Halloween in Cobb County Isn’t Just for Trick-or-Treaters
Believe it or not, it’s almost time to dust the cobwebs off your costume and celebrate Halloween.
This year, don’t leave all the spooky fun for the little ghosts and goblins trick-or-treating on your street. From networking opportunities to escape room challenges and costume showdowns, there are ghoulishly good times to be had for all.
October Haunt After Hours
Six Flags Over Georgia,
275 Riverside Parkway SW, Austell
Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016 4:30-8 p.m.
Tickets $15 online at cobbafterhours.com by Oct. 23 at midnight; $30 at door
Supported by more than 18 local business organizations, the sixth annual October Haunt After Hours will welcome more than 2,000 business owners to this business-focused networking event. Select rides will be open, including a secret ride selected by the president of Six Flags Over Georgia. Admission includes all rides, food and drinks, entertainment and a few spooky surprises.
The idea for the event came together about seven years ago when Wayne Dodd, former president of the South Cobb Business Association, and David Connell, president of the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce, wanted to create a premier event to showcase the new-and-improved Six Flags Over Georgia to the local business community that could also be utilized as a partnership event for multiple chambers and business associations to come together in a private party atmosphere. October Haunt is an adult-focused evening, and Dodd assures that kids are allowed but not encouraged.
“The event consistently pulls in more than 2,000 attendees with 125 sponsors every year,” Dodd says. “There is something for everyone, from riding the specially selected rides to finding your fill of great culinary delights from multiple caterers and plenty of beer and wine plus special drinks.” Attendees will also enjoy three DJs, as well as live performance artists.
Dodd adds this partnership event, which includes more than 20 metro Atlanta chambers of commerce and business organizations, addresses the reality that business no longer stops at the county line. “The October Haunt has emerged as a truly regional event,” he says.
This year, active duty and retired military get in free and two military-focused charities, Sheppard’s Men and Positive Americans, will receive a percentage of the proceeds from ticket sales, as well as Marietta-based MUST Ministries. So whether you’re actively seeking new clients for your business or just looking to have a spooktacular time, the October Haunt is a great way to celebrate an adults-only Halloween.
The Escapery
1349 Old Highway 41 NW,
Suite 235, Marietta
theescapery.com
Tickets are $28 per person
Want to feel like the hero of your own action-packed adventure? Established by husband and wife team Marc and April Simmons of Marietta, The Escapery opened in February to offer Cobb residents an escape room game that requires teamwork and ingenuity to solve a series of puzzles and riddles to escape in one hour.
April Simmons says The Escapery differs from other escape room games in a few key ways: her husband, Marc, a Georgia Tech graduate, hand-built every one of the featured puzzles; the game is family-friendly and puts an emphasis on birthday parties and family events; and it offers custom-tailored team-building packages and fun-filled adventure for families, school groups, civic organizations, ladies nights out and more. In less than five months, The Escapery has become Trip Advisor’s No. 1 recommended activity in Marietta.
“We want to give everyone the chance to be the hero with their friends, family and co-workers, working together to solve fun puzzles,” Marc Simmons says. “It is one of the best ways to get people off their cell phones and engaging with each other in a dynamic way.”
Below are a few of The Escapery’s upcoming events and adventures:
Destiny: The Upside Down From Oct. 16-31, 2016, The Escapery’s original “Destiny” escape room will be transformed into a spooky experience full of thrills and chills with special Halloween spook-factor. Tickets cost $28 per person and will be available for purchase beginning Oct. 1, 2016.
Owl-O-Ween Hot Air Balloon Festival The Escapery will host The Tablets of Destiny, a uniquely exciting scavenger hunt at KSU’s Owl-O-Ween Festival, Oct. 21-22, 2016 (see more about this event below). Groups will receive a hunt card with an ominous story of ancient ceremonies, hidden powers and a terrible ritual that must be stopped. Gather your courage and find The Escapery tent at the festival!
Eat, Game and Be Scary! Join The Escapery Crew Thursday, Oct. 26, 2016, for a creepy, crawly night of games, ghouls and noshing. The party is part of The Escapery’s biweekly series of game nights hosted Wednesday evenings starting at 7:30. The staff will host and teach non-traditional board games, delicious food will be served and prizes will be awarded for best costumes. The Escapery’s Game Night is geared toward adult gamers and is always free to the community.
Owl-O-Ween Hot Air Balloon Festival
Kennesaw State University Sports and Entertainment Park,
200 George Busbee Parkway, Kennesaw
Friday, Oct. 21-Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016
owl-o-ween.com
Adult tickets $12, children ages 4-12 $5. VIP tickets $75 and include three drinks, dinner from Carrabba’s Italian Grill, VIP parking, balloon ride, VIP entrance. Prices set to increase Oct. 16, 2016
The 4th Annual Owl-O-Ween Hot Air Balloon Festival is Atlanta’s only hot air balloon festival and largest costume party, featuring more than 20 hot air balloons, five stages of entertainment and more than 40 vendors. Step into the mystical world for two nights of trick-or-treating, tethered balloon rides, OktoberFest-style celebrations featuring a variety of beers, live entertainment and more. Hosted by Star 94.1 at Kennesaw State University’s Sports and Entertainment Park, the event is perfect for adults and families alike to celebrate the most spectacularly spooky time of year all while watching the giant balloons light up the sky.
