Atlanta fall festivals 2026: pumpkins Oct. 22, chili Nov. 7

Last checked Oct. 20, 2026. This page is updated each year. Dates, times and prices come from each organizer’s own page, linked below. Pick-your-own pumpkin farms with hayrides and corn mazes are outside the city; this page covers the festivals and pumpkin events in Atlanta itself.

Fall in Atlanta runs from neighborhood festivals in early October to the chili cookoff in Cabbagetown in November, with the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s scarecrows and carved pumpkins in between. Most of the festivals are free to enter.

Updated Oct. 20: the Little 5 Points Halloween Festival is past; Chomp & Stomp parking advice added.

At a glance

• Through Nov. 1: Scarecrows in the Garden, Atlanta Botanical Garden
• Oct. 22: Great Pumpkin-Carving Festival, Atlanta Botanical Garden
• Nov. 7: Chomp & Stomp chili cookoff and music festival, Cabbagetown, free entry

Festivals

Atlanta Pride was Oct. 10-11 in Piedmont Park. Storms canceled the Saturday program, and the parade and festival went ahead Sunday, the Atlanta Pride Committee said. Details and next year’s dates: our Atlanta Pride page.

The Little 5 Points Halloween Festival and parade ran Oct. 17 and 18 (organizers).

Chomp & Stomp, Saturday, Nov. 7. Cabbagetown’s chili cookoff, 5K and free bluegrass festival has raised money for the neighborhood’s parks since 2003, the organizers say. The festival runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with more than 100 chilis; entry is free, but to taste chili you buy an official spoon at the festival or at a presale spot in the neighborhood. Chili is served from 12:30 p.m. The Romp 5K runs through Cabbagetown.

Candler Park Fall Fest marked its 25th year on Oct. 3. The organizers canceled the Sunday, Oct. 4, day because of the weather forecast; the 5K and fun run were still on. The festival, run by the Candler Park Neighborhood Organization, draws 20,000 people a day, the festival says, and puts its proceeds back into the park and the neighborhood.

Scarecrows and pumpkins

Scarecrows in the Garden, through Nov. 1. The Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Ave. NE, fills its paths with scarecrows made by schools, families, artists and businesses, with supersized ones on the Great Lawn. Included with garden admission.

Great Pumpkin-Carving Festival, Thursday, Oct. 22, 5 to 9 p.m. The garden’s evening of carved pumpkins, live music and cocktails, when the scarecrow contest winners are announced (event page).

Boo at the Zoo at Zoo Atlanta adds trick-or-treating, carnival games and crafts on Oct. 24, 25 and 31, included with admission. More in our Halloween events guide.

What this means for you

• Free and outdoors: Chomp & Stomp costs nothing to enter; you pay only for a tasting spoon.
• For pumpkins without a drive, the Botanical Garden’s carving festival is Oct. 22.
• Chomp & Stomp is Saturday, Nov. 7; buy a spoon early to skip the line.

Related: things to do this month, trick-or-treat hours and parks and trails.

Frequently asked questions

What fall festivals are in Atlanta in October 2026?

Still to come: Scarecrows in the Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Garden through Nov. 1 and its Great Pumpkin-Carving Festival on Oct. 22. Atlanta Pride (Oct. 10-11) and the Little 5 Points Halloween Festival (Oct. 17-18) are past.

When is Chomp & Stomp 2026?

Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, in Cabbagetown. The festival runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; entry is free, chili is served from 12:30 p.m., and tasting needs an official spoon sold at the festival or at presale spots.

Where can I see carved pumpkins in Atlanta?

At the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Great Pumpkin-Carving Festival, 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, with carved pumpkins, live music and the scarecrow contest winners.

Was Candler Park Fall Fest canceled?

The Sunday, Oct. 4, day was canceled because of the weather forecast; Saturday’s festival went ahead, and the 5K and fun run were still on, the organizers said.