There will soon be a chill in the air, and Georgia Tech students will soon be enjoying fall break, Oct. 9 – 10. Whether you’re thrill-seeking or looking for a relaxing activity, there is plenty to do around Atlanta to get you in the season’s spirit. 

Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s Woodland Spirits Exhibit 

When: Runs through Nov. 5. Open daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.  

Where: 767 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30307 

The seasonal Woodland Spirits exhibit at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History offers visitors a chance to take a walk on the supernatural side. The exhibit “evokes mystery, adventure, and imagination during the Halloween season” through commissioned sculptures created by artist Laura Lewis. The exhibit is included in the cost of a general admission ticket. 

More information.  

‘The Space Race’ Documentary — Advanced Screening 

When: Friday, Oct. 6, 1:30 p.m. – 4:05 p.m. 

Where: Ferst Center for the Arts, 349 Ferst Dr. NW, Atlanta, GA 30332 

Produced by National Geographic, The Space Race weaves together the stories of Black astronauts, including Guion Bluford, Ed Dwight, and Charles Bolden, among many others. The Tech community is invited to view a free advanced film screening, followed by a panel discussion led by Damon Williams, associate dean for Inclusive Excellence and senior lecturer in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Lawrence Williams — one of the first Black students at Tech — is slated to participate on the panel along with students from AeroAfroAstro.  

More information.  

Fall Festival on Ponce 

When: Oct. 7, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Oct. 8, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

Where: 1451 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta, GA 30307 

Head to historic Olmsted Linear Park on Ponce for this Atlanta-centric festival with over 125 displays of arts and crafts, music, and local food vendors. The two-day festival is free and open to all ages. 

More information. 

Poetry@Tech Reading Series

When: Saturday, Oct. 7, 2 p.m.

Where: Cypress Room, John Lewis Student Center

After a three-year in-person hiatus, Georgia Tech’s renowned Poetry@Tech reading series returns to campus Saturday, Oct. 7. The first reading in this year’s series will celebrate the life and work of esteemed poet, teacher, and mentor David Bottoms — Georgia’s Poet Laureate from 2000 to 2012. Bottoms’ works have earned multiple awards and honors, and his poems have appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, Harper’s, The Kenyon Review, The New Yorker, and many others.

More information. 

Pumpkin Patches and Corn Mazes 

Dates and hours vary by venue.  

Find the perfect pumpkin for your fall decor and navigate your way through a corn maze to celebrate the arrival of fall, with each farm offering its own unique lineup of family-friendly activities.  

• Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta – Special event Oct. 7 – 8.  

• Randy’s Pumpkin Patch, Lawrenceville  

• Buford Corn Maze, Buford 

• Uncle Shuck’s Corn Maze, Dawsonville 

• Sleepy Hallow Farm, Powder Springs  

• Southern Belle Farm, McDonough 

• Burt’s Farm, Dawsonville 

• Pettit Creek Farms, Cartersville 

• Berry Patch Farms, Woodstock  

Netherworld Haunted House 

When: Select dates through Nov. 11. 

Where: 1313 Netherworld Way, Stone Mountain, GA 30087 

Consistently recognized as one of the scariest haunted houses nationwide, Netherworld is back for its 27th year with a new theme, movie-quality special effects, and monsters. If you’re looking to get spooked this fall, the venue recommends purchasing tickets in advance. Tickets are date- and time-specific and reserved in half-hour entry windows. 

More information. 

The Georgia State Fair and the Atlanta Fair 

Nothing says fall like a funnel cake and a Ferris wheel. You can find both, and much more, at the Georgia State Fair, which runs through Oct. 8, and the Atlanta Fair, beginning on Friday, Oct. 6 and running through Nov. 5. 

Georgia State Fair information. 

Atlanta Fair information.