Halloween Haunts & Happenings Trick-Or-Treat Event
October 31st from 5:30 – 8pm
Trick-or-treating will take place throughout downtown Jonesborough. We will also have several game stations setup, as well as laser tag with Paradise Acres. The Hocus Pocus’ Sanderson Sisters will be at the Christopher Taylor Cabin provided by JRT Experiences. Inflatables provided by JGreat Entertainment
Show up in your best costume for the spooky costume contest starting at 7:00 p.m. in front of the Courthouse sponsored by Food City of Jonesborough. The contest will have several age groups and a group category. There is no registration required.
Categories:
- 3 and under
- 4 – 6 years
- 7 – 9 years
- 10 – 17 years
- Adult
- Group
The Central Christian Church will be showing the Great Pumpkin every 30 minutes in the sanctuary and giving out free popcorn. Lil Delights food truck will be on the westside of the courthouse!
Parking will be available at the Jonesborough Elementary School with a shuttle to the Jonesborough Visitors Center. Parking is $5 per car with free shuttle rides available back and forth. All proceeds benefit the Davy Crockett Mens Soccer Team.
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!
Jack-O-Lantern Drive-Thru
October 29-31
A part of the Halloween fun, we will have the Jack-o-lantern Drive Thru where decorated pumpkins will be lit and on display along Main Street from October 29 through October 31. Pumpkins can be picked up and dropped off at the Jonesborough Visitors Center, located at 117 Boone Street. Pick up will be Saturday, October 26 between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and October 27 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. drop off will be Monday, October 28 between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Tuesday, October 29 between 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be two categories participants can enter in for prizes: 12 and under, 13 and over. Participants must write their name, age and phone number written on the bottom of the pumpkin.
Contest Pumpkins must be dropped off Tuesday, October 29th by 3 p.m.
Celebrate the Spookiest Season Of The Year In Jonesborough!
Below are additional Halloween-related events and activities.
Halloween Haunts and Happenings At The McKinney Center
October 11 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.
Halloween Haunts and Happenings Exhibition will be on view at the McKinney Center from Friday, October 11th, 2024, through November 1, 2024.
The free to attend reception for the exhibition will be held on Friday, October 11, 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.
October 25 7 – 9 pm
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 25th for a frighteningly fun Halloween Trivia contest with questions to test your knowledge of all things ghostly, strange, macabre, and historical!
It’s only $8.00 per person to play! 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!
October 28 7 pm
Experience a true “whodunit” at the StoryTown Radio Show on October 28th at the McKinney Center. “Legs in a Barrel” Murder Mystery is presented with permission from the Heritage Alliance and is based on the true case of Andrew Slagle and John Spencer. In 1909, Andrew Slagle’s body was discovered in the French Broad River. Suspicion fell on his employee John Spencer, the last person Slagle was reported to be with. On the day before Slagle’s funeral, Spencer spent the night in Jonesborough. He was discovered the next morning upside down in a rain barrel. Who actually killed Andrew Slagle, and what really happened to John Spencer? Come to the show, meet the suspects, and see if you can put the clues together.
Catch the show at 7:00 pm at the McKinney Center. Tickets are only $10.00 and are available online at Jonesborough.com/tickets or by calling the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center at 423-753-1010. This episode is sponsored by the Windsong Studio of Jewelry Arts. They offer “a social art experience in jewelry-making” and their “unique classes are designed to ensure beginners achieve project success even if they’re never done any sort of craft before.”
Brews & Boos
October 26 8-10pm
Main Street Jonesborough will host the 9th Annual Brews and Boos in downtown Jonesborough on Saturday, October 26 from 8 to 10 p.m.
Brews & Boos is set in Jimmy Neil Smith Park, behind the Storytelling Center. Attendees will enjoy a series of ghost stories featuring world-renowned storytellers.
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. A limited number of tickets will be available at the gate.
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, please bring your I.D. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets, ground seating only.
Fifth Annual Lick-or-Treat Paw Parade
October 26 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. Tickets can be purchased at TennesseeTails.com. NEW THIS YEAR: Join us for the after party at Duke and Fox from 2:30pm-4:30pm, where there will be music, treats, vendors, and fun on the back patio of Duke and Fox.
True and Chilling Tales
October 24, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 7pm
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 24th*, 26th, 27th, 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 contect 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.
*The tour taking place on October 24th will depart from the Visitor’s Center on Boone Street.
A Spot On The Hill
October 11th, 12th, 18th, and 19th
This October, the McKinney Center is proud to present 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 while she was with the Heritage Alliance, this edition of Jonesborough’s cemetery play features new characters. New stories include Revolutionary War veteran Robert Patton, Jonesborough’s first merchant David Deaderick, missionary Sarah Gibson, and Sarah Blair who grew up with her future husband George when they were both enslaved by the Blair family. They were later emancipated and forged a life of their own in town. 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 11th, 12th, 18th, and 19th. There will be a 2:00 p.m. matinee performance on October 12th at the McKinney Center (103 Franklin Avenue) and a 2:00 pm matinee in the cemetery on October 19th. At the outdoor matinee, there will be ASL interpretation provided by BridgesEAST. The indoor performance on October 12th 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.