Halloween At The McKinney Center

Halloween Trivia

A Spot On The Hill

Halloween at the Jackson Theatre

True and Chilling Tales Tour

Halloween Program

Halloween Haunts & Happenings Trick-Or-Treat Event

October 31st from 5:30 – 8pm

On Halloween night, Friday, October 31, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m., Downtown Jonesborough will come alive with the annual Halloween Haunts & Happenings Trick-or-Treating event!

Families can enjoy trick-or-treating along Main Street, festive games, and a spooky costume contest. Plus, don’t miss a special visit from the Sanderson Sisters of Hocus Pocus, brought to life by JRT Experiences at the Historic Christopher Taylor Cabin.

The Halloween Costume Contest, sponsored by Food City of Jonesborough, kicks off at 7:00 p.m. in front of the Courthouse. Prizes will be awarded in multiple age divisions as well as a group category. No registration is required, just show up in your best Halloween attire at the stage on the Courthouse Steps!

Categories:

3 and under
4 – 6 years
7 – 9 years
10 – 17 years
Adult
Group

Parking will be available at the Old Jonesborough Middle School for $5, with all proceeds supporting the David Crockett Band Boosters. Free shuttles will run from 4:30 to 9:00 p.m. to and from Main Street.

Please only visit each trick-or-treat stop once. We want to ensure everyone has a chance to join in on the sweet treats & Halloween fun!

Norfolk Southern’s railroad tie replacement project will keep the Fox Street railroad crossing closed throughout the weekend. In addition, Main Street will be closed from 5:00-9:00 p.m. for Halloween Haunts & Happening tonight, October 31. Vehicles will be allowed to turn onto Fox Street to park in the Courthouse Lot until it is full. The lot will be monitored, and the Police Department will be notified once it reaches capacity.

When the lot is full, traffic coming from Boone Street will be directed left onto East Main Street. From there, drivers can continue up East Main or turn right onto Spring Street. Traffic heading down East Main toward downtown will be directed to turn right on Boone Street. Visitors are strongly encouraged to use the Free Town Shuttle for convenient transportation and parking tonight.

Parking is located at the Old Jonesborough Middle/Elementary School for $5 per car. All proceeds go the David Crockett Band Boosters. A free shuttle is provided to & from the Jonesborough Visitors Center.

Please refer to the map below for closure details and alternate routes.

The Great Jonesborough Pumpkin Party

The Great Jonesborough Pumpkin Party is happening Wednesday, October 29, from 5:30–8:00 p.m. on the West side of Courthouse Square in Downtown Jonesborough. Bring the family out to carve pumpkins right in the heart of downtown, then watch as your creations light up Main Street in a glowing jack-o-lantern trail that will stay up through Halloween night. This event grew out of our popular Jack-O-Lantern Drive-Thru, but now you get to be part of the action and carve your pumpkin right in Downtown Jonesborough! Pumpkins and carving supplies will be available for just $5 while supplies last, so be sure to register early at the link below to save your spot.

The Pumpkin Party will be at the Jonesborough Senior Center due to weather.

Pumpkin Party Registration

Brews & Boos

Main Street Jonesborough will host the 10^th Annual Brews and Boos in downtown Jonesborough on Saturday, October 18 from 8 to 10 p.m.

Brews & Boos is set in Jimmy Neil Smith Park, behind the International Storytelling Center. Attendees will enjoy a series of ghost stories featuring world-renowned storytellers Tim Lowry and Adam Booth.

Main Street Café & Catering will serve fall-themed beer and cider and food will be available.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 the day of the event and can be purchased online at Jonesborough.com/boo or by calling the Jonesborough Visitors Center at 423.753.1010.

Check-in will be held on the steps of Jimmy Neil Smith Park, adjacent to the Storytelling Center Plaza, beginning at 6:30 p.m. If you plan to purchase alcohol, you MUST have your I.D.

Guests are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets, ground seating only. This performance is best suited for kids 10+.

Celebrate the Spookiest Season Of The Year In Jonesborough!

Below are additional Halloween-related events and activities.

Sixth Annual Tennessee Tails Lick-or-Treat Paw Parade

October 25 2pm

The Lick or Treat Paw Parade will take place at 2 p.m. and will kick off at Tennessee Tails Pet Boutique. Attendees should be in line and ready to go at 2 p.m. There will also be a doggie costume contest at 2:30 p.m. There will be prizes for the top three costumes. Entry tickets to the parade are $10 with proceeds donated to the Washington County Humane Society.

Halloween Haunts and Happenings At The McKinney Center

October 17 5-7 pm

Jonesborough’s Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts at the McKinney Center is holding its second annual Halloween Haunts and Happenings, an exhibition highlighting artwork by regional artists that is meant to give you the creeps! Brought together by the McKinney Center staff, this group of artists from across the Tri-cities span a range of practices, including wood work, sculpture, painting, photography, digital media, and more. Their interpretive expressions reflect the mood of the season.

The free to attend reception for the exhibition will be held on Friday, October 17, 5-7pm. The artists will be on hand at the exhibit opening to answer questions from guests. The reception will include light refreshments. The McKinney Center is open Monday through Friday, 8:00am -5pm.

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Halloween Trivia

October 24 7pm

Tis the season for haunted trivia night. The McSpooky Center is once again teaming up with the Scare-itage Alliance for Halloween Trivia Night. Join us on October 24th for a frighteningly fun Halloween Trivia contest with questions to test your knowledge of all things ghostly, strange, macabre, and historical!

The festivities will take place on Friday, October 24th at 7:00 pm at the McKinney Center with Halloween themed trivia questions, friendly competition, a costume contest, and a ton of fun! Not a “history buff?” No reason to fear! These questions cover a wide range of topics and categories and include something for everyone. Main Street Café will also be on hand to sell a frightening assortment of beers.

It’s only $8.00 per person to play! Tickets are available online at Jonesborough.com/tickets. Solo play is allowed. Teams are encouraged, but the person limit per team is 8 people. Please enter your team’s name in the comments when purchasing your tickets if you know it. Heritage Alliance and McKinney Center staff will host the event, tallying points and administering prizes to the winners. The event is family-friendly and open to all ages. The costume contest will occur during intermission. Dress up and try to win a prize!

Tickets

A Spot On The Hill

October 10th, 11th, 17th, and 18th

This October, the McKinney Center is proud to present the 11th year of A Spot on the Hill, the original, research-based play all about the inhabitants of the Old Jonesborough Cemetery. Created by Anne G’Fellers-Mason, this edition of Jonesborough’s cemetery play features new characters. Stories include Dr. Matthew Mahoney, one of the founders of the Herald & Tribune newspaper, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Johnson, a descendant of John Sevier, and Mr. Henry Shade whose work with the Southern Railway did not go as planned. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs to sit on. Seats are not provided at the cemetery. Come and listen to real stories of real lives among real tombstones. Performances for A Spot on the Hill will take place at 6:30 p.m. on October 10th, 11th, 17th, and 18th. There will be a 2:00 p.m. matinee performance on October 11th, at the McKinney Center (103 Franklin Avenue) and a 2:00 pm matinee in the cemetery on October 18th. At the outdoor matinee, there will be ASL interpretation provided by BridgesEAST. The indoor performance on October 11th is ADA accessible. Tickets are limited, and sell out fast, so make sure you buy yours today. Tickets are $10.00.

Audience members should arrive 15 minutes prior to show time. Parking is available at the First Baptist Church and downtown. It is a short walk up East Main Street to the cemetery from the First Baptist Church lot. A golf cart courtesy shuttle will be available for guests who need it. This program is not suggested for children less than 10 years of age. In case of inclement weather, the show will be relocated to an indoor location.

Tickets

Hauntingly Good Times at the Jackson Theatre

See what spooky treats they have going on!

Slimer Cinema: Ghostbusters at the Jackson

September 27

3pm- Ghostbusters (ticket required)
3-7pm- Meet and Greet with the Smoky Mountain Ghostbusters (free)
5pm- Trivia with Budds: Ghostbusters Edition (free)
7pm- Ghostbusters II (ticket required)
9pm- True and Chilling Tales Tour with the Heritage Alliance (ticket required)
Wild Vines Bakery will be set up to sell spooky themed baked goods starting at 3pm

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40th Anniversary showing of Day of the Dead in partnership with the Lost State Audio/Video Club

October 24

Welcome to Jackson: provided by Lost State Audio/Video Club at 7pm
Zombie Themed Costume Contest presented by Lost State Audio/Video Club (7:05)
- Contest will be emceed by Big Daddy Voodoo
- Judged contest with prizes for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place
Movie intro provided by Big Daddy Voodoo (immediately following the costume contest and will run for 10 minutes)
Movie to follow intro
Trivia with Budds: Zombie Edition to follow movie (free to the public)
Physical media and merch Swap & Shop with Lost State Audio/Video Club starting at 6pm

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Halloween Night at the Jackson

October 31

8pm-9pm- Dark Cinematic Music with M. Peck and Black Box Recorder
9pm- Showing of the original Halloween (1978)

Learn More

True and Chilling Tales Tour

October 14th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, 28th, 29th, & 30th

Come and learn some truly chilling history in Jonesborough this October. From horse theft to murder and mass graves, hear the very true tales and more during this unique tour that’s perfect for a spooky October evening. The True and Chilling Tales Tour will take place at 7:00pm on October 14th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, 28th, 29th, and 30th. Your guide will lead you down Main Street, and please mind your step, lest you end up a true and chilling tale, too! Tickets are $10.00 each and can be purchased through the Town of Jonesborough’s ticketing system at jonesborough.com/tickets. The tour will last an hour. Groups are limited to 15 people, so make sure you buy your tickets in advance. The tours will depart from the Chester Inn State Historic Site and Museum on Main Street. This tour is rated PG-13 for content and is not recommended for children under 13 years of age. Please note these stories are very true and some of them are gory and unpleasant and may be upsetting or triggering. Listeners beware.

Tickets