaline GIA - Q: What fruit is traditionally harvested in October and used in pies?
A: Apples - Q: Which fruit is traditionally used in October for cider-making?
A: Apples - Q: What’s the classic October dessert made with apples and cinnamon?
A: Apple pie - Q: Name one October birth flower.
A: Marigold (cosmos is another). Old Farmer’s Almanac - Q: Which two Western zodiac signs cover most October birthdays?
A: Libra and Scorpio - Q: Which Atlantic areas have a secondary hurricane activity peak around mid-October?
A: The Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico NOAA - Q: What traditional term describes a spell of unusually warm autumn weather?
A: Indian summer - Q: What ingredient is frequently used to make October apple pies?
A: Cinnamon - Q: Which kind of nuts are often harvested in October?
A: Walnuts and chestnuts - Q: Which type of meteor shower peaks in October each year?
A: The Orionid meteor shower NASA
Halloween history and traditions
- Q: In the 2025 NRF Halloween survey, which costume ranked first among U.S. adults?
A: Witch NRF - Q: Which phrase was shortened to the word Halloween?
A: All Hallows’ Eve Library of Congress - Q: Which country is especially associated with the Celtic roots of Halloween?
A: Ireland Library of Congress - Q: What does the word "jack-o'-lantern" refer to?
A: A carved pumpkin with a light inside, often associated with Halloween. - Q: Which city is known as the "Halloween Capital of the World"?
A: Anoka, Minnesota Anoka Halloween - Q: In the 2025 NRF survey, what was the top planned Halloween costume for pets?
A: Pumpkin NRF - Q: Which country is especially associated with Día de Muertos on November 1 and 2?
A: Mexico INAH - Q: What is the traditional color of Halloween?
A: Orange and black - Q: What seasonal transition did the Celtic festival of Samhain mark?
A: The end of the harvest and the approach of winter Library of Congress - Q: Which ancient people celebrated the festival of Samhain?
A: The Celts Library of Congress - Q: What were jack-o'-lanterns originally made out of?
A: Turnips Library of Congress - Q: What vegetable is commonly carved into a jack-o'-lantern for Halloween?
A: Pumpkin - Q: What is the name of the classic Halloween candy featuring chocolate and caramel?
A: Milky Way - Q: Which three-colored candy is strongly associated with Halloween?
A: Candy corn
Spooky stories, films and songs
- Q: Who is credited with writing the short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"?
A: Washington Irving - Q: Who created the character of Dracula?
A: Bram Stoker - Q: Who is the Pumpkin King in The Nightmare Before Christmas?
A: Jack Skellington Disney - Q: What classic horror movie was released in 1978 featuring Michael Myers?
A: Halloween - Q: Which 1980 Stanley Kubrick horror film takes place at the Overlook Hotel?
A: The Shining Stephen King - Q: Which Halloween-themed song was performed by Bobby "Boris" Pickett?
A: "Monster Mash" - Q: Which famous witch character is associated with "The Wizard of Oz"?
A: Glinda, the Good Witch - Q: Who wrote the poem "The Raven," which is often recited on Halloween?
A: Edgar Allan Poe - Q: What are the names of the three Sanderson sisters in Hocus Pocus?
A: Winifred, Sarah, and Mary - Q: Which iconic monster is known for having bolts in his neck?
A: Frankenstein’s Monster - Q: Who is the fictional serial killer who appears on Halloween night in the film Halloween?
A: Michael Myers - Q: Which 1984 comedy film featured Ray Parker Jr.’s theme song Ghostbusters?
A: Ghostbusters Sony Pictures - Q: What is the name of the scary film that came out in October 2018, directed by David Gordon Green?
A: Halloween (2018)
For another round, browse more general trivia.
Ellie Simons creates and edits Random Trivia. She researches trivia using primary and authoritative sources whenever possible and is currently reviewing the site's older trivia library for accuracy, clarity, and playability. Read more on the About page.
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