Archived Arts & Entertainment

Carolina Chills

art frAs the leaves change and the air becomes crisp, the mountains of Western North Carolina transform into a landscape of mystery and mischief. In the spirit of ghouls, ghosts and everything creepy and crawling, communities around Southern Appalachia will celebrate Halloween with an array of local and regional events, for kids and parents alike.

Spookmoot at Folkmoot

A celebration of all things Halloween will be held Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in the Hazelwood community of Waynesville.

• Friday, Oct. 30 — Kid’s Carnival from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Come in costume. $5 per person, free for children age two years and under. This is a family festival and includes games, a haunted hallway, baked Halloween treats, a photo booth, classic Halloween films and pizza and hotdogs for purchase. Preview pumpkin catapults at this event. Spookmoot is promised not to be too gruesome or scary and is sponsored by Haywood Regional Medical Center.

• Saturday, Oct. 31 — Halloween Fling & Costume Party from 8 p.m. to midnight. $50 per person (age 18 and over). With Waynesville’s Halloween Folklore at heart, the Friendship Center will be transformed into a spooky forest party. Partygoers will traverse the haunted hall to enter the event and will enjoy delicious and fun foods, special Halloween beverages, a photo booth, costume party, and a dance party featuring DJ Music Explosion Sound. This event is sponsored by the Mountaineer and a graveyard full of local sponsors.

• Sunday, Nov. 1 — Catapults with Catamounts punkin’ chunkin’ competition from 1 to 4 p.m. Located on Main Street at Miller Street in Downtown Waynesville, this event is a spectacle brought to you by the handi-work of Western Carolina University’s Construction Management Department. Catapult events are sponsored by the Downtown Waynesville Association, LN Davis Insurance and Beverly Hanks & Associates. Prizes will be awarded for the most effective catapult designs, to be judged by Mayor Gavin Brown, N.C. General Assembly Representative Joe Sam Queen.

Tickets are limited and can be purchased by calling 828.452.2997 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

 

Bethel

• The Cold Mountain Corn Maze is now open in Bethel. Hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. All inclusive ticket is $10 for ages 4 and older, ages 3 and younger free. Hayrides, bonfires, snacks, and more. 828.648.8575

 

Bryson City

• The “Witch’s Brew” Halloween release party will be at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at Nantahala Brewing Company. Live music by Plankeye Peggy. www.nantahalabrewing.com. 

• “Downtown Trick or Treat” will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. With the streets closed, children can go trick or treating around to downtown merchants. There will also be a costume contest, with the winner receiving a gift certificate to Soda Pops. Free. 800.867.9246 or www.greatsmokies.com. 

• Spooky Storytelling will be at 8 p.m. Oct. 29-31 at the Storytelling Center in Bryson City. Tales of the spirits, “Haints, Boogers and Witches of the Southern Highlands,” spun by storyteller Tim Hall. Free. www.greatsmokies.com. 

• The Peanuts Pumpkin Patch Express will depart at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 30, and noon and 3:30 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad train depot in Bryson City. Peanuts characters in costume, children’s activities, and more. For more information and ticket rates, call 800.872.4681 or www.gsmr.com.

• A Masquerade Dinner Train will hit the tracks at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad depot in downtown. 800.872.4681 or www.gsmr.com. 

 

Canton

• Pinhead’s Graveyard will run from dark until 10 p.m. Thursday and from dark until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Known as “Western North Carolina’s Premier Outdoor Haunted House,” the graveyard showcased an array of classic horror characters, and more. Located on U.S. 19-23 between Canton and Candler. Cash only. www.pinheadsgraveyard.com or 828.670.8228. 

• The Whovian Halloween Party will be at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, at the Canton Public Library. For kids and teens age 12-18. A Doctor Who-themed Halloween event, with costume contest, snacks and special spooky movie screening. 828.648.2924.

 

Cashiers

• Goblins in the Green will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at The Village Green in Cashiers. Costume contest, trick or treating, spooky inflatables, hayrides, and more. Free. 828.743.3434 or www.villagegreencashiersnc.com. 

 

Cullowhee

• The Pumpkin Patch will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at the Jackson County Recreation Park. 828.293.3053. 

• The Western Carolina University Student Physical Therapy Association will host the second annual Zombie Run 5-K Chase Race at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, near the WCU softball stadium. Each runner will receive flags to wear during the race that zombies along the course will try to steal. Runners who make it to the finish line with at least one flag will be considered “Zombie Apocalypse Survivors.” Registration is $20 before the race and $25 on race day. Packet pickup and race day registration will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 31. Registration is available online by visiting www.active.com and searching for “Zombie Run 5K Chase Race.”

 

Dillsboro

• “Trick or Treat in Dillsboro” will run from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, in downtown. Children can trick or treat around downtown, with games at Dogwood Crafters and hayrides provided by Jarrett Memorial Church. Free. www.visitdillsboro.org. 

 

Fontana 

• The “Hauntober Weekend & Haunted Trail” will be Oct. 30-31 at Fontana Village Resort. The celebration features a variety of activities, crafts, ghost tours, hayrides, campfires and live entertainment. www.fontanavillage.com. 

 

Franklin

• “Trick or Treating” will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, at the Macon County Public Library. Children are encouraged to come in costume and parade through the library. 

• The Deals Farm Corn Maze. Open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. To visit on Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., call ahead to make an appointment. $5 for ages 6 and older, ages 5 and younger free. Ticket includes corn maze and hayrides. 828.524.5151 or www.dealfarms.com.

• The High Mountain Squares will host their annual “Halloween Dance” from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at the Macon County Community Building on U.S. 441. Ace McGee will be the caller. Western style square dancing, main/stream and plus levels. All welcome. 828.371.4946 or 828.342.1560 or www.highmountainsquares.com. 

 

Highlands

• Downtown All Hallows Eve Celebration will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Safe, family friendly fun. Trick or treating, snacks and live music. www.highlandschamber.org. 

• A special screening of the cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” will be shown at 10:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at the Highlands Playhouse. Tickets are $10. www.highlandsplayhouse.org. 

 

Maggie Valley

• Salty Dog’s (Maggie Valley) will have a Halloween party with Marc Keller at 8 p.m. Oct. 31. 

 

Sylva

• “Treat Street” will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, in downtown. Everyone is invited to wear their costume and trick-or-treat at downtown businesses. Starting at noon in Bridge Park, attendees will be able to pie local leaders in the face, play games, and enjoy free treats. Presented by the Main Street Sylva Association. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

• A “Halloween Murder Mystery Dinner” will be held on Oct. 30-31 at The Sneak E Squirrel Brewery. A “Who done it?” evening of fun and mystery. Dinner is $20, which includes a full meal and a craft beer. Show times are 8 p.m. Oct. 30, and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Oct. 31. 828.586.6440.

• A Zombie Party with DJ music will be held at 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at Mad Batter Food & Film. Free. www.madbatterfoodandfilm.com. 

• “Trunk or Treat” will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31 at the First United Methodist Church. Children will gather in the back parking lot for trick or treating. Games and activities, including a bounce house, will continue in the Christian Life Center. 828.586.2358.

 

Waynesville

• A screening of the classic 1922 horror film “Nosferatu” will be held at 8 p.m. Oct. 30 and at 4 and 8 p.m. Oct. 31 at The Strand at 38 Main. Featuring solo fiddler Ian Moore, the 4 p.m. showing is $5 in advance, $7 at the door. Featuring a full string band, the 8 p.m. showings $10 in advance, $12 at the door. 

• Tipping Point Brewing (Waynesville) will have the “Tavern of Terror” with DJ Shane at 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. 

• Treats of the Street will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, in downtown. Sponsored by merchants and the Downtown Waynesville Association. Stroll downtown during a fun family event celebrating all things Halloween. www.downtownwaynesville.com.

• The Voices in the Laurel “Fall Concert” will be at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at the First Baptish Church. In the premiere concert of the group’s 20th anniversary season, Laurel Strings will open the concert with the famous melody Eine Kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart, which will be followed by his “Dies Irae” from his Requiem in d minor. This will segue into an evening of “seasonal” music- with texts all about night time, the moon, wind, spooks, and mystery. Tickets are $10 for adults, $6 for children. Available at the door or at www.voicesinthelaurel.org. 

• The Haywood Halloween Hop & Costume Contest Crawl will be held Oct. 31 in Waynesville. Participants include BearWaters Brewing (1 p.m. to 10 p.m., contest at 8 p.m.), Frog Level Brewing (noon to midnight, contest 10 p.m. ), Pub 319 (11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m., contest at 11 p.m.) and Mad Anthony’s Bottle Shop & Beer Garden (noon to 2 a.m., contest at midnight). Contest costume participants will collect cards from each bar and brewery to be entered in a gift basket drawing to be awarded at Mad Anthony’s. There will also be live music, beer and drink specials, and more.

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.