Halloween season is upon us, and with it come tons of fun events around the Scenic City. Grab your costume and get ready for the fun!
Chattanooga Area Halloween Events
Boo in the Zoo – One of Chattanooga’s most popular annual Halloween events is the Chattanooga Zoo’s Boo in the Zoo. Running the last three weekends of October, this event is fun for the entire family. You can find the zoo filled with merry-not-scary decorations, trick-or-treat stations, scavenger hunt, costume contests, and more! Hours for this weekend event are 4pm – 8pm, with timed entry tickets available online only!
ODDtober – Running the entire month of October, this fun event at the Tennessee Aquarium is fun and educational for all ages. When visiting in October, guests can celebrate and discover the weird and wonderful side of nature as they set out on a scavenger hunt to identify some of the Aquarium’s strangest inhabitants.
Dread Hollow – Rated one of the best haunted houses in Tennessee, this spooky spot can be found in Lookout Valley and is run by Ruby Falls. If you have a brave teenager or two looking for some fun, this may be their place. Due to its nature, it is NOT recommended for young children.
Monster Bash – Join Creative Discovery Museum for this family-friendly Halloween bash! Explore the museum in your kid-friendly costumes (we especially love a costume theme that includes the whole family) and enjoy monster-themed activities and games. Admission includes access to all the Museum’s exhibits and all activities and take-aways. It’ll be so much fun, it’s scary! This members only event is being held on October 20th and 21st.
Rock City Fall Colors – There is nothing like Autumn at Rock City Gardens, and this year, we will mark the season with new sights, sounds, and tastes that celebrate the colors, the crispness, and the delicious nothing-else-like-it feeling of Fall.
The Haunted Market – Bring your little ghosts and goblins for our annual Trick or Treat and costume parade! There’s no tricks here, we love seeing your fun and clever costumes—kids and adults! Costume parade at the Lodge Cast Iron Sizzle stage at 1:30pm!
CarnEVIL – Join us for a spine-chilling evening at Drink and Discover: CarnEvil on Friday, October 25! This 21+ event transforms Creative Discovery Museum into a spooky carnival where the thrills are endless. Test your aim with Plinko, ring toss, and axe throwing, or navigate the eerie mirror maze. Enjoy delicious food from Big Chicken and drinks from Wanderlinger while being entertained by tarot card readings and live performances from the Chattanooga Fire Cabaret. Caricatures from Hartsy Fartsy are available for purchase.
Chattanooga Oktoberfest -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! The festival includes an array of German traditions: Brats and other German-inspired foods, a biergarten featuring dozens of varieties of local and seasonal craft brews, and an Oompah Band. Don’t miss our annual Mr. & Ms. Chattanooga Oktoberfest®Contest at the front stage Saturday evening. Contest open to all ages — just show up dressed in your lederhosen or dirndl! Chattanooga Oktoberfest® is an annual must-attend festival for locals and tourists alike, come enjoy this FREE event. German attire highly recommended!
Ruby Falls Lantern Ghost Walk – Get in the Halloween spirit with a special edition Lantern Tour featuring ghost stories from the 94-year history of Ruby Falls and eerie Chattanooga legends. On your way to the waterfall, hear the tales and visit the sites of peculiar encounters, mischievous mayhem, and tragedy while exploring the cavern by the light of handheld lanterns. This tour is not appropriate for children under the age of 12.
Halloween Eerie Express Train Ride – This family-friendly trip will get your fall started off right. Something different for families to enjoy together! Designed for families with younger children, it is NOT a haunted house and you will not be scared by anyone jumping out from behind a wall! The entire family will enjoy the evening with a train ride, storytelling, indoor blacklight mini golf, temporary tattoos, cider, and a walk through the Fun House with each room themed a little differently with special lighting, interesting decorations, and many surprises! All children holding a Halloween Eerie Express ticket can pick out a mini pumpkin and a goody bag, too.
Witch and Warlock Paddle – Come out for a spooktacular paddle adventure on October 21st with River City Company and Outshine Adventures! Gather your coven and call all of your witch, warlock, and wizard friends for a ghoulish good time paddling down the Tennessee River.
NoogaLights Halloween: Experience the Choo Choo gardens like never before! For the first time ever, we’re putting on a Halloween walk-thru lighting event in October, followed by a Christmas theme in November and December.
Rails, Wizards, and Spells: Step into a world of wizarding fun! Brand new for 2024, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is bringing to life our first “Rails, Wizards and Spells” train experience. Your ticket includes entrance through the enchanted forest to Wizards Way, where you can purchase fun wizardry items such as handcrafted wands, special charms to hold spells, and tasty seasonal treats. Then, board the train at platform 4 1/2 for a ride to remember. Once you arrive at Chamberlain Crossing Station, you can deboard the train and enjoy more items available for purchase, along with a demonstration turning the engine for the return trip to Grand Junction.
Hocus Pocus Fall Market: Join us for the exciting Hocus Pocus Fall Market indoors at Camp Jordan Arena!! Shop over 140 vendors, food, inflatables, FREE pictures with the Sanderson Sisters, and don’t forget the kids – They can trick-or-treat with each vendor!! Costumes welcome! Saturday, October 12th 10am – 5pm / Sunday, October 13th 10am – 4pm EST – Admission $5, kids 10 and under FREE! Camp Jordan Arena – 323 Camp Jordan Pkwy. East Ridge, TN
Frights and Pints: Enjoy your favorite beer and wine as you tour the Zoo in your Halloween costume, enjoy wild decorations, and hit the dance floor. Plus, grab VIP tickets for an open bar, specialty cocktail, up-close animal experiences and more!
Aquascarium: Come in costume and celebrate a family-friendly night of spooky critters and yummy treats. 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.
