The Smokies are full of spooky ways to celebrate Halloween! From the Fright Nights at the Ripley’s Haunted Adventure attraction (also a Cabins for YOU partner*) to the Mysterious Mansion in Gatlinburg, you’re sure to find something to celebrate Halloween during your October visit to the Smoky Mountains.
While you’re in town, be sure to add to your Halloween must-do list a visit to the Gatlinburg Space Needle, where you can join one of the biggest Halloween events in the Smokies: the month-long, frightfully fun event known as Shocktober!
Beginning October 1 and running through the end of the month, the Gatlinburg Space Needle will host the annual Shocktober event. Throughout the month, expect to find live shows and activities that will raise the hair on the back of your neck! A few of these include a tribute to Hitchcock’s black and white horror films of the 50s, a haunted tabled unearthed from beneath an old castle in England, and a tribute to Harry Houdini (who died on Halloween in 1926).
Of course, the main highlight of the event will be the Shocktober “Wicked Things” show at the Iris Theater. Featuring magical comedian Chris Collins and master mentalist Erik Dobell, “Wicked Things” will take you back in time to 1889 at the Weiss Manor, where you’ll joining investigators to unlock the mystery of strange voices and frightening phenomena. Join the ghost hunt…if you dare!
The first showing “Wicked Things” is scheduled for Thursday, October 6, at 7 p.m. After that, you can catch the show every Thursday through Saturday (with a few showings on Sunday) through the end of October. And, of course, they’ll have a special showing on Halloween night! Visit shocktober.com for more information about ticket pricing and to reserve your seat at the Iris Theater today.
About The Gatlinburg Space Needle
The host of Shocktober—the Gatlinburg Space Needle—has been a favorite Smoky Mountain attraction since it was first built in 1970. Family owned and operated, the Space Needle can accommodate up to 250 visitors, providing 360-degree views of the Smokies and the City of Gatlinburg from its 407-foot-high observation tower.
You can take one of two elevators, with a capacity for 20 guests each, to the top of the observation tower any time of year. However, in mid- to late October, when Shocktober will be well on its way, the Space Needle will give you the perfect vantage point for viewing the Smokies’ stunning fall foliage at its peak.
You can purchase discounted tickets for the observation tower by visiting the Gatlinburg Space Needle website directly. They also offer a family pass (which includes a discounted rate for a daytime and nighttime pass) and a VIP treatment package—perfect for date night or a special occasion this fall!
Arcadia: Gatlinburg’s Largest Arcade!
Along with the observation tower and the Iris Theater—where you can catch “Wicked Things” during Shocktober and “Impossibilities: Magic, Mindreading, & Mayhem” any other time of year—the Gatlinburg Space Needle features a few other exciting attractions, including Arcadia.
Winner of TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence, Arcadia is Gatlinburg’s largest family fun arcade with 25,000 square feet of indoor amusement! Enjoy more than 100 of today’s hottest games inside this modern-day, multicolored arcade.
The Captured | A Live Escape Experience
Another Space Needle attraction you have to know about (especially if you’re planning a visit for Halloween!) is The Captured. Similar to the live Escape Game experience that’s sweeping the nation, Gatlinburg’s The Captured has its own spooky twist.
Instead of escaping prison or sneaking into an art museum, this interactive game invites you to the home of the Craft Family cellar. You’ll be locked away for 60 minutes with only clues, riddles, and puzzles as your keys to finding your way out. Oh, and did we mention that the tourists who get trapped in the cellar become the Craft family’s dinner?
The Captured will definitely feed your ghoulish appetite for terrifying tales this fall! And your family will have the chance to make Smoky Mountain memories in the process—because you’ll be forced to work together to solve the clues and get out…or else!
For more information about The Captured and their live gaming experience, please call (865) 430-7844. And for a less frightening version of The Escape Game in the Smokies, simply head to The Island in Pigeon Forge. You can still have loads of fun without all the gruesome details!
* Cabins for YOU partners are local attractions who have partnered with us to offer discounts to our guests. For more information about our list of CFY partners and the specific discounts available to you, simply start an online chat with one of our reservation specialists or call 1-800-684-7865. We’ll be happy to answer your questions and help you find the perfect Gatlinburg cabin for the fall!