There are some events that just feel like Smyrna.
The kind where you run into three people you know before you make it halfway down the street, kids are darting from one activity to the next, parents are catching up with friends, and the whole evening feels more like a neighborhood gathering than an organized event.
Spooky Fest is one of those nights.
On Friday, October 16, Smyrna Market Village will once again fill with families for candy stops, music, food vendors, photo opportunities, a pet costume parade and movies on the Village Green.
And perhaps the best part? The whole evening is free.
Spooky Fest may feel like a natural part of Smyrna’s fall calendar now, but it has taken quite a journey to get here.
When Smyrna Parks and Recreation’s Jodi Mills began working for the city in 2010, the department’s Halloween celebration looked a little different.
Back then, it was called Casper’s Friendly Castle and was held on a Friday morning inside the Smyrna Community Center for preschoolers, with inflatables, carnival games, hayrides and a magic show.
Over time, the event grew. It moved outdoors, shifted to Friday evenings and welcomed older children into the fun.
And then came 2020.
With gathering together in the usual way off the table, the Parks and Recreation team got creative.
Families stayed in their cars for a Halloween drive-through, making their way around the Community Center while taking in festive scenes. Staff even used clean trash grabbers to pass goodie bags through car windows.
Because if there is one thing we learned in 2020, it is that sometimes you just have to improvise.
The event moved again in 2021, this time to Taylor-Brawner Park while Village Green Park was under construction. After two years there, Parks and Recreation realized the location was too large and lacked the power access the event needed.
So in 2023, they tried something new.
They brought Halloween to Smyrna Market Village.
And that is when everything seemed to fall into place.
The celebration officially became Spooky Fest, Market Village businesses joined in as candy stops, and families could wander from storefront to storefront through the heart of downtown.
Suddenly, the event felt less like something happening at Market Village and more like Market Village itself was part of the celebration.
For Jodi, that community involvement is one of the things that makes Spooky Fest feel particularly Smyrna.
Local businesses get to welcome families through their doors, Parks and Recreation gets a little help with the mountain of candy needed for the evening, and residents get to experience Market Village in a different way.
Everybody wins.
Last year, Parks and Recreation partnered with Lickers & Whines to add a pet costume parade — exactly the kind of entertainment you would expect from animals dressed for Halloween.
Among the memorable entries were a spaghetti-and-meatballs costume and a Chihuahua cruising in a remote-controlled car.
The pet parade returns this year at 6:30 p.m., and Jodi says Lickers & Whines has even bigger plans in store.
Families can also expect candy stops, music, food vendors and “Spooky Scenes” perfect for Halloween photos. Parks and Recreation will hand out special trick-or-treat bags, and costumes are encouraged — but never required.
“Everyone is welcome,” Jodi said. “Families can come as they are for an enjoyable evening.”
And really, that may be the best way to describe Spooky Fest.
Come dressed as a ghost. Come with a dog dressed as dinner. Come straight from work. Come with your kids, your neighbors or your friends.
Just come ready to have some fun.
Because for one October evening, Market Village turns into one big neighborhood Halloween party.
And everyone is invited.
Spooky Fest 2026
Friday, October 16 | 6–9 p.m.
Smyrna Market Village | Free Admission
Pick up a special trick-or-treat bag from the Smyrna Parks and Recreation tent, then make your way through Market Village for candy stops, music, food vendors and Spooky Scenes perfect for photos.
The Pet Costume Parade begins at 6:30 p.m., with registration handled by Lickers & Whines.
At 7 p.m., head to Village Green Park for a double feature beginning with It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and followed by KPop Demon Hunters.
Parking is available behind City Hall, at Smyrna Baptist Church and at the Smyrna Library.
“Everyone is welcome. Families can come as they are for an enjoyable evening.” — Jodi Mills