October Happenings on the Peaceful Side of the Smokies 

Written by: Emily Huffstetler 

October is in full swing on the Peaceful Side of the Smokies, and the calendar only gets busier as the month goes on. From community festivals and craft fairs to haunted attractions, horror films and costume contests, here’s what’s ahead through Halloween weekend. 

Maple Lane Maze and Tennessee Terror 

Maple Lane Maze is open weekends through Oct. 31. The Greenback farm’s lineup includes an eight-acre corn maze, pumpkin patch, tractor-pulled hayrides, sunflower fields, campfires and other fall activities. 

Regular hours are 6 to 10 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. On Oct. 18 and 25, Sunday hours are extended to 10 p.m. 

The maze becomes haunted beginning Oct. 16, with haunted nights Oct. 16–18, 23–25 and 29–31. Tennessee Terror’s Haunted Woods and Barn is also open Oct. 9–10, 16–18, 23–25 and 29–31. 

Ghostly Greens at Cades Cove Golf 

Cades Cove Golf in Townsend hosts Ghostly Greens throughout October. 

Current hours are 2 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 2 to 10 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. 

Lunch in the Backcountry: 1776 

The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center hosts Lunch in the Backcountry: 1776 Oct. 13 at 10:30 a.m. 

Historian Ben Barrington leads the hands-on program, which centers on the William Bean family and frontier foodways in 1776. Participants help prepare two meals as part of the historical interpretation. Space is limited, and tickets are sold in advance. 

Fall and Halloween at the Blount County Public Library 

The Blount County Public Library has several seasonal events scheduled through the end of the month. 

Frankentoys takes place Oct. 15 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. for ages 13–17. Teens will take apart toys and use the pieces to build fun new creations. Registration is required. 

The library’s Fall Festival runs Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Frights & Fiction, an adults-only Halloween party, follows Oct. 21 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. On Oct. 23, Inquiry into the Vampire runs from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Día de los Muertos Tween Night, for ages 9–12, takes place Oct. 29 from 6 to 7 p.m. Trick or Read for kids runs from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 30. 

Knoxville Horror Film Fest at the Parkway Drive-In  

The Knoxville Horror Film Fest returns Oct. 21–25, with two nights taking place at Maryville’s Parkway Drive-In. 

The drive-in hosts double features Thursday, Oct. 22, and Friday, Oct. 23. Tickets are on sale through the Knoxville Horror Film Fest. The rest of the five-day festival, which takes place in Knoxville, is sold out.

Reptiles and Halloween at Company Distilling 

Zoo Knoxville visits Company Distilling in Townsend Oct. 22 from 4 to 7 p.m. for a Reptile Encounter featuring snakes and lizards brought by Zoo Knoxville staff. 

Later in the month, the Townsend distillery will serve its Crimson Kiss Halloween cocktail from Oct. 30 through Nov. 1. Gas Station Sushi performs from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 30, followed by Von Sutherland from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31. 

Maryville College Homecoming 

Maryville College Homecoming returns Oct. 23–25, with a weekend of events on College Hill. 

The Scottie Scavenger Hunt is already underway and continues through Oct. 25 in downtown Maryville. Organized in partnership with the Downtown Maryville Alliance, the hunt places the college mascot at participating downtown locations. 

On Saturday, Oct. 24, the Alvin C. Baker ’72 Harvest Craft Fair runs from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Alumni Gym. The Homecoming Parade begins at noon on Circle Drive, followed by the Maryville College football game against Berry College at 1 p.m. in Lloyd Thornton Stadium. 

Many Homecoming events are open to the public, while some require advance registration. Event-specific requirements are listed on the college’s Homecoming schedule. 

Also on Oct. 24 

Several other fall and Halloween events are scheduled around Blount County on Oct. 24. 

At 9 a.m., PawFit begins with a free dog costume contest at CrossFit Pistol Creek, open to the public and their dogs. The PawFit Fun Run follows at 10 a.m., but registration for the run has closed. Proceeds benefit Friends of the Blount County Animal Center.

The MLK Jr. Center Fall Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Alcoa. The festival includes a chili cook-off, food trucks, vendors, games and line dancing. 

At 11 a.m., Little River Trading Company hosts its Halloween Hike on the Gatlinburg Trail. The approximately four-mile hike begins at Sugarlands Visitor Center, and costumes are encouraged. Advance RSVP is required. 

At 6 p.m., Trinity Dental Clinic’s Fall Costume Ball begins at White Star Station in Maryville. The public event runs until 9 p.m. with costumes, music, dancing, food and drinks. Proceeds support Trinity’s work providing dental care to uninsured and underserved adults. Tickets are required. 

Tremont Homecoming 

Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont hosts Homecoming Oct. 25 from 5 to 8 p.m. in Walker Valley. 

The evening pairs dinner and live music with Tremont trivia, a campfire, a Q&A with a Smokies naturalist and an evening nature hike. Tickets are required. 

Dracula at the Clayton Center for the Arts 

The Appalachian Ballet Company presents Dracula at the Clayton Center for the Arts Oct. 29–31. 

The Oct. 29 performance begins at 7 p.m. On Oct. 30, a special event begins at 6 p.m., followed by the performance at 7 p.m. Halloween performances are scheduled for 2 and 5 p.m. Oct. 31. Tickets are required, and seating is limited. 

Halloween Eve

Several Halloween events are scheduled in Maryville and Townsend on Friday, Oct. 30. 

Trick or Read runs from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Blount County Public Library. 

At 5 p.m., the Spooktacular Extravaganza begins on West Broadway in downtown Maryville. The event runs until 8 p.m. with trick-or-treating at downtown businesses, carnival games, a dog costume contest and a costume showcase at 7 p.m. 

Also at 5 p.m., Way Out West: A Murder Mystery Night begins at Daisy’s NA Bar & Bottle Shop. Guests can participate as characters or attend as spectators, with tickets required for both. The mystery starts at 5:30 p.m. and concludes at 10 p.m. 

In Townsend, the Smoky Mountain Very Scary 5K + 1 Mile holds its costume contest at 7 p.m., followed by both races at 8 p.m. Race registration is required and closes at 5 p.m. that day. 

Halloween Weekend

On Oct. 31, Howl-O-Ween runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Camp Wild Flowers in Townsend. Proceeds benefit Friends of the Blount County Animal Center. 

At 11 a.m., Daisy’s NA Bar & Bottle Shop begins its all-day Halloween Party. A kids’ costume contest takes place at 3 p.m. After 8 p.m., the event is limited to ages 18 and older, with an adult costume contest at 9:30 p.m.

At 3 p.m., Jeeps, Treats and Drive-In Nights kicks off at the Parkway Drive-In with a meet and greet. A trunk-or-treat runs from 4 to 5 p.m., and the movie starts at 8 p.m.

In Townsend, Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro hosts its adults-only Halloween Spooktacular Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Storytelling sessions around Papa Pete’s Fire Pit begin at 5:45 and 7 p.m. each night and include fireside appetizers and a cocktail. Tickets are required, and capacity is limited for each session. Dinner is separate and requires a reservation. 

At 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31, The Shed hosts its Halloween Bash with Them Dirty Roses, A Thousand Horses and Hannah Dasher. Tickets are required.

Fall and Halloween DIY 

Local studios and businesses also have seasonal workshops scheduled through the end of October. 

For more fall happenings on the Peaceful Side, check out our events calendar.

Born and raised in Maryville, Tennessee, with roots tracing back to Cades Cove, Emily Huffstetler is a proud Maryville College graduate and storyteller of the Greater Smokies region. She holds a Master of Science in Conservation Education from Mississippi State University.