Halloween in Nashville 2026: Boo at the Zoo through Nov. 1 (sold out), Nashville Nightmare haunted houses, Cheekwood's Bootanical Bash and Metro Parks nights.

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. This page is updated each year. Dates and details come from each organizer’s own page: the Nashville Zoo, Nashville Nightmare, Cheekwood and the Metro Parks events calendar. Trick-or-treat times, street closures and safety numbers are on our separate trick-or-treat hours page.

Halloween falls on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. The city’s biggest family event, the Nashville Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo, runs 5 to 9 p.m. nightly through Sunday, Nov. 1, and is sold out. For scares, Nashville Nightmare in Madison runs four haunted houses on select nights through Nov. 13. Metro Parks nature centers fill the last week of October with Halloween hikes, a haunted cabin and a costume contest. Metro Parks: 615-862-8400.

Plan ahead

  • Boo at the Zoo: sold out; the zoo says walk-ups cannot be accommodated. Ticket holders can request a date change to a night with space.
  • Nashville Nightmare: tickets online only.
  • Metro Parks programs: several need registration by email; the address is on each event page. Questions: 615-862-8400.
  • Trick-or-treating: no official Metro hours. See trick-or-treat hours.

Boo at the Zoo

The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere bills Boo at the Zoo as “Nashville’s Favorite Family Halloween Event.” It runs Oct. 16 to Nov. 1, 5 to 9 p.m. nightly, rain or shine.

  • 10 trick-or-treat stations for children ages 2 to 12, with a souvenir bag.
  • Animal shows nightly at 5:45, 6:45 and 7:45 p.m.
  • Costumed characters from 6 p.m., the Fall Fun Zone, Carn-Evil Carnival Games and free rides on the Scary-Go-Round Carousel.
  • A costume parade at the Monster Mash DJ Tent at 8:30 p.m.
  • Día de los Muertos themed night on Sunday, Nov. 1.

The zoo lists every night as sold out. Tickets are required for every guest, including children under 2.

Haunted houses

Nashville Nightmare, 1016 Madison Square in Madison, runs on select nights from Sept. 12 to Nov. 13, 2026. This year’s four attractions:

  • Jason Universe: Survive the Night, an officially licensed Friday the 13th walkthrough.
  • Vector Research XIII, a sealed lab of failed experiments.
  • A fairy tale kingdom gone to ruin.
  • Mr. Sweets’, a candy store with a secret.

Add-ons on site include mini escape games, a laser maze and a GellyBall zombie shooting gallery. Tickets are sold online only; check the site for which nights are open.

Metro Parks Halloween programs

Metro’s nature centers run themed nights and hikes. Times and registration are on the Parks events calendar:

  • Creepy-Crawly Family Hike, Bells Bend Outdoor Center, 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 24.
  • Shelby Bottoms Ghostbusters, Shelby Bottoms Nature Center, 8 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24.
  • A Haunted House in Warner Woods, Warner Park Nature Center, Friday, Oct. 30. Two start times, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. or 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Ages 16 and up. Hike a short trail into the forest, solve a nature mystery and escape a haunted cabin, then a campfire, s’mores and ghost stories. Register by email.
  • Cryptids Hike, Beaman Park Nature Center, 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. Adults; register by email.
  • Insect Costume Contest, Beaman Park Nature Center, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. All ages; judging at 2 p.m. with prizes.
  • Creature Casualties, Warner Park Nature Center, 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Ages 8 and up; trivia and candy. Register by email.

Halloween at Cheekwood

Cheekwood Estate and Gardens closes out its fall season with two Halloween events:

  • Halloween Pooch Party, Oct. 24-25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with dog costume contests at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
  • Harvest NIGHTS “Bootanical Bash,” 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, with Lydia Brittan and the Royal Family, lit scarecrows and pumpkin carving demonstrations.

Cheekwood requires timed-entry tickets. Its pumpkins and Scarecrow Trail are covered on our fall festivals and pumpkin patches page.

Trunk-or-treats

Trunk-or-treats are run by churches, schools and community groups, and most post them only on their own pages. Our trick-or-treat hours page has the ones Metro lists, plus NDOT’s free Halloween Open Streets permits for closing your block to cars.

What this means for you

  • Small children: Boo at the Zoo is sold out, so the Beaman Park costume contest and the Bells Bend family hike are the open daytime options.
  • Teens and adults: Nashville Nightmare and the Warner Woods haunted cabin (16 and up) are the scary picks; the cabin needs registration.
  • Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, the morning after Halloween.

Related guides: trick-or-treat hours, fall festivals and pumpkin patches, things to do this month and parks and trails.

Frequently asked questions

Is Boo at the Zoo 2026 sold out?

Yes. The Nashville Zoo says Boo at the Zoo, 5 to 9 p.m. nightly through Nov. 1, is sold out and walk-ups cannot be accommodated. Ticket holders can request a date change to a night that is not sold out.

What haunted houses are in Nashville?

Nashville Nightmare, at 1016 Madison Square in Madison, runs four haunted attractions on select nights through Nov. 13, 2026. Tickets are sold online only.

Are there free Halloween events in Nashville?

Metro Parks nature centers run Halloween programs, including an Insect Costume Contest at Beaman Park on Oct. 31 (judging at 2 p.m.) and a Ghostbusters night at Shelby Bottoms on Oct. 24.

What is there to do on Halloween in Nashville for adults?

Nashville Nightmare’s haunted houses, Cheekwood’s Bootanical Bash on Thursday, Oct. 29, and Metro Parks’ Haunted House in Warner Woods on Oct. 30 for ages 16 and up.

When is trick-or-treating in Nashville?

Halloween is Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. Metro Nashville does not set official hours; see our trick-or-treat hours page for neighborhood street closures and safety contacts.