Halloween falls on a Saturday in 2026, so the weekend runs Friday, October 30, through Sunday, November 1. For adults looking for something different, the standout is the Night of Marigolds at Doghobble Wine Farm on Friday night. It isn’t a typical Halloween event. It’s a candlelit Día de los Muertos dinner among the vines that celebrates the people we love and miss, with no costumes needed, and it’s for guests 21 and up. The rest of the weekend brings ghost tours, wine tasting and fall color, plus trick-or-treating for families at Scares on the Square on Saturday.
1. Spend Friday night at the Night of Marigolds
If you’d rather skip the costume party this year, Doghobble Wine Farm is hosting the Night of Marigolds on Friday, October 30, from 5:30 to 9:00 PM. It isn’t a Halloween event, and that’s the point. It’s a Día de los Muertos celebration of the people we love and miss, with five candlelit ofrendas, Catrinas sharing the history of the holiday, live music and storytelling by Tony Guerrero. Dinner includes tamales, birria, elote and pan de muerto, with three glasses of Doghobble estate wine. You can even upload a photo of a loved one to be framed, placed on the altar and taken home at the end of the night. Seats are $150 per guest, limited to 100 guests and 21 and up. Reserve on Tock.
2. Bring the kids to Scares on the Square
Downtown Dahlonega hosts Scares on the Square on Saturday, October 31, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Local shops around the historic square hand out candy to trick-or-treaters, making it the easiest family Halloween plan in town.
3. Take a ghost tour downtown
Dahlonega’s gold rush history comes with plenty of legends. Dahlonega Walking Tours leads a historic ghost tour through the streets and back alleys around the square, and the Dahlonega Ghosts Haunted Walking Tour runs nightly walking tours from Hancock Park. Book ahead on Halloween weekend, since evening tours fill quickly.
4. Taste wine at Doghobble Wine Farm
Saturday and Sunday are perfect for a slower afternoon at the wine farm, with mountain views and the vines turning gold. Doghobble is open noon to 7 PM on Saturday and noon to 6 PM on Sunday, and the pizza truck is open Thursday through Sunday. Pick up a bottle of estate wine for the rest of the weekend.
5. Drive for fall color
Late October is usually prime time for leaves in the North Georgia mountains. The roads around Dahlonega make for an easy scenic drive between stops, especially on a Sunday morning.
6. Make a day trip to Helen Oktoberfest
If you want a more festive Saturday, Helen Octoberfest runs through November 1 at the Helen Festhalle, a short drive from Dahlonega.
