Writer: Jerrica DuBois
2 min read October 2023 — It’s the spooky season, and Nashville is about as Halloween Central as a city can get. Nashville Nightmare, a collection of several different haunted house experiences under one umbrella, has been ranked the No. 1 haunted house in the nation by USA Today’s reader’s choice awards and ranked in the top 13 haunted houses in the nation by hauntedhouses.com. (If you want to be scared, this is the place.)
Of course, being scared senseless is not for everyone. But whether you are a total scaredy cat, an adventurer, a music lover or have little ones to consider, Nashville has the perfect way for you to enjoy All Hallows Eve. In honor of ghosts and goblins, Invest: took a look at some of the best ways to enjoy Halloween in Music City.
All Hallows East
On Saturday, East Nashville’s Five Points Neighborhood will serve as host to the area’s biggest Halloween Festival, All Hallows East. All ages are welcome, and trick or treating will be from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. The event will feature costume contests, spooky activities, live music, food, face painting and crafts. General admission is free, but there are three additional levels of tickets providing a more elevated Halloween experience, ranging from $15-$65.
For more information, click here
Fable Cry Festival of Ghouls
Need a soundtrack to go along with the tricks and treats? Head to OZ Arts Nashville and join theatrical rock band Fable Cry for a Halloween style cabaret. Grab your best costume and journey to the underworld at the ninth annual Festival of Ghouls. The event will include live music, burlesque performances and more. (Note: If you wear a mask, please be prepared to move it so your ID can be properly checked.)
For more information, click here
Boo at the Zoo
Something a bit more kid-friendly? Check out themed activities, animal shows, treats and more at Boo at the Zoo. Running from 5:00-9:00 p.m. every evening through Oct. 29, the little ones can enjoy giant straw creatures, a Scary-Go-Round carousel and a Monster Mash dance area. Zoo exhibits including Unseen New World, Caribbean flamingos and the Sumatran tigers will be open for guests, and there, of course, be candy. Lots and lots of candy. Kids will receive a souvenir bag that they will be able to fill at ten trick-or-treat stations on the zoo trail.
For more information, click here
Beast House
Demented actors and monsters take over one of Nashville’s Best Haunted Houses. Participants can take a self-guided tour through the original Isaac Kechem Mansion, which was most recently known as the Starlite Club until 2014.
There is an added bonus for attendees, which is called the Beast Challenge. If you make it through all of the phases of Beast House, you will get your money back. However, you are not required to attempt the Beast Challenge while visiting Beast House. Most people who visit just come to enjoy the experience. The Beast Challenge is an optional attraction for those 18 and older and requires participants to sign a waiver.
To learn more, click here
Halloween Glow in the Park
It’s a party in the trees at Adventure Park. For thrill seekers, the Halloween Glow in the Park is the perfect event. Halloween music and decorations provide the ambiance as guests tack rope climbing and ziplining … in the dark. (Well, with multi-colored LED lights guiding the courses, but you get the idea.) Experiencing these already over-the-top activities at night promises to heighten the senses, But of course, safety is paramount, so a briefing on harnessing will be given to participants.
For more information, click here
The Haunted Canoe Trip
It’s a Haunted Ghost Tour like none other. The Haunted Canoe Trip at Canoe the Caney is one of Tennessee’s most thrilling haunted attractions, and it’s only a short ride from Nashville. All aboard for a spine-tingling, after-dark, historic ghost tour. Stay close to your friends as you wander through an old cemetery and hear stories of a flooded town with lost graves, ghostly encounters, unexplained voices and eerie sounds. Open Fridays and Saturdays through the beginning of November.
To sign up, click here
