When fall arrives in Georgia, the Peach State transforms into a spooky paradise filled with haunted attractions, pumpkin patches, and costume parades.
From Atlanta’s vibrant neighborhoods to historic Savannah, Halloween festivals bring communities together for bone-chilling fun and festive celebrations.
These seven annual Halloween events have Georgia locals marking their calendars months in advance, each offering its own unique blend of Southern hospitality and Halloween spirit.
1. Little 5 Points Halloween Festival and Parade
Atlanta’s bohemian district erupts with ghoulish delight each October during this legendary street festival. Thousands line Euclid and Moreland Avenues to witness the spectacular parade featuring elaborate floats, dancing zombies, and jaw-dropping costume creations that locals spend months perfecting.
Food vendors, artisan markets, and live music stages transform the eclectic neighborhood into a Halloween wonderland. The festival’s famous Monster Ball after-party keeps the celebration going long after sunset.
What makes this festival special is its perfect blend of family-friendly daytime activities and edgier nighttime entertainment. Many Atlantans consider this free event the unofficial kickoff to Halloween season, with some parade participants working year-round on their contributions to this beloved Atlanta tradition.
2. Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival
Nestled against the backdrop of Georgia’s famous granite monolith, this family festival transforms Stone Mountain Park into an autumn wonderland. The star attraction? Thousands of intricately carved pumpkins illuminating woodland paths after sunset, creating magical photo opportunities that flood social media feeds statewide.
Kids squeal with delight at the not-too-scary haunted attractions and character meet-and-greets. Pie-eating contests, pumpkin decorating stations, and harvest games keep families entertained throughout the day.
Locals particularly love the festival’s signature ‘Pumpkin Flotilla’ where hundreds of carved pumpkins set sail across the lake in a breathtaking display. The event typically runs weekends throughout October, making it perfect for multiple visits as different themed weekends offer fresh experiences.
3. Netherworld Haunted House Festival
Horror enthusiasts from across the Southeast pilgrimage to this legendary attraction near Stone Mountain. Unlike typical haunted houses, Netherworld has evolved into a full festival experience with multiple haunted attractions, midway games, and monster-themed entertainment that changes themes annually.
Professional-grade special effects, Hollywood-quality makeup, and elaborate set designs have earned Netherworld national recognition. The main haunts feature storylines so detailed that fans analyze them like movie plots.
The waiting areas have become attractions themselves, with roaming monsters providing jump scares before you even enter. Georgia residents proudly boast about this homegrown attraction that regularly ranks among America’s top haunted experiences. True enthusiasts purchase season passes to experience the evolving scares multiple times throughout the Halloween season.
4. Savannah’s Halloween on River Street
America’s most haunted city needs little enhancement to create Halloween ambiance, yet River Street’s cobblestone charm transforms into something truly magical each October. Ghost tours multiply, with lantern-carrying guides recounting Savannah’s macabre history against the backdrop of Spanish moss and historic architecture.
The waterfront promenade fills with costumed revelers of all ages enjoying street performers, psychic readings, and seasonal treats from riverside vendors. Local restaurants and bars embrace the spirit with themed menus featuring drinks like ‘Cemetery Sangria’ and ‘Ghostly Grits.’
What distinguishes this celebration is how seamlessly Halloween merges with Savannah’s everyday haunted reputation. Locals appreciate that this festival maintains an authentic connection to the city’s supernatural heritage rather than relying on commercial gimmicks, making it a genuinely unique Georgia Halloween experience.
5. Rome Shakespeare Festival’s Halloween Masquerade
Literary horror and theatrical tradition collide at this unique Halloween celebration in Rome, Georgia. The festival reimagines Shakespeare’s darkest works through a Halloween lens, with performances of scenes from Macbeth, Hamlet, and other plays featuring supernatural elements staged throughout the historic downtown.
Costumed actors blur the line between performance and reality as they interact with attendees in character. The highlight comes at the masquerade ball where Renaissance-inspired costumes mix with traditional Halloween fare for an elegant evening unlike any other Georgia celebration.
Local theater enthusiasts count down to this festival all year, with many crafting elaborate period costumes months in advance. The event creates a perfect marriage of high culture and Halloween fun that appeals to those seeking something beyond standard haunted houses, making it a cherished tradition in Georgia’s theater community.
6. Lawrenceville Ghost Tours and Fall Festival
History and haunting intertwine perfectly in Lawrenceville’s town square each October. The festival centers around nightly ghost tours where local storytellers lead lantern-lit walks through Georgia’s second-oldest city, sharing tales of documented paranormal encounters in historic buildings that date back to the 1800s.
During daylight hours, the square transforms with harvest-themed decorations, artisan markets, and old-fashioned carnival games. Children delight in the hayrides circling the historic courthouse while parents sample seasonal brews from local craft breweries.
Locals particularly value how this festival balances family activities with genuinely spine-tingling ghost tours that aren’t watered down. The event has grown organically from the city’s year-round ghost tour program, giving it an authenticity that commercial Halloween attractions can’t match. Many Georgia families make annual traditions of visiting this charming celebration of both harvest season and haunted heritage.
7. Sleepy Hollow Experience at Serenbe Playhouse
Tucked away in the forests of Chattahoochee Hills, this immersive theatrical experience reinvents Washington Irving’s classic tale in spectacular fashion. Unlike traditional stage productions, audiences follow the Headless Horseman’s trail through woods and fields as the story unfolds around them in real time.
Professional actors, breathtaking outdoor sets, and strategic lighting transform the natural landscape into the haunted village of Sleepy Hollow. The production cleverly uses Serenbe’s pastoral setting to create genuine suspense, with audience members never quite knowing where the next scene will emerge from the darkness.
Georgia theater lovers reserve tickets months in advance for this limited-run experience that sells out annually. What makes this event special is how it elevates Halloween entertainment beyond jump scares to create something truly artistic and memorable, blending literature, theater, and autumn atmosphere into a quintessentially Georgia Halloween tradition.
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