Eight free city trunk-or-treats and Halloween parties Oct. 22-31, Dread Hollow haunted house, Ruby Falls ghost tours and the Haunted Market on Nov. 1.

Last checked Oct. 20, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. City events come from the Department of Community Development’s October schedule; attraction dates come from each attraction’s own website.

Halloween is Saturday, Oct. 31. The City of Chattanooga’s community centers hold eight free Halloween events between Thursday, Oct. 22, and Halloween night, from trunk-or-treats to a Treat Street and a “Nightmare on Igou Street” party. For teens and adults, Ruby Falls runs the Dread Hollow haunted house and its lantern-lit ghost tours, and Rock City glows with jack-o’-lanterns through Oct. 31. Trick-or-treat hours, Boo in the Zoo and safety tips are on our separate trick-or-treat hours page.

Updated Oct. 20: added Halloween films at The Walker Theatre and the Theatre Centre’s Stage Fright Cabaret on Oct. 30.

What this means for you

  • Free with small kids: the community center trunk-or-treats, Oct. 23, 30 and 31.
  • Scary: Dread Hollow, Thursday to Sunday nights through Oct. 31, plus Blackout Night Nov. 1.
  • Not scary: Rock City’s Enchanted Pumpkin Patch and the TVRM wizard train.
  • The day after: the Haunted Market costume parade, Sunday, Nov. 1.
  • City events: Chattanooga 311, 423-643-6311.

Free city trunk-or-treats and parties

The Department of Community Development calls its October lineup “nearly 20 free events for residents and families.” These are the Halloween and fall events still to come:

Date Event Time Where
Thursday, Oct. 22 South Chatt Annual Community Fall Festival 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. South Chattanooga Center, 1151 W. 40th St.
Friday, Oct. 23 East Lake Trunk or Treat 5 to 7 p.m. East Lake Center, 3610 Dodds Ave.
Wednesday, Oct. 28 First Centenary Fall Festival (petting zoo) 4 to 7 p.m. First Centenary, 419 McCallie Ave.
Thursday, Oct. 29 South Chatt Treat Street 5 to 7:30 p.m. South Chattanooga Center, 1151 W. 40th St.
Friday, Oct. 30 Glenwood Halloween 5 to 7:30 p.m. Glenwood Center, 2610 E. Third St.
Friday, Oct. 30 Shepherd Trunk or Treat 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Shepherd Center, 2124 Shepherd Road
Friday, Oct. 30 Nightmare on Igou Street Party 5 to 8 p.m. Jessie Igou Center, 1312 Moss St.
Saturday, Oct. 31 Hixson’s Third Annual Trunk or Treat 4 to 7 p.m. Hixson Center, 5401 School Drive

More dates are on the city’s community event calendar.

Haunted houses and ghost tours

  • Dread Hollow Haunted House and Escape Rooms, 321 Browns Ferry Road. Open Thursday through Sunday nights, Oct. 1-31, with a Blackout Night on Sunday, Nov. 1. Run by Ruby Falls, about five minutes from the cave, with more than 25,000 square feet of sets and new horror escape rooms this year. The attraction warns of blood, violence and gore and advises parental discretion. It is cashless: cards and mobile pay only. Tickets on DreadHollow.com.
  • Lantern Tour: Ghost Walk Edition, Ruby Falls, 1720 S. Scenic Highway. An after-hours walk to the underground waterfall by hand-held lantern, with ghost stories from the cave’s history. Dates left: Sunday, Oct. 18; Thursday, Oct. 22; Sunday, Oct. 25; and Saturday, Oct. 31. Ages 12 and up only. The walk is about a mile round trip with 50 stairs and lasts up to two hours. Book ahead on the Ruby Falls tour page; Ruby Falls, 423-821-2544.

Not-so-scary fall nights

  • Enchanted Pumpkin Patch, Rock City Gardens, Lookout Mountain, Georgia. Through Saturday, Oct. 31. Four trails with large lighted jack-o’-lantern displays; Rock City calls it “spooky, but never scary.” Rock City events.
  • Rails, Wizards & Spells, Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. A wizard-themed train ride on select dates through Sunday, Oct. 25, alongside the Spells & Potions Special-Tea in the Grand Junction Depot. TVRM seasonal rides.
  • Boo in the Zoo, Chattanooga Zoo. 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 23-24 and Oct. 31. Details are on our trick-or-treat hours page.

Halloween films and shows

  • Bobby Stone Film Series, The Walker Theatre. “Vertigo” Friday, Oct. 23, “Suspiria” Sunday, Oct. 25, and “Psycho” Thursday, Oct. 29, each at 2 and 7 p.m., then Rocky Horror Picture Show Live at 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, according to the Tivoli Theatre Foundation.
  • Stage Fright Cabaret, Friday, Oct. 30, Chattanooga Theatre Centre. Doors 7 p.m., cabaret 7:30 p.m. and a Halloween dance party 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Theatre Centre.

The day after: Haunted Market

Sunday, Nov. 1, from 11 a.m. The Chattanooga Market’s annual costume parade, at First Horizon Pavilion, 1801 Reggie White Blvd. Admission is free. Haunted Market. Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. that morning, so clocks go back an hour.

Pumpkins and fall festivals

Corn mazes, pumpkin patches and the rest of the fall festival calendar are on our fall festivals and pumpkin patches guide.

Related: trick-or-treat hours, things to do this month and Thanksgiving in Chattanooga.

Frequently asked questions

Where are the trunk-or-treats in Chattanooga for Halloween 2026?

The city’s community centers hold free trunk-or-treats at East Lake on Oct. 23, Shepherd on Oct. 30 and Hixson on Halloween, Oct. 31, from 4 to 7 p.m. South Chattanooga has a Treat Street on Oct. 29.

When is Dread Hollow open in 2026?

Dread Hollow, the Ruby Falls haunted house at 321 Browns Ferry Road, is open Thursday through Sunday nights from Oct. 1 to Oct. 31, with a Blackout Night on Sunday, Nov. 1. It is cashless.

Can kids go on the Ruby Falls ghost tour?

No. The Lantern Tour: Ghost Walk Edition is for ages 12 and up. October dates left are Oct. 18, 22, 25 and 31.

Is Rock City decorated for Halloween?

Yes. Rock City’s Enchanted Pumpkin Patch, with lighted jack-o’-lantern displays on four trails, runs through Oct. 31. Rock City calls it spooky but never scary.

When is the Haunted Market costume parade?

Sunday, Nov. 1, from 11 a.m. at the Chattanooga Market, First Horizon Pavilion, 1801 Reggie White Blvd. Admission is free.