Madison this weekend: James Clemens hosts Huntsville Friday, the library's Treasures and 25-cent book sale Saturday and a church trunk-or-treat Sunday.

The weekend before Halloween in Madison brings Friday night football at James Clemens, a big library book sale Saturday and a church trunk-or-treat Sunday evening.

Last checked Oct. 20, 2026. Every entry links the organizer’s own page. Times are local (Central). Halloween itself is the following Saturday: see our Halloween events page.

Friday, Oct. 23

  • STEAM Storytime, 9:30 a.m., Madison Public Library, 142 Plaza Blvd. A STEAM-themed story time for young children, listed by the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library.
  • James Clemens vs. Huntsville, 7 p.m., James Clemens High School, 11306 County Line Road. The Jets’ last regular-season home game, on the team’s MaxPreps schedule. Bob Jones plays at Gadsden City the same night. Scores and the rest of the schedule are on our Friday night football page.
  • Spellbound, 7 to 11 p.m., Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave. SW, Huntsville, about five miles east. A nighttime Halloween walk for adults 21 and older; photo ID required. Tickets are $17 in advance or $25 on the day, $12 and $15 for members, and last entry is an hour before closing, the garden says.

Saturday, Oct. 24

  • Madison Friends of the Library Treasures and 25-cent Book Sale, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Auditoriums 1 and 2, Madison Public Library, 142 Plaza Blvd. Signed and first-edition books, children’s series, puzzles, games, DVD and CD sets and cookbooks, plus a 25-cent table of fiction, children’s books and discs. Cash or check only; the library bookstore is open too, according to the library’s listing.
  • Spellbound, 7 to 11 p.m., Huntsville Botanical Garden. Same ticket prices as Friday, per the garden.

Sunday, Oct. 25

  • MCCL Sunday Adult Chess Club, 1 p.m., Program Room, Madison Public Library, on the library calendar.
  • Outdoor Worship and Trunk or Treat, 5 to 8 p.m., back parking lot of Madison Church of Christ, 556 Hughes Road. Outdoor worship, inflatables and trunk-or-treating, on the church calendar.
  • Spellbound, 7 to 10 p.m., Huntsville Botanical Garden, the last night before it returns Oct. 28-31, the garden says.

All weekend

  • Tate Farms pumpkin patch, 8414-A Moores Mill Road, Meridianville, open through Oct. 31. Admission is $20 for ages 2 and older, field pumpkins are $8, the last hayride leaves at 7 p.m. and the corn maze closes at 6 p.m., according to Tate Farms. The farm is cashless; daily hours are on its posted calendar. More on our fall festivals and pumpkin patches page.

Regular weekend fixtures

  • Madison City Farmers Market, Saturday mornings at Trinity Baptist Church, 1088 Hughes Road. Sales start at 8 a.m., rain or shine, its FAQ says. The market had not posted its 2026 closing date as of Oct. 20. See our farmers markets page.

Coming up next week

The city’s free Trail of Treats is Thursday, Oct. 22, before this weekend. Next week brings Celebrate Madison at Toyota Field on Thursday, Oct. 29, and Halloween on Saturday, Oct. 31, with the Downtown Fall Festival at Home Place Park in the morning: see things to do this month. Driving to any of these? Check our road construction and closures page and the getting around guide for parking.

Send us your event

Running something in Madison next weekend? Email the date, time, venue, price and a photo to hello@madisonnewstoday.com. Listings are free, and they go on this page and in the site’s events diary.

Frequently asked questions

What is there to do in Madison this weekend?

James Clemens High School hosts Huntsville in football at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23. The Madison Friends of the Library Treasures and 25-cent book sale runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Madison Public Library, and Madison Church of Christ holds an outdoor worship service and trunk-or-treat from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday.

What is free in Madison this weekend?

The trunk-or-treat at Madison Church of Christ, 556 Hughes Road, on Sunday evening; the library’s STEAM storytime Friday morning and the Sunday adult chess club at the Madison Public Library. Entry to the book sale is free; the sale itself is cash or check only.

What do I need to know about the Madison library book sale?

The sale is in Auditoriums 1 and 2 of the Madison Public Library, 142 Plaza Blvd., from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Bring cash or a check, since the Friends of the Library take nothing else. Questions go to madison@hmcpl.org or 256-461-0046.