Halloween in Murphy, NC 2026: A Murphy Haunting and Fall Fun Around Town

Halloween in Murphy, NC lands on a Saturday this year, and downtown is ready for it. A Murphy Haunting fills the streets around the Courthouse on October 31 from 4 to 7pm, with downtown businesses and neighbors from across the area handing out treats. Nearby, Hayesville lights up its historic square that same evening, and the Peacock Performing Arts Center tells ghost stories the night before. Here's what's planned for the last week of October, where it happens, and why a calendar like this is one of my favorite things about owning a home here.

What is A Murphy Haunting in 2026?

I'm Bonnie DuPree, a REALTOR® with RE/MAX Town & Country and a Resort & Second-Home Property Specialist (RSPS), and downtown Murphy on Halloween is one of the happiest scenes in our town. A Murphy Haunting is Main Street Murphy's Halloween celebration, set for Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 4 to 7pm throughout downtown. The blue marble Cherokee County Courthouse anchors the afternoon, and the storefronts along Peachtree Street, Tennessee Street and Valley River Avenue become the treat stops.

If you're still getting to know the area, my Murphy, NC real estate and mountain lifestyle guide gives you the lay of the land first. Here's the whole week at a glance:

What happens at A Murphy Haunting on October 31?

Main Street Murphy keeps the plan simple and generous. From 4 to 7pm, the downtown businesses hand out candy, and other businesses and individuals from all over the area join them throughout downtown to hand out even more treats. The town even invites businesses and organizations located outside downtown to take part, which is why the Haunting feels like the whole county showing up on a few blocks.

Here is what the town publishes about the day:

• When: Saturday, October 31, 2026, 4 to 7pm.
• Where: Downtown Murphy, with participants set up throughout the downtown streets.
• Handing out treats: Businesses, organizations and individuals who want a spot fill out the Halloween Booth/Table Application ahead of time. The town asks participants not to just show up, and assigns each spot closer to the event.
• Questions: The Downtown Development Director is listed at (828) 837-2510, extension 6.

Any updates will appear on Main Street Murphy's A Murphy Haunting page. It's the place to watch for any final details the week of the event.

When the treats wind down at 7, supper is only a few steps away, and my downtown Murphy restaurant and brewery guide covers the spots on Tennessee, Peachtree and Valley River.

What other Halloween and fall events are near Murphy?

The last week of October stretches across the whole region, and every event below has a 2026 date on an official or organizer page:

1. Trick or Treat on the Hayesville Square. The Clay County NC Chamber of Commerce calendar lists Saturday, October 31, from 5 to 8pm on the Historic Hayesville Square, welcoming "all ghosts and goblins." Because it starts an hour after the Haunting and runs an hour later, the two fit neatly into one evening.
2. Stage Fright: Ghost Stories at The Peacock. On Friday, October 30, at 7:30pm, the Peacock Performing Arts Center in Hayesville hosts creepy tales, haunting music, theatrical sketches and a costume parade for all with prizes, part of its Scribes on Stage series. Ticket tiers are on the Peacock's Stage Fright ticket page.
3. Songwriters Showcase 64. The Peacock also hosts an evening of original music on Saturday, October 24, from 7:30 to 10pm.
4. Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives. Harrah's Cherokee Valley River in Murphy lists this concert for October 24, 2026. Check the venue's shows page for the start time and tickets.
5. Appalachian Brew and Music Festival. The Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds hosts more than 70 breweries, live music, food vendors and regional crafts to the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee on October 24 from 11am to 5pm. Advance tickets are listed at $55 and gate tickets at $60.

For a fuller look at that first Saturday, see my guide to a late-October Saturday in Murphy, which pairs the day's events with a walk along the river and late-season color on the ridges, which typically lingers at the lower elevations into late October.

What does a Halloween like this mean when you live here?

A visitor sees one fun Saturday. A resident sees the pattern: Paint the Town Fall in late September, Second Saturday every month, a music festival in October, the Haunting on the 31st, and the Christmas Tree Lighting and Christmas Parade in December. That rhythm is what I point out to anyone weighing a move, because it shapes which location will feel right. Here is how Halloween plays out from different parts of the area:

1. In-town homes near the Courthouse. Homes inside the Town of Murphy limits typically have town water and sewer, and many are within an easy walk of Valley River Avenue. On October 31, you simply lock the door and stroll down to the festivities on foot.
2. Homes near the River Walk. The Murphy River Walk runs roughly 3 miles one way along the Valley and Hiwassee rivers, with trailheads at Konehete Park and the Old L&N Depot. A home near a trailhead turns the evening into a riverside walk home under the porch lights.
3. Edge-of-town neighborhoods. Tarheel sits just off Talc Mine Road behind the Murphy Fire Department, about five minutes from downtown, with wooded lots and Forest Service boundaries close by.
4. Homes toward Hayesville and Lake Chatuge. Hayesville is roughly 20 minutes from Murphy on US-64, so homes between the two towns can enjoy both squares on Halloween night.
5. Lake and mountain homes. Most of Hiwassee Lake's shoreline is national forest, so homes around it keep their wooded views and still reach downtown for an evening out. Drive times vary by cove and road, so I always encourage you to time the drive from a specific address.

Why is a first fall in a new Murphy home so special?

As an RSPS, much of my work is helping people turn a favorite getaway into a home base. The first fall in a new home is when that shift really happens. You hang a wreath on your own front door, set pumpkins on your own porch steps, and walk into town for an event you'll now see every year. My team, The DuPree Real Estate Group, loves hearing how those first seasons go.

If you're touring homes this fall, an evening like the Haunting shows you details that matter:

• Walkability. You'll see which blocks feel like an easy stroll to the Courthouse, the shops and the river.
• Porches and lighting. Late October gets dark early, so it's a lovely time to notice how a home's porch, walkway and exterior lights welcome you in the evening.
• Seasonal access. You'll learn whether you'd rather walk in from an in-town street or drive in from a lake or mountain property.

Second-home owners can plan an arrival around October 31 the same way they plan around the second weekend of each month. My Second Saturday guide to downtown Murphy explains that monthly rhythm.

For everything else happening this season, my October 2026 events calendar for Murphy gathers the rest of the month in one place.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is A Murphy Haunting in 2026?

A Murphy Haunting is on Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 4 to 7pm in downtown Murphy, NC. Downtown businesses and other area businesses and individuals hand out treats throughout downtown.

Can a business or organization hand out treats at A Murphy Haunting?

Yes. Main Street Murphy invites businesses, organizations and individuals, including those located outside downtown, to apply through its Halloween Booth/Table Application. The town assigns spots closer to the event and asks participants not to just show up.

Is there trick-or-treating in Hayesville on Halloween 2026?

Yes. The Clay County NC Chamber of Commerce calendar lists Trick or Treat on the Hayesville Square on Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 5 to 8pm on the Historic Hayesville Square, roughly 20 minutes from Murphy via US-64.

What Halloween events are near Murphy the night before?

On Friday, October 30, 2026, the Peacock Performing Arts Center in Hayesville hosts Stage Fright: Ghost Stories at The Peacock at 7:30pm, with spooky tales, haunting music and a costume parade for all with prizes. It's a ticketed event.

Which Murphy homes are within walking distance of downtown?

Many homes inside the Town of Murphy limits sit within an easy walk of the Courthouse, Valley River Avenue and the Murphy River Walk. For lake and mountain homes, I encourage you to time the drive from the specific address.

Celebrate Halloween in Murphy, then make it home

Walk the treat stops downtown, catch the Hayesville Square after dark, and let the porch lights guide you home. Then picture every fall like this one waiting for you. Make Murphy the home you drive from, not to. When you're ready, browse current homes for sale around Murphy and see which ones put downtown within an easy walk.

I'd love to help you find yours. Reach out to me directly, or call me at (828) 361-1027, and let's talk about how close to the festivities you'd like to live.

The DuPree Real Estate Group is pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity. Bonnie DuPree, REALTOR® · RE/MAX Town & Country · Each Office Independently Owned and Operated.