As the cooler temperatures finally arrive, Rutherford County offers plenty of ways to get outside and enjoy the fall season.
Pumpkins, corn mazes, hayrides, fall festivals, scarecrows, Halloween activities and outdoor adventures fill the October calendar.
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Oct. 1–3
Great Pumpkin Festival: Monsters in the Museum
The Discovery Center at Murfree Spring kicks off October with its Great Pumpkin Festival, “Monsters in the Museum.” The Oct. 1–3 event runs from 5:30–7:30 p.m. each night that weekend and includes costumes, face painting, games and crafts.
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Oct. 8 and 22
Night Sounds Hike
The Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park offers after-dark Night Sounds Hikes at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 8 and Oct. 22. The guided hikes provide an opportunity to experience the park after sunset and listen for the sounds of its nighttime wildlife.
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Oct. 9–10
Fright Nights: Haunted House for Kids
The Smyrna Outdoor Adventure Center, 100 Sam Ridley Parkway E., Smyrna, hosts Fright Nights Oct. 9 and 10. The family-friendly haunted-house experience includes science demonstrations and a kids’ zone. Families with younger children are encouraged to attend from 6–8 p.m., followed by scarier hours from 8–10 p.m. Admission is $5 per person.
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Oct. 10
Pumpkin Fun Run
Murfreesboro Parks & Recreation’s Pumpkin Fun Run takes place at Gateway Island on Oct. 10. Participants run or walk a mile with a pumpkin, with registration beginning at 3 p.m. and the race starting at 4 p.m. The entrance fee is one or more nonperishable food items for Greenhouse Ministries, and finishers receive medals. Participants can also enjoy warm cider water and light snacks after the race.
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Oct. 14
Wild Rumpus
The Wilderness Station hosts Wild Rumpus from 5–6:30 p.m. The family event includes a live animal program, storybook hiking trail, hot drinks, fall-themed games and pumpkin painting. Non-scary costumes are encouraged. Admission is $5 per person or $20 per family.
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Oct. 15
McFadden Fall Festival & Haunted Hallways
McFadden Community Center hosts its annual Fall Festival from 5–8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15. The free event includes Haunted Hallways, a DJ, carnival games, food, family activities and the T-Shirt Walk.
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Oct. 16–17
Cannonsburgh Village After Dark
Cannonsburgh Village stays open into the night for this family Halloween event from 6–9 p.m. Visitors can bring flashlights to explore the historic village and its log cabins while enjoying sweet treats, hot drinks, fall crafts, games, music and bingo. Tickets are $5 per person, with children 5 and under admitted free. Costumes are welcome.
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Oct. 16
Flashlight Night at Oaklands Mansion
Oaklands Mansion opens its doors after dark for a self-guided Flashlight Night. The event is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 16, as part of the mansion’s 2026 Halloween-season programming.
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Oct. 17–18
Webb Art & Craft Show
Bell Buckle’s annual Webb Art & Craft Show returns Oct. 17–18. The juried show is held on the old Sawney Webb lot on Maple Street in the town of Bell Buckle and features more than 100 booths of handmade arts and crafts, including pottery, metalwork, woodworking, textiles, jewelry and soaps. The show runs from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Sunday.
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Oct. 17
Fall Kids Fest at The Avenue
The Avenue Murfreesboro hosts Rutherford Parent‘s Fall Kids Fest from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. The free family event includes children’s entertainment and activities, with pumpkin decorating, inflatables, a climbing wall and other activities planned for 2026. The event takes place outdoors behind Belk at The Avenue Murfreesboro.
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Oct. 23–24
Barfield Bash Carnival
The Barfield Bash Carnival runs from 5–9 p.m. both Oct. 23 and 24 at Barfield Crescent Park. The Halloween event includes ghostly games, prizes, spooky music, a cakewalk, a bouncy house, concessions, food trucks and trick-or-treating with local businesses. Some activities are free, while tickets are required for others.
Parks photos courtesy of Jim Davis / Murfreesboro Parks and Rec
Families looking for a gentler Halloween experience can take the Not So Haunted Hayride at Barfield Crescent Park from 5 p.m. until dusk. The $5-per-person hayride features a live-action telling of Goldilocks and encounters with other fairy-tale characters.
For older kids and adults seeking something scarier, Old Scream Road, also at Barfield Crescent Park, begins at dark both nights. The $5-per-person haunted hayride travels into the park’s wooded areas, and the city cautions that it may be scary for small children. Tickets will be sold until 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
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Oct. 23
An Old Fashioned Haunted Evening
Bell Buckle’s downtown Halloween event runs from 5–8 p.m. at the downtown pavilion, 26 Railroad Square. The evening includes a haunted house, pumpkin-carving contest, storefront trick-or-treating and Halloween movies.
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Oct. 24
Harvest Days
One of Murfreesboro’s longest-running fall traditions returns Oct. 24 for the 50th annual Harvest Days at Cannonsburgh Village. From 10 a.m.–4 p.m., visitors can see hands-on demonstrations, handmade crafts, food trucks, live music and clogging at the gazebo. The Murfreesboro Art League will have art on display and for sale, while the Rutherford County Blacksmith Association presents blacksmithing demonstrations and the Stones River Car Club holds a car show. Admission is free.
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Oct. 24
Goblins and Goodies
La Vergne’s annual Goblins and Goodies in the Park event takes place from noon–2 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, 115 Floyd Mayfield Dr., La Vergne. The free event features a candy trail through the park, with local businesses and organizations handing out treats and hosting games. A family-friendly Zombie Dance and costume contest will also take place, with the costume contest beginning at 1:30 p.m.
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Oct. 24
Halloween in the Park
Smyrna Parks & Recreation presents its 30th annual Halloween in the Park from 3–9 p.m. at Sharp Springs Natural Area, 311 Jefferson Pk., Smyrna. Activities include trick-or-treating, free games and inflatables, pumpkin decorating, a pie-eating contest, food and craft vendors, a haunted corn maze, a non-scary hayride and a haunted hayride. The costume contest includes age groups as well as group and dog costume contests.
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Oct. 24
Hop Springs Fall Festival
Hop Springs Beer Park has a Fall Festival scheduled for Oct. 24 at its 6790 John Bragg Hwy. location. The venue will also hold the Hops Half Marathon and Boro Fest on the same date.
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Oct. 30
Toddler Spooktacular
For youngsters, Patterson Park Community Center 521 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd hosts Toddler Spooktacular from 10–11:30 a.m. for children ages 2–5. The event includes a Halloween parade, candy, games and other activities.
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Oct. 30
Trick or Treat Around the Square
Main Street Murfreesboro’s Trick or Treat Around the Historic Murfreesboro Public Square takes place from 3–5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30. Local businesses around the Square welcome children in costume to collect candy and explore the downtown area. This evening also marks one of the last chances to check out this year’s scarecrow displays.
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Oct. 30
Halloween Speakeasy at Oaklands Mansion
Oaklands Mansion transforms into a special 21-and-up Halloween Speakeasy and Masquerade Ball from 5–9 p.m. on Oct. 30. The 2026 event takes a 1920s-inspired approach, with guests invited to dress in masquerade masks and vintage attire for an evening inside the historic mansion and Maney Hall. Visit oaklandsmansion.org/halloween-speakeasy for more.
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Nov. 13
Fall Harvest Hayride
Murfreesboro Parks & Recreation extends the fall season with a moonlit Fall Harvest Hayride on Nov. 13. The event runs from 6–8 p.m., departing from the General Bragg Greenway Trailhead, 1540 W. College St. The evening activity includes live music, a campfire with s’mores, a moonlit hayride and hot beverages available from a food truck. Admission is $5 per person or $20 per family, with online registration required.
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Scarecrows Downtown
Take a stroll around the Murfreesboro Public Square for one easy, unique way to celebrate the arrival of autumn.
In a project that is becoming a local downtown tradition, Murfreesboro’s historic Square will once again be adorned with handmade scarecrows as part of Main Street Murfreesboro’s annual Scarecrows Downtown contest.
This year’s event should be bigger than ever, with the community organization inviting artists, families, businesses, churches and civic groups to create their own handmade scarecrows to be displayed around the Square.
Scarecrow installation takes place the first weekend of October, and displays will remain in place through the first of November.
The contest includes both public and judges’ awards. Visitors can scan QR codes on the scarecrows to vote, with the People’s Choice winner receiving $100. Winners will be announced Oct. 30.
No ticket is required to participate; wander to downtown Murfreesboro to take in this year’s scarecrow project at your own pace, potentially combined with lunch, dinner, coffee, shopping or a Saturday Market visit.
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Fall at the Farms
For traditional autumn experiences, Walden Pumpkin Farm in Smyrna returns for its 2026 season, operating through Oct. 31. The family-run farm at 8653 Rocky Fork Rd., Smyrna, offers hayrides, farm animals, hay and corn mazes, pumpkins, a Tennessee slip n’ slide, food and fall decorations. Wristbands are $12 for ages 4–64, while children under 4 and seniors over 64 do not need one. The farm is open Thursdays and Fridays from 2–6 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. and Sundays from noon–6 p.m.
Towards Lascassas, The Farm at Route 8 Shady Lane, 3722 Shady Ln., Murfreesboro, is scheduled to host its seventh annual Shady Lane Corn Maze throughout October.
And in Eagleville, the massive Lucky Ladd Farms will hold its Fall Harvest Festival through Oct. 31 with attractions including a pumpkin patch, corn maze, animals, playgrounds, farm attractions and family activities. The farm recommends purchasing tickets in advance during the busy fall season. Lucky Ladd also has a-MAZE-ing Glow Nights scheduled for Oct. 23 and 24, with a nighttime illuminated corn maze, dance party and glow accessories.
