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13 Things to do in McMinn County during Spooky Season!
Festivals
Etowah Fall Festival Experience the harvest season on the Historic L&N Depot Lawn. Tons of vendors, incredible food, games, and wonderful live entertainment will keep you entertained all day! Event is held on Saturday, October 5, in Etowah, Tennessee.
Fried Green Tomato Festival Niota's annual Fried Green Tomato Festival brings a 5K race, food trucks, craft and baked good vendors, family fun games and live music to the City of Niota, Tennessee. Fried Green Tomato Festival Bingo night will be held on Friday, October 11, 2024.
Pumpkintown Festival The 21st Annual Pumpkintown Festival will take place on Saturday, October 12, in Historic Downtown Athens, Tennessee. The festival features over 200 vendors, food, shopping, doggie costume contest, powwow, and tons of activities and entertainment all day!
Special Events
Murders on Main Stroll through Downtown Etowah, Tennessee and discover murders that occurred in this quaint community more than 50 years ago. Stories are from local historian Durant Tullock and performed by the Gem Players. Event dates are October 17-19, 2024 and recommended to purchase tickets ahead of time!
Trick or Treating in the Wetlands Bring the family to the E. G. Fisher Public Library's Wetlands for an evening of trick or treating and activities with local businesses. Event will be held rain or shine on October 24, 2024.
Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Athens Movie Palace Movie will be showing and prop bags are available for purchase! This event is on October 24, 2024, and tickets can be purchased online at the Athens Movie Palace website.
Monster Mashup Guys, girls, ghosts, and gremlins are welcome to join in for a night of karaoke, costume contests, and more all to benefit the Athens Area Council for the Arts + The Arts Center. Moster Mashup will have something for everyghost: karaoke, dancing, costume contests, life size party games, a selfie station, and surprise entertainment. Halloween-themed tasty treats and a cash bar will be available. Costume contest prizes will be awarded in three categories: individual, couple, and family. Prizes ranges from drink tickets to Arts Center concert tickets. This unique event takes place on October 26, 2024 and is recommended to purchase tickets ahead of time through the Arts Center.
Dining with the Dead Attendees will learn about local Civil and Revolutionary war figures who they have may not heard about in the textbooks but were buried right here in the cemetery where the event takes place. Local actors recreate their big battles and tales in such an entertaining way, you may feel like you were back in time. Limited tickets are available and this event sells out quickly, all tickets must be purchased in advance. The event takes place in Englewood, Tennessee on October 26, 2024.
Downtown Ghost Walk Spooky season is in full force in Historic Downtown Athens. October 27-31, Main Street Athens hosts the shadows of history coming alive through tales of legend and lore. Join us as we walk through the streets of Athens, uncovering stories of untimely deaths and mysterious happenings that have lingered for generations. From haunted buildings to mysterious encounters, each stop along the way reveals a hidden side of Athens' past. Limited number of spaces are available each night for the full experience and tickets are recommended ahead of time.
Boo & View The Boo & View is a special movie event hosted by the Athens Movie Palace. Enjoy trick or treating with local businesses on your way into the theater for a viewing of a specially picked Halloween themed movie. This event is on October 29, 2024 at 6:00 pm…. and it's FREE!
All Month Long
The Scream Chamber This year The Scream Chamber takes fear to a whole new level. On the outskirts of Athens, Tennessee, there's a place so haunted the locals won't go. After 200 years of death and murder within its walls, it is now guarded by the bodiless spirits that protect the chamber of the dead. If you're ready to come face-to-face with your deepest, darkest fears, they'll be waiting for you.
Fall Foliage Train Ride The Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association and the Tennessee Valley Rail Road host train excursions running along the Hiwassee River over the famous Hiwassee Rail Loop. Stop mid-day for lunch and shopping in Copperhill, Tennessee and McCaysville, Georgia. The beautiful fall foliage and breathtaking views of the Hiwassee River should be at the top of your “fall bucket list.” Snacks and souvenirs area also available for purchase on the train.
Guthrie Pumpkin Farm & Corn Maze Celebrate 25 years of a family-owned farm by attending the Guthrie Pumpkin Farm and Corn Maze this season. The farm tour offers tons of activities and toys for the kids to play on including rubber duck races, hayrides, pumpkin patch, and a corn maze. Bonus, the farm just celebrated the birth of two donkeys!
Mayfield Farm Park Who doesn't want to go to a pumpkin patch in the fall? The Mayfield Farm Park will keep you and your kiddos entertained and active all day long! Pumpkin patch, flower patch, corn maze, zip lines, hog races, goats, super slides, bouncers, and TONS more. Purchase pumpkins, flowers, and gift items along with concessions right from the farm.
McMinn County Living Heritage Museum Quilt Show Enjoy the best quilt show in East Tennessee for the entire month of October. Take a tour through the museum and you will find over 100 quilts from regional quilters. We take great pride in our textile heritage in McMinn County and in addition to the McMinn County Living Heritage Museums Annual Quilt Show, the Arts Center also will have a Gospel Quilts II Exhibit by local artist Karen Malone beginning October 28, 2024. In addition to these beautiful displays, all year round throughout Historic Downtown Athens you will find the Patterns of the Past Quilt Tour, where local artists recreated quilt patterns and are on public display.
Scary Sundays at the Athens Movie Palace Watch thrilling movies every Sunday in October. Each week a different movie will be featured!
Spooky season wouldn't be the same without candy. Here's a list of the local trick or treating organized city events or follow Halloween in Athens, TN's Facebook Page.
Niota hosts Trunk or Treat/National Day Out on October 27, 2024.
Athens Parks and Recreation hosts a Costume Contest at Market Park. (October 31)
Calhoun (October 31)
Englewood hosts a Halloween Block Party (October 31)
Etowah hosts Candy Junction. (October 31)
