Free Jack O' Lantern Jamboree set for Oct. 24–25 at The Mill on Etowah in Canton

Dated location file photo, Aug. 16, 2025: Railroad tracks run between brick buildings at The Mill on Etowah in Canton, Georgia. Photo: John Phelan / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0). Resized; website wordmark added. Photo source · License

Families looking for a free Halloween outing have one on the calendar for Oct. 24–25: the third annual Jack O' Lantern Jamboree at The Mill on Etowah, 225 Reformation Pkwy. in Canton. Admission is free for all ages, according to the Explore Canton listing, and the event is presented by Goin' Social Events.

Explore Canton and the organizer's Saturday vendor listing both give hours of noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24. Explore Canton lists Sunday, Oct. 25, from noon to 7 p.m.

What's on the schedule

Trick-or-treating runs throughout the festival, and the organizer says vendors will be dressed in costume and taking part in it. Halloween character meet-and-greets are offered both days, with different characters each day.

The evening draw is Scream on the Green, an outdoor movie with one featured film each day. The organizer has not yet named the titles but says they will be PG-rated, and it invites viewers to bring blankets and lawn chairs.

Live music is scheduled both days, with performances from School of Rock and Mad Margritt among the acts listed. For adults, pop-up bars and participating restaurants plan Halloween-themed drinks.

Before you go

Parking is free in any available space in the Mill on Etowah lot, according to the Eventeny page. The festival is billed as pet-friendly.

Smoking and vaping are prohibited in all event areas. The organizer says they are permitted only in designated parking lot areas, and only if venue management and applicable law allow it. Anyone found smoking or vaping outside authorized areas may be removed from the event without a refund.

Plan meals accordingly: the vendor rules bar food trucks and full meal services. Snack vendors may sell items such as pre-packaged treats, funnel cakes and non-alcoholic drinks, and participating restaurants are part of the drinks lineup.

For local makers and businesses

Vendor and sponsor applications on the organizer's Eventeny page carry an Oct. 16, 2026 deadline, which is Friday. Categories include one-day and two-day general vendor spots, activity vendors and snack or drink vendors. The organizer says full-scale businesses must sponsor the event rather than apply as general vendors.