Athens, Georgia is the greatest Halloween town on earth. You might think I’m biased because I live here, but facts are facts. For the entire month of October, the town goes hard on spooky season. Historic homes transform into handmade haunts, dogs and humans dress up for two respective parades, Halloween art pops up in our favorite bars and galleries, and, of course, we have non-stop horror movie screenings. I sifted through about 10 years of my Athens Halloween pics which were full of good memories as well as some nostalgia and loss. Time flies in Halloweentown!
Flagpole’s Cruise Down Spooky Street
Every year, Flagpole Magazine raises Athens’ spirits with a roundup of the town’s spookiest (and spoopiest) residences. Make sure to pick up their issue the week of Halloween for a map of the haunted houses and yards. Peruse the neighbors’ headless horsemen, giant joro spiders, and fanged front doors, then vote for your favorites. Here are some that have blown me away over the years:
Boo-le-Bark
Boo-le-Bark is Athens’ annual dog parade where dogs big and small wag around the Boulevard neighborhood in the cutest costumes. For the second year in a row, the parade has been held on the same day as Historic Athens’ Porchfest, making it the best Sunday to hang out in the neighborhood. Make sure you stake out your spot early as the parade may kick off ahead of schedule — no one wants to keep the dogs waiting! Here are some very cute pups from past parades:
The Wild Rumpus
Timi Conley started the Wild Rumpus Parade in 2009 and it has since exploded into an annual spectacle where thousands of people take to the streets, dressed as monsters, pop culture icons, and beloved Athens staples. Everyone is welcome to join the parade and the creativity in attendance is off the charts. Bands perform throughout the route and there’s more live music after the parade at the 40 Watt Club’s Southern Gothic Festival and Flicker Bar.
Horror Movies & Art
Athens has stellar horror movie programming throughout the year but it’s dialed up for October. Ciné, the local arthouse cinema, presents Shocktoberfest with screenings of classic horror faves like Ghostbusters (1984), Candyman (1992), and The Shining (1980). For more casual viewing, pop into the side room at Flicker Bar for free screenings of Italian sleaze, exploitation, Japanese cinema and more I won’t name specifically in case some ding-dong tries to fine them. Also at Flicker is the Halloween Art Show, a true highlight of the season. Organized by Dan Smith aka See Dan Paint, this awesome mish-mash of art presents a solid sampler of Athens’ artists and freaks. Here are a couple of my favorite pieces over the years.
Also Worth Checking Out!
There are so many other amazing Halloween events in Athens! We have drag shows, Bear Halloween at Memorial Park, scary story readings for adults (and this year spooky art by Evan Michael Bush) at the Athens’ Public Library, the Jack-o-Lantern Jog at Sandy Creek Park, and candlelight concerts at the Morton. Right outside of Athens there’s Zombie Farms in Winterville, the Elberton County Fair in Elberton, and haunted hayrides at Watson Mill.
The Ghosts of Athens Past
I’m not sure if these’ll happen again but here are a couple treats from past Halloweens. The Ghosties – a band of ghosts performing on Grady with a giant ghost puppet and theremin, and the Haunted Shed – a tricked out walk-thru shed with animatronics and lights. There’s also Haunted Shed the local band. We love Haunted Sheds here. 👻
Happy Halloween, Athens!!