Georgia Mountains Pack Halloween Week With Trunk or Treats, a Boo Bash and a Haunted Village

Staff Report

Halloween week brings a full slate of spooky fun to the Georgia mountains, with trunk or treats, costume parades and a haunted village on tap across Union and Towns counties from Wednesday through Saturday.

The festivities kick off Wednesday, Oct. 28, in Blairsville, where House of Prayer hosts its Trunk or Treat from 6 to 8 p.m. at the church, 145 Bible Camp Circle. The family-friendly evening features decorated trunks, candy, hayrides, food and festival games.

On Thursday, Oct. 29, North Georgia Technical College holds its annual Tech or Treat from 5 to 7 p.m., free and open to the public. The Blairsville campus event takes place in the Conference Center parking lot, 121 Meeks Avenue, and moves inside the Conference Center in case of bad weather. The college's main campus in Clarkesville hosts its own Tech or Treat the same evening.

Also Thursday, the Pioneer Village at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee transforms into The Haunted Village, a haunted maze open Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 29–31, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. each night. Tickets are $5 in advance or $7 at the gate, and visitors must be 6 or older to enter.

Friday, Oct. 30, brings a pair of free events. The Blairsville Boo Bash takes over Meeks Park from 4 to 7 p.m. with trick-or-treating, costume prizes in several age groups, food trucks and a Best Decorated Booth Contest. In Hiawassee, Halloween at the Fairgrounds runs from 5 to 8 p.m. with free admission, alongside the Haunted Village's second night.

Halloween Day itself, Saturday, Oct. 31, starts early at Vogel State Park, where the park's Fall Festival runs 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The day includes vendors and food trucks at 10 a.m., free hayrides, a cakewalk, campground trick-or-treating from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and ghost stories at 7 p.m. A daily park pass ($10) or annual pass is required.

Downtown Blairsville gets its turn Saturday morning with the Halloween Pet Parade, organized by Safe Pet Project. Costumed pets and their owners meet at 10:30 a.m. in the municipal parking lot behind Keen Creations, and the parade steps off at 11 a.m. around the Blairsville Square, finishing at the Safe Pet Project Thrift Store for costume judging and prizes. The event is free.

Paradise Hills Winery Resort & Spa in Blairsville rounds out the day with its Hallo-Wine Costume Party from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free, with live music, a costume contest and free basic wine tastings for guests in costume. A pumpkin carving station is available for $25.