Count Dracula may not live full time in Transylvania County, but we’re pretty sure he clears his schedule every year for Heart of Brevard’s Halloweenfest, the trickiest, treatiest, most spooktacular celebration around.

Join us this year for our 2021 Halloweenfest & Spooky Stroll Downtown Open House! For this event we will close our downtown streets to traffic to allow for our annual costume competition and parade, pet costume competition and parade, live music, virtual pumpkin carving contest, downtown trick or treating and more. Open streets will allow us to create a safe and fun environment for all participants and attendees, ensuring plenty of space for social distancing.

This year’s event will be held on October 30th, 10am-4pm, in the Heart of Brevard. More information is available below! 

For many years, Halloweenfest has been one of our community’s most anticipated and beloved events. Last year we were forced by the pandemic to cancel all major downtown events. Our special events require months of planning to ensure a fun and successful event for all and we have been planning since the spring to bring Halloweenfest once again to downtown.  With the health and safety of our community as our highest priority, we will continue to monitor the recent surge in the Delta Variant, determine the best strategies moving forward in light of this ever-changing situation, and make any warranted changes or cancellations to ensure the safety of our community.

Volunteer for Halloweenfest

We can’t produce these fun, community events without your help. Volunteer opportunities include event set-up, volunteer check-in, assisting attendees and HOB staff, distributing event maps and information, manning the HOB tent, assisting vendors, working the Halloween Costume Contest and more.If you’ve got it, haunt it! 

Volunteers are STRONGLY encouraged to dress up in costume for Halloweenfest. There will be a spooktacular prize for HOB staff’s favorite volunteer costume! HOB will provide refreshments at each shift, plus perks!

Each volunteer shift will earn perks, including downtown gift cards, Pumpkinfest tickets and other fang-tastic prizes!

Learn more about volunteer opportunities and sign up below.

HOB Spooky Stroll Downtown Open House Information

Halloweenfest will expand on the open house model we introduced in 2020 by closing some downtown streets and encouraging businesses to activate the spaces in front of their storefronts. We will NOT have retail vendors on our streets for Halloweenfest though we will offer a limited number of spaces to Nonprofit Vendors and Food Vendors. Open streets create a safe and fun environment for all participants and attendees with plenty of space for social distancing.

Jack ‘o’ Lantern Jubilee Pumpkin Carving Contest

Presented by The Transylvania Times.

• Pumpkins may be carved and/or decorated, and other materials may be incorporated.

• Individual entries will be organized into three categories, broken up by age: Children 0-9, Youth 10-17 and Adult 18+.
• In these categories 1st place winners will receive a $50 VISA gift card and 2nd place winners will receive a $25 VISA gift card.
• Individual entry participants should send photos of their pumpkins to [email protected].

• Only Heart of Brevard businesses may enter the Business Category.
• Judging for the HOB Businesses Category is October 26th
• The business category winner will receive a 1/2-page ad in The Transylvania Times.
• Participating businesses should sign up in the Spooky Stroll Sign Up Form here.

Food Vendor Information

Registration for vendors for Halloweenfest 2021 is now CLOSED.

We have a limited number of spaces available for Food Vendors. Please fill out the online Food Vendor Application/Agreement Form via the button below if you are interested in participating. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, September 29.

Please note, food vendors must agree to accept up to (2) “Truck Bucks” coupons, each redeemable for a full meal or equivalent. HOB’s logo will be printed on the coupons. Vendors must instruct staff to accept “truck bucks” as payment.

Nonprofit Vendor Information

Registration for vendors for Halloweenfest 2021 is now CLOSED.

We have a limited number of spaces available for Nonprofit Vendors. Please fill out the online Nonprofit Vendor Application/Agreement Form via the button below if you are interested in participating. The deadline to apply is Friday, October 8.

Please note, nonprofit vendors are required to have an activity or game to engage event participants. Examples from past festivals included cornhole, face painting, raffles, merchandise for purchase, blood drives, live music and more. If you need some ideas, reach out to Heart of Brevard at [email protected]. We’re happy to help!