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    Odessa and Midland local guide: Oct 18 to Nov 8, 2026

    Odessa and Midland events, Oct 18 to Nov 8, 2026: Halloween events, Dia de los Muertos, Jackalopes hockey, a hiring event and the Veterans Parade.

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    An RV site at the park in Goldsmith.

    This guide covers Sunday, October 18 through Sunday, November 8, 2026, for people living and working around Odessa, Midland and Goldsmith. Halloween events fill the next two weekends, early voting for the November 3 election starts Monday, and downtown Odessa holds its Dia de los Muertos festival and parade on October 24. There is also a hiring event for oilfield and trades workers this Thursday. We picked the events that fit a work schedule or a family weekend, and every item links to the official or organizer page so you can check details before you go.

    Here at the park in Goldsmith, about 25 minutes from Odessa, a lot of our neighbors are settled in for the season and looking for something to do on their days off. If you are still weighing where to stay for a longer job, our guide to long-term RV parks near Odessa covers what to look for.

    Oil and gas hiring event on October 22

    If you are between jobs or looking for a better one, block out Thursday morning, October 22. Permian Basin Hiring Events is bringing several employers to Building D at the Ector County Coliseum from 9 AM to noon. The listing covers oil and gas, transportation, mining, construction, manufacturing and skilled labor, and says some companies may offer things like rotational shifts, per diem or housing. You can register at the door. Bring a printed résumé and a pen. A morning slot like this is easy to fit around a night shift, and the Coliseum is an easy drive into Odessa from the park.

    Halloween for the kids

    Families have plenty of choices in the two weeks before Halloween. Midland Community Theatre's Pickwick Players host a trunk-or-treat on Tuesday evening, October 20. That Friday, Midland has Halloweenfest at Hogan Park, and on Saturday morning the Midland Fire Department opens the Central Fire Station for Truck or Treat. In Odessa, the big day is Friday, October 30. Odessa Fire Rescue hosts Truck-or-Treat in the morning and the Odessa Police Department hosts Trunk-or-Treat in the afternoon, so families can make a day of both. The full list with times is below.

    Midland's Veterans Parade and Celebration

    Saturday, November 7 is the biggest day at the end of this stretch. The City of Midland's second annual Veterans Parade starts with a flyover at 1 PM and runs until 3 PM along "A" Street between Elk Street and Illinois Avenue. From 4 to 7 PM the celebration moves to Centennial Park with a kids area, food trucks and resources for veterans, and the Eli Young Band plays at 7 PM after fireworks. Midland is a longer drive from Goldsmith than the Odessa events, so plan on making a full afternoon of it.

    What's happening

    Sunday, October 18 to Saturday, October 24

    • Odessa Card and Collectibles Show, Sunday, October 18, 10 AM to 4 PM, Ector County Coliseum Building G, Odessa. The show has sports cards, Pokémon and comics, so it is a good stop if your kids trade cards.
    • Boss Moms Harvest and Hustle Market, Sunday, October 18, 10 AM to 5 PM, Ector County Coliseum Building E, Odessa. Local vendors and small businesses sell in Building E the same day as the card show, so you can do both in one trip.
    • Fiddlesticks Farms fall festival, Saturdays 10 AM to 9 PM and Sundays 1 to 6 PM through October, then Saturdays only, 1 to 6 PM, in November, Midland. Fall attractions for a weekend day off.
    • Trunk-or-Treat with MCT's Pickwick Players, Tuesday, October 20, 5 to 8 PM, Midland Community Theatre, 2000 W. Wadley, Midland. It falls on a weeknight, which helps if your weekends are taken up by work.
    • Art Tales at the Ellen Noël Art Museum, Wednesday, October 21, 10 to 10:30 AM, 4909 E. University, Odessa. The museum reads an illustrated story and leads an art activity for preschoolers ages 3 to 5 and their grown-ups.
    • Oil and Gas Hiring Event, Thursday, October 22, 9 AM to noon, Ector County Coliseum Building D, Odessa. See the section above.
    • That Arena Rock Show, Thursday, October 22, 7:30 PM, Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center, Midland. A tribute band plays classic rock from the 70s and 80s, which makes for a night out after the work week.
    • Friday Night Flicks, Friday, October 23, 5:30 PM, Peggy Lee Park, Odessa. An outdoor family movie, and the city suggests getting there an hour early for yard games.
    • Halloweenfest, Friday, October 23, 6 to 8 PM, Hogan Park, Midland. Midland police and the city parks department put on games and candy, and costumes are encouraged.
    • Odessa High vs. San Angelo Central football, Friday, October 23, 7 PM, Ratliff Stadium, Odessa. Expect game traffic on the way into town.
    • Permian at Midland High football, Friday, October 23, 7 PM, Astound Broadband Stadium, Midland.
    • Odessa Jackalopes vs. Oklahoma Warriors, Friday, October 23 at 7:15 PM and Saturday, October 24 at 6 PM, Ector County Coliseum, Odessa. There are two home games, so you can pick the night that fits your shift.
    • MFD's Truck or Treat, Saturday, October 24, 10 AM to 2 PM, Central Fire Station, 1500 W. Wall St., Midland. Kids can see real fire trucks up close and meet the crews.
    • Lynxx at Music City Mall, Saturday, October 24, 2 PM, Music City Mall, Odessa. Lynxx performs his tribute to MJ on the carousel stage, and it is easy to fit into a shopping trip.
    • Odessa Dia de los Muertos Parade and Festival, Saturday, October 24, 4 to 10 PM, Texas Avenue between 2nd and 7th streets, downtown Odessa. The parade starts at 7 PM, so get downtown early if you want a spot along the route.
    • West Texas Symphony: Haunting Halloween Harmonies, Saturday, October 24, 7:30 PM, Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center, Midland. The orchestra plays Halloween music, and costumes are welcome.

    Sunday, October 25 to Saturday, October 31

    Sunday, November 1 to Sunday, November 8

    • Election Day, Tuesday, November 3. See the voting section below.
    • Child Passenger Safety Event, Thursday, November 5, 9 to 11 AM, Odessa Municipal Court. Worth a look for parents of young kids, especially if you are new to the area.
    • Merry Marketplace, November 5 to 8, Ector County Coliseum, Odessa. The Junior League of Odessa's holiday market. Kids, strollers and wagons are welcome during general shopping: Friday 1 to 7 PM, Saturday 9 AM to 6 PM and Sunday noon to 5 PM. The Sunday hours help if you work Saturdays.
    • Permian vs. San Angelo Central football, Friday, November 6, 7 PM, Ratliff Stadium, Odessa.
    • Basin Action Day, Saturday, November 7, 8 to 10 AM, Odessa. An early slot that still leaves the afternoon open for Midland.
    • Midland Veterans Parade and Celebration, Saturday, November 7, from 1 PM, "A" Street and Centennial Park, Midland.

    Voting on November 3

    Early voting starts Monday, October 19 and runs through Friday, October 30. At the main early voting site, the Ector County Courthouse Annex, Room 104, 1010 E. 8th St. in Odessa, hours are 8 AM to 5 PM October 19 to 23, 7 AM to 7 PM on Saturday, October 24, noon to 6 PM on Sunday, October 25, and 7 AM to 7 PM October 26 to 30. Branch sites have their own hours (early voting schedule). Sample ballots and the full election notice are on the Ector County Elections page. For questions, the county elections office is at (432) 498-4030.

    Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, and polls are open 7 AM to 7 PM. In Ector County you can vote at any vote center that day, and the closest one to the park is the Goldsmith Community Building at 301 Ave. H in Goldsmith (Election Day vote centers).

    Good to know

    • Clocks fall back one hour at 2 AM on Sunday, November 1, when daylight saving time ends (NIST). Double check your alarm if you work that morning.
    • Freeze season is close. NWS Midland records from 1930 to 2025 put the average first freeze on November 11, and the earliest came on October 19, 1989 (NWS Midland freeze data). If you live in an RV, now is the time to protect your water lines.
    • For families planning ahead, Ector County ISD's Thanksgiving break is Monday, November 23 through Friday, November 27 (ECISD 2026 to 2027 calendar).

    We will post a new guide next week. If you are moving here for work, our workforce housing page explains how staying with us works, and families can start with our families page. Or call us at (432) 895-4001. Goldsmith RV Park & Housing is at 532 South Hendrickson St, Goldsmith, TX 79741.

    Sources

    All sources were opened and checked on October 17, 2026.

    Goldsmith RV Park & Housing

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