$ | Weekends, Sept. 18 - Oct. 25 | Times Vary
Step into a world of wizarding fun! Journey through the enchanted forest to Wizards Way where you can purchase fun wizardry items such as hand-crafted wands, special charms to hold spells, and tasty treats of the season. Then board the train at platform 4 1/2 for a ride to remember.
$ | Select Dates Sept. 19 - Oct. 25 | 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Step into a magical world of wizarding fun at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s Spells & Potions Special-Tea. This whimsical high tea experience combines elegant seasonal dining, themed entertainment, and a vintage train ride during the popular Rails, Wizards & Spells fall event.
Perfect for families, friends, and wizard enthusiasts of all ages, this enchanting afternoon includes sweet and savory high tea selections, access to Wizards Way Village, and a themed train ride filled with magical surprises.
$ | Sept. 18 - Oct. 31 | 10:00 AM - 9:30 PM
The gardens take on the enchantment of autumn with all-new, large scale lighted jack-o’-lantern displays setting the stage for a spooky season. Shadows dance across the stones as the gardens slip into a playful halloween glow – spooky, but never scary. It’s as if Rock City’s legendary stone witch, Galoochee, has cast a whimsical spell over the mountaintop, enchanting every corner with thousands of flickering pumpkins, glowing lanterns and autumn magic.
Whether savoring a hot apple cider or strolling across the Swing-A-Long Bridge, Rock City is the perfect place to embrace the crisp air, vibrant colors, and flickering jack-o’-lanterns leading us toward a season of lights.
Experience Rock City’s newest daytime and lighted nighttime event this Halloween season—costumes encouraged!
$ | Oct. 1 - 31 | Times Vary
Things get wonderfully weird around the Tennessee Aquarium during ODDtober – a month-long celebration of strange creatures from around the world and in our own backyard. Learn odd animal facts, see pumpkins flicker with an eerie glow, and find out why some species are not-so-scary after all.
New for 2026: Special spotlights shine on the unique and enigmatic species of Scuttlebutt Reef gallery in Ocean Journey - Lumpsuckers, Moray Eels, and glowing Swellsharks, to name a few. Plus, Aquarium educators engage visitors with seasonally themed programs, and the guest favorite underwater pumpkin carving is back on five ODDtober Saturdays at 2 p.m. in River Journey. Don’t forget to ask for your free ODDtober sticker in the gift shop (while supplies last)!
$ | Select Dates Sept. 6 - Oct. 31 | Times Vary
On this special edition Lantern Tour, hear ghostly tales from Ruby Falls’ 94-year history and eerie Chattanooga legends, and visit the sites of peculiar encounters, as you journey through the cavern lit only by hand-held lanterns.
$ | Thursdays - Sundays, Oct. 1 - 31 | Times Vary
This fright season unleashes three all-new terrifying haunted houses and three horror-themed escape rooms at Chattanooga’s only nationally ranked haunted attraction. Enter the realm where dark deeds in the shadows and gruesome horrors feed an unquenchable yearning for blood at Dread Hollow.
$ | Fridays & Saturdays, Oct 2 - 31 | 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
A night of thrills, chills, and unforgettable fun at Stable 41 in Fort Oglethorpe! Walk through a haunted stable (if you dare), skate under black lights, and ride along for a guided ghost tour of Barnhardt Circle. Every Friday and Saturday Night in October at STABLE 41 ~ 214 First Street ~ Fort Oglethorpe From lost loves to soldiers who never surrendered to death, several spirits make their presence known in what remains of historic Fort Oglethorpe.
$ | Fridays & Saturdays, Oct. 9 - 31 | 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
The most spooktacular event of the year with some of Chattanooga’s most lovable animals! This family-friendly event will occur almost every weekend in October at the Zoo. Join us for merry-not-scary Halloween decorations, a costume contest, trick-or-treat stations, and more!
$ | Oct. 9 & 10 | 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Join us for a family-friendly Halloween Bash! Explore Creative Discovery Museum in your kid-friendly costumes and enjoy Halloween-themed activities, games, a new Spooky Town temporary exhibit, and much more. This family-friendly event will be so much fun, it’s scary!
Free | Oct. 10 | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
In this spine-chilling procession, pets of all shapes and sizes strut their stuff in costumes that range from cute to downright creepy. The park is adorned with eerie decorations as ghostly tunes fill the air, setting the stage for a pet-friendly Halloween extravaganza! From spooky cats to howling hounds, each participant adds their own unique flair to the parade, delighting spectators and pet lovers alike. With prizes for the best-dressed pets and plenty of treats for all, the 2nd annual Spooky Paws Pet Parade promises a ghoulishly good time for everyone involved!
$ | Daily | Times Vary
Step into Chattanooga’s haunted past with Chattanooga Ghost Tours, Inc., where every cobblestone alley, historic theater, and shadowed corner has a story—and maybe more than just echoes of the living. Led by knowledgeable guides with a flair for the eerie and the authentic, their tours blend local legends, chilling history, and shadowy intrigue. Perfect for thrill-seekers and history lovers alike, it’s the ideal way to explore the ghostly side of the Scenic City under moonlight.
FREE | Oct. 28 - 31 | Times Vary
4 Nights of Frights & Fall Delights. Step into a terrifyingly unforgettable Halloween experience at McDonald Farm, where dark folklore, haunted grounds, and harvest horrors awaken after dusk. This spine-chilling, family-friendly event transforms the historic farm into a realm where fear lurks around every corner and the magic of fall takes a sinister turn. Prepare yourself for a full slate of eerie experiences: Haunted Horse Barn, Blackout Maze, Nosferatu Harvest Barn, Spider Pavilion, The Scare Witch Project, T&M Investigations Paranormal Experience, Pumpkin Patch, and Character encounters including the Sanderson Sisters!
Bring the whole family for an afternoon of Halloween fun at our Haunted Grounds Trunk or Treat on Saturday, October 31st from 3 PM - 5 PM!
$ | Daily | 8:00 PM
Join Ghost City Tours and dig deep into Chattanooga’s history some of the most haunted locations in Chattanooga including the Read House Hotel and underground Chattanooga, centuries of curses, hidden supernatural history, and share horror stories that will make your skin crawl!
$ | Every weekend Sept. 25 - Nov. 1 | 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM CST
Our haunted house is not like any other. Set inside a historically registered building known for real paranormal activity, and featured twice on the Travel Channel, this is where history and horror collide.
We spare no expense in crafting a chilling, immersive atmosphere. From fog-filled corridors and flickering lights to scare actors lurking in the shadows, every detail is designed to keep you on edge. Just when you think you’ve caught your breath, we’ll hit you with a surprise that will haunt you long after you leave.
$ | Oct. 10 - 11 | 9:00 AM - 1:00 AM CST
CaveFest returns to The Caverns, for two days of music under the open sky and deep underground in the world-famous cave venue. Enjoy performances from Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Peter Rowan & Sam Grisman Project, Rising Appalachia, Lindsay Lou, and more, plus camping, cave tours, yoga, sound baths, food trucks, and late-night jams. Tickets start at just $99 with car camping included — visit CaveFest.com for details.
$ | Oct. 30 | 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Get ready to make a Spook-tacular Splash at Aquascarium 2026! Come in costume and join us for a family-friendly night of and yummy treats and spooky fun!
Make friends with mermaids, lounge with lemurs, and beware of pirates as you Trick-or-Treat at candy stations throughout both buildings. Don’t miss an unforgettable photo op with some of your favorite characters as they SCUBA dive with hundreds of fish. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please plan ahead as this event sells out each year. Tickets will not be available at the door.
Free | Oct 17 & 18 | Times Vary
The region’s best family-friendly Oktoberfest celebration! Come join our city celebration where the sights, smells, and sounds of German traditions take on a Chattanooga flair. There’s something for everyone at this two day festival featuring live entertainment on two stages, shopping with local artists, and a chicken dance or two!
$ | Oct 18 | 2:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Since 1891, Pleasant Garden Cemetery has been the final resting place of generations of Chattanooga’s African American community—people whose lives helped shape our city. Beneath These Stones: Voices from Pleasant Garden Cemetery brings their stories to life through original poetic monologues and portraits, inviting audiences to remember, rediscover, and hear the voices of those who came before us.
$ | Oct. 24 | 1:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Grab your PAWsport at check-in and enjoy $3 pints at Chattanooga’s best breweries and tap houses while supporting a great cause. The event includes a raffle, costume contest, Halloween scavenger hunt, and the chance to meet adoptable animals from HES along the crawl. With pet-friendly stops and prize packages up for grabs, it’s a festive way to sip, explore, and give back.
Free | Nov 1 | 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Bring your little ghosts and goblins for our annual Trick or Treat and COSTUME PARADE! There are no tricks here, we love seeing your fun and clever costumes, kids and adults! Costume parade at the Sunday Funday Stage at 1:30 pm!
