8 Family-friendly Events to Celebrate the Fall Season
Carving jack-o-lanterns, getting lost in the corn maze, picking apples off the tree, getting spooked at a haunted house… Is your family itching to get out and enjoy their favorite autumn activities? You don’t have to skip out on Halloween fun this year!
Here’s our guide to the in-person events happening locally in Gwinnett and in the greater North Georgia area this season. All of these events have social-distancing measures to ensure that your family stays safe while making fall memories!
Buford Corn Maze is a Gwinnett favorite with fall festivities for the whole family! There’s so much to do there – navigate through the massive five-acre corn maze, get spooked in the haunted forest, and pick out a perfect pumpkin to carve at home. You can even feed their new animal residents this year – alpacas! Buford Corn Maze will be open now through November 15.
Aurora Theatre Ghost Tours & Haunted Cemetery Tours
Experience downtown Lawrenceville’s haunted history firsthand on ghost tours presented by the Aurora Theatre! On these 90-minute strolls through historic Lawrenceville, you’ll hear about creepy tales and strange paranormal events straight from skilled storytelling tour guides. They also host haunted cemetery tours where you can learn about Historic Lawrenceville Cemetery’s occupants and investigate a paranormal hotspot for unusual activity. Tours happening every weekend now through October 31!
Drive-In Halloween Movies in Duluth
Enjoy classic Halloween flicks with the whole family for free at Duluth’s Drive-In Theatre! They will be showing The Addams Family (2019) on Saturday, Oct. 10, and Beetlejuice on Saturday, Oct. 24. Free tickets to the event will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and the drive-in theatre is located at Duluth High School!
Six Flags Over Georgia HALLOWFEST
Georgia’s favorite amusement park is bringing back another season of HALLOWFEST this year! During the day, the park will feature family-friendly attractions like pumpkin decorating, story time with witches, and balloon animal making with clowns. Then in the evening, all of the attractions take a wicked turn when scary zombies, evil clowns, and classic Halloween monsters take over the park! HALLOWFEST is happening every weekend now through November 1.
Stone Mountain Park Pumpkin Festival
Stone Mountain Park has one of the state’s biggest family-friendly fall events: the Pumpkin Festival! Explore the park’s Halloween-themed attractions including adventure golf, magic shows, pumpkin pie-eating contests, and chances to meet classic storybook characters. At night, the festival lights up with new attractions like the Enchanted Forest and Dino Glow Experience with 20 life-size Jurassic giants! The Stone Mountain Park Pumpkin Festival takes place every weekend now through November 1.
Stone Mountain’s well-known haunted house experience is opening for another season of frights and scares this year. Netherworld’s two Haunted House themes this year are Halloween Nightmares and Cyborg Shock. Both will be full of terrifying monsters and disturbing creatures sure to frighten even the toughest attendees! Netherworld also has new escape room and laser tag attractions that stay open all year. Details about the Haunted House opening date and times will be posted soon on their website and social media!
Washington Farms in Bogart, GA (near Athens) has almost every family-oriented fall activity you can think of. Check out their vast 6.5-acre corn maze, petting zoo, cow train, corn cannon, and much more! They also have a huge pumpkin patch where you can pick your own to bring home. Washington Farms will be open every weekend from now until November 8.
Fall means apple season in North Georgia, so this family-owned and operated orchard is open for family-friendly apple picking! Located in Ellijay, they have several varieties available to pick this season and plenty of Farm Fun Activities to make your trip worthwhile! Try their famous fried apple pie at the bakery and keep the kids entertained with the petting zoo, pig races, and giant jumping pillow. This year, B.J. Reece Orchards is open every day through October 31.
