Stone Mountain Park’s 2026 Pumpkin Festival runs Friday through Sunday from September 19 through November 1, with festival attractions opening at 2 p.m. each day and a single ticket covering both the daytime activities and the evening “Glow by Night” experience. That ticket is separate from the park’s $25 daily parking pass (or $40 annual pass) — you need both to get the full event.
This guide breaks down exactly what the parking pass covers versus what needs a ticket, current pricing, which parts of the festival suit toddlers versus which parts are really built for older kids who can handle fireworks and a later bedtime, and where dogs are and aren’t allowed once the festival footprint takes over part of the park.
Stone Mountain Park sits about 15 miles east of downtown Atlanta, roughly 25-30 minutes via I-20 East to I-285 North to US-78 East in normal traffic — see our full Stone Mountain Park guide for everything outside the Pumpkin Festival, including the Walk-Up Trail and Summit Skyride.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What does a visit actually cost? | Two separate charges: a parking pass at $25 per vehicle per day (or $40 per vehicle annual), plus a Pumpkin Festival & Attractions Ticket at $39.99 adult and $36.99 child. Buying one does not cover the other. |
| How long should you budget? | 3-5 hours. |
| What time does the festival start? | Pumpkin Festival attractions and Play by Day open at 2 p.m. The Summit Skyride opens earlier, at 10 a.m. |
| When is the best time to go? | A Friday evening or a Sunday afternoon. Saturday is the busiest day by a wide margin, and the festival runs Friday through Sunday only. |
| Are dogs allowed? | Not inside the festival. Pets are excluded from ticketed and Special Event Areas, which covers the whole festival footprint; leashed pets are fine on the park’s general trails and non-event picnic areas. |
| Is it stroller-friendly? | Partly. Strollers are allowed on the grounds but must be parked outside most individual attractions. Rentals are available at the Adventure Center with a valid ID. |
| How far is it from Atlanta? | About 15 miles, roughly 25-30 minutes via I-20 East to I-285 North to US-78 East in normal traffic. |
Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival at a Glance
| Detail | What to Know |
|---|---|
| 2026 dates | September 19-November 1, Friday-Sunday only, confirmed on stonemountainpark.com |
| Hours | Summit Skyride opens 10 a.m.; Pumpkin Festival attractions and “Play by Day” open at 2 p.m. |
| Parking pass | $25/vehicle/day, or $40/vehicle annual — separate from the festival ticket |
| Pumpkin Festival & Attractions Ticket | Adult $39.99, child $36.99 (covers both day and night activities) |
| Timed entry | None confirmed — tickets are valid for one visit on the selected date, not a specific entry time |
| Evening show | “Glow by Night”: Pumpkin Drone & Light Show, Enchanted Glow-a-Long Parade with fireworks, glow mini-golf; included in the daily ticket |
| Dogs | Leashed pets allowed in general park areas, but not in ticketed/Special Event Areas — which covers the Pumpkin Festival footprint |
| Strollers | Allowed, but must be parked outside most individual attractions; rentals available at the Adventure Center |
When is the Pumpkin Festival, and what time does it start?
The 2026 Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival runs from September 19 through November 1, operating Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only — it’s not a daily event, so a Tuesday visit to the park won’t include any festival programming. This confirms as an officially posted 2026 schedule on stonemountainpark.com at the time of writing.
Within festival hours, the Summit Skyride opens at 10 a.m., ahead of the rest of the festival, so an early arrival gets you the mountain-top view and the Walk-Up Trail before the festival crowd shows up. Pumpkin Festival attractions and daytime programming open at 2 p.m., meaning there’s a real gap between park opening and festival opening on any given day — plan your morning around the park’s general attractions if you’re arriving before early afternoon.
What do tickets cost, and what do they cover?
For the September 19-November 1 window, Stone Mountain sells a Pumpkin Festival & Attractions Ticket priced at $39.99 for adults and $36.99 for children, per the park’s current ticketing page — the same price tier as the park’s standard Attractions Ticket the rest of the year, just rebranded for the event window. One ticket covers both the daytime “Play by Day” programming and the evening “Glow by Night” experience; there’s no separate day ticket and night ticket to choose between.
There is no confirmed timed-entry requirement. Tickets are date-specific — “valid for one visit on the date selected at the time of purchase” — and get exchanged for a wristband at the gate, but the park doesn’t appear to assign a specific entry hour within that day. If you want a specific evening show seat, the park does sell separate Light Show seating packages starting around $15 as an add-on.
The Summit Skyride can be purchased on its own outside the full ticket if all you want is the cable-car ride to the summit and skip the festival grounds entirely.
What does parking cost, and is it included?
Every vehicle needs a parking pass regardless of whether you buy a festival ticket: $25 per vehicle for a single day, or $40 per vehicle for an annual pass that pays for itself after two visits. Parking is billed separately from the Pumpkin Festival & Attractions Ticket — buying one doesn’t cover the other. There’s no shuttle system described for the festival; you park within the park’s own lots and walk to the festival entrance.
Daily parking passes allow entry and exit for the day, but re-entry “may be difficult on busy days, holidays, or during large events” per the park’s own FAQ. Treat Pumpkin Festival Fridays and Saturdays as exactly that kind of large event and plan to stay once you’re parked rather than counting on an easy trip back in.
Which day and time should you go?
Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons are the lighter windows; Saturdays are the festival’s busiest day by a wide margin. Since the festival only runs Friday through Sunday, there’s no true weekday-quiet option the way there is at many attractions — plan around which of the three days works best instead.
Because “Play by Day” and “Glow by Night” run on the same ticket starting at 2 p.m., arriving right at 2 p.m. gets you the shortest lines for the daytime meet-and-greets and hay maze before the after-school and after-work crowd arrives later in the afternoon. If your family mainly wants the glow attractions and the drone show, arriving in the early evening — after the daytime rush has thinned out but with enough daylight left to get oriented — is a reasonable middle ground, though the park doesn’t publish an official “least crowded hour.”
| Play by Day | Glow by Night | |
|---|---|---|
| When it runs | Opens at 2 p.m. with the rest of the festival attractions | Evening. An exact start time is not published. |
| Ticket | Included in the Pumpkin Festival & Attractions Ticket, $39.99 adult and $36.99 child | Same ticket — there is no separate night ticket. Optional reserved Light Show seating starts around $15. |
| What you get | Character meet-and-greets, storytelling, a hay maze, fairy-tale scenes, and a pie-eating contest | Pumpkin Tree Lighting, the Enchanted Glow-a-Long Parade with fireworks, the Pumpkin Drone & Light Show, ten themed storybook areas with more than 40 lit scenes, glow-in-the-dark mini-golf, and dinosaur encounters |
| Noise | Daytime programming that does not depend on tolerating loud noise | Fireworks and a drone show, with no quiet-viewing area described on the park site |
| Weather risk | Not published | The drone component is weather-dependent; wind or storms can mean the show runs without drones or is adjusted |
| Best for | Toddlers and early-elementary kids who will be worn out before a 7 or 8 p.m. show | Older kids who can handle fireworks and a later bedtime |
Play by Day or Glow by Night: which suits your kids?
Younger kids do better with “Play by Day”: character meet-and-greets, storytelling, a hay maze, fairy-tale scenes, and a pie-eating contest, all daytime programming that doesn’t depend on staying up late or tolerating loud noise. This is the half of the festival built around toddlers and early-elementary kids who’ll be worn out well before a 7 or 8 p.m. show.
“Glow by Night” is the better fit for older kids — the Pumpkin Tree Lighting, the Enchanted Glow-a-Long Parade with fireworks, the Pumpkin Drone & Light Show, ten themed storybook areas with more than 40 lit scenes, glow-in-the-dark mini-golf, and dinosaur encounters. The fireworks and drone show in particular are worth knowing about in advance if you have a noise-sensitive younger child; there’s no quiet-viewing area described on the park’s site, so plan your position accordingly if that’s a concern.
Strollers are fine to bring into the festival grounds generally, but the park’s own rules say strollers must be parked outside most individual attractions — expect to leave it at the entrance to specific exhibits and carry younger kids through. Stroller rentals are available at the Adventure Center with a valid ID if you’d rather not bring your own on top of everything else for a festival evening. For a lower-key family day elsewhere in Atlanta before or after your Stone Mountain trip, our free things to do in Atlanta with kids guide and best Georgia state parks for kids roundup both cover stroller-friendly options.
Can you bring a dog to the Pumpkin Festival?
Leave the dog at home if the plan is to actually attend the Pumpkin Festival — pets aren’t permitted in ticketed areas, and the entire festival footprint requires a ticket. Stone Mountain Park’s general rules allow leashed dogs and cats (6-foot leash maximum) through most of the park’s open grounds, but that permission doesn’t extend into Special Event Areas or any ticketed attraction, which is effectively the whole Pumpkin Festival experience for the length of the event.
If you’re visiting the park on a festival day but skipping the festival itself, leashed pets are still fine on the park’s general trails, like the Cherokee and Muscogee Trails, and in non-event picnic areas — just plan your route to avoid the festival’s fenced or gated sections. The park notes it doesn’t offer pet boarding on-site, so if you’re combining a festival evening with a dog you brought along for the drive, you’ll need an off-site plan for them, not a pen at the gate.
Where to Stay
Stone Mountain works well as a half-day-to-evening add-on rather than requiring an overnight, especially paired with a broader Atlanta visit. See our weekend getaways from Atlanta guide for how to sequence a Pumpkin Festival evening with a full day downtown, and our main Stone Mountain Park guide for lodging options inside and near the park, including the Atlanta Evergreen Lakeside Resort.
What to Skip / Common Mistakes
- Don’t show up expecting festival programming on a weekday. The Pumpkin Festival runs Friday through Sunday only; other days at the park have no festival activity even during the September 19-November 1 window.
- Don’t forget parking is separate from the festival ticket. Budget for both the $25/$40 parking pass and the $39.99/$36.99 Pumpkin Festival & Attractions Ticket per person.
- Don’t arrive right at park opening expecting festival activities. Gates open at 5 a.m. and the Skyride at 10 a.m., but Pumpkin Festival programming doesn’t start until 2 p.m.
- Don’t bring the dog into the festival grounds. Ticketed and Special Event Areas exclude pets, and there’s no on-site boarding.
- Don’t count on easy re-entry if you leave mid-visit. The park’s own FAQ warns re-entry can be difficult during large events.
Weather and Rain Policy
Stone Mountain Park’s events generally run rain or shine, per the park’s FAQ, though individual attractions can pause temporarily during severe weather like thunderstorms, lightning, or high wind. The Pumpkin Drone & Light Show specifically depends on calm conditions — the drone component is described as weather-dependent, so a windy or stormy evening could mean the light and laser portion runs without the drones, or the show is adjusted. Check the park’s site or in-park announcements on the day of your visit if weather looks questionable.
What if you only have one evening, or a stroller and a toddler?
| If you… | Do this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Only have one evening | Arrive in the early evening and go straight to Glow by Night | The same Pumpkin Festival & Attractions Ticket covers the evening half – there is no separate night ticket – and the early evening lands after the daytime rush thins but with daylight left to get oriented. |
| Only have a few hours in the afternoon | Arrive right at 2 p.m. for the meet-and-greets and hay maze | Festival attractions and Play by Day open at 2 p.m., so 2 p.m. is the shortest-line window before the after-school and after-work crowd. The ideal visit is 3-5 hours. |
| Want to keep the cost down | Buy the $40 annual parking pass if you will come twice, or buy the Summit Skyride on its own | Parking is billed separately from the ticket at $25 per vehicle per day, so the annual pass pays for itself after two visits. The Skyride can be purchased without the festival ticket. |
| Can only come on Saturday | Park once and stay put – do not plan to leave and come back | Saturday is the busiest festival day by a wide margin, and the park’s own FAQ warns that re-entry may be difficult on busy days and during large events. |
| Have a toddler and a stroller | Do Play by Day and leave before the evening show. Rent a stroller at the Adventure Center with a valid ID if you would rather not bring one | Strollers are allowed on the grounds but must be parked outside most individual attractions, and Glow by Night adds fireworks and a drone show with no quiet-viewing area described. |
| Are bringing the dog | Leave the dog home, or skip the festival and walk the Cherokee and Muscogee Trails instead | Pets are not permitted in ticketed or Special Event Areas, which is the entire festival footprint. Leashed pets (6-foot leash maximum) are fine on general trails and non-event picnic areas, and the park offers no on-site boarding. |
| Hit wind, rain, or a storm | Come anyway, but treat the drone show as the part that may change | Park events generally run rain or shine, though individual attractions can pause during thunderstorms, lightning, or high wind, and the drone component is weather-dependent. |
FAQ
What are the 2026 dates for the Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival?
The 2026 Pumpkin Festival runs September 19 through November 1, operating Friday, Saturday, and Sunday each week, according to stonemountainpark.com. There’s no festival programming on Monday through Thursday during that window.
Does the Stone Mountain parking pass cover the Pumpkin Festival?
No. The $25 daily (or $40 annual) parking pass gets your vehicle into the park, but the Pumpkin Festival itself requires a separate Pumpkin Festival & Attractions Ticket, priced at $39.99 for adults and $36.99 for children.
Do I need a separate ticket for the nighttime Glow by Night show?
No. The Pumpkin Festival & Attractions Ticket covers both the daytime “Play by Day” activities and the evening “Glow by Night” experience, including the drone and light show and the parade. Optional reserved seating packages for the light show start around $15 extra.
Are dogs allowed at the Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival?
No, pets aren’t permitted in ticketed or Special Event Areas, which covers the Pumpkin Festival grounds. Leashed dogs are still allowed in the park’s general trail and picnic areas outside the festival footprint.
Is there a toddler-friendly part of the Pumpkin Festival?
Yes — the daytime “Play by Day” programming (character meet-and-greets, storytelling, a hay maze, and fairy-tale scenes) is built for younger kids, while the evening “Glow by Night” activities, including fireworks and a drone show, suit older kids better.
How far is Stone Mountain Park from downtown Atlanta?
About 15 miles, roughly 25-30 minutes via I-20 East to I-285 North to US-78 East in normal traffic. Allow extra time on festival Friday and Saturday evenings.
Should we go on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday?
Pick a Friday evening or a Sunday afternoon. Saturday is the festival’s busiest day by a wide margin, and because the event runs Friday through Sunday only, there is no quiet weekday alternative. The ticket and the $25 parking pass cost the same on all three days, so the trade-off is purely crowd size and how difficult re-entry becomes.
Is the Pumpkin Festival worth it with a toddler?
Yes, if you go for the daytime half and leave before the evening show. Play by Day opens at 2 p.m. with character meet-and-greets, storytelling, a hay maze, and fairy-tale scenes built for younger kids. Glow by Night adds fireworks and a drone show with no quiet-viewing area described, which most toddlers will not last for anyway.
What should you do if you only have one evening?
Arrive in the early evening and spend it on Glow by Night. The same Pumpkin Festival & Attractions Ticket covers it, so there is nothing extra to buy beyond the $25 parking pass. That gets you the Pumpkin Tree Lighting, the Enchanted Glow-a-Long Parade with fireworks, the Pumpkin Drone & Light Show, and glow-in-the-dark mini-golf.
What is the cheapest way to do the Pumpkin Festival?
There is no cheaper day – the ticket and the parking pass cost the same Friday through Sunday. If you will visit twice in the September 19-November 1 window, the $40 annual parking pass beats paying $25 per day and pays for itself after two visits. If you only want the cable car, the Summit Skyride sells separately.
How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on . Operators change schedules and raise prices without notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you drive. The figures in this guide also feed our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index and Family Day-Out Cost Index.
Sources
- Stone Mountain Park – Pumpkin Festival
- Stone Mountain Park – Attractions & Event Tickets
- Stone Mountain Park – Parking Pricing
- Stone Mountain Park – FAQs (Strollers, Pets, Re-entry, Weather)
- Stone Mountain Park – Rules & Pet Policy
- Stone Mountain Park – Directions
Hank Whitlock is the pen name of the It's Georgia editor. Every guide is built around the questions a busy family actually asks before a trip: how long is the drive, what does parking cost, can the stroller make it, are dogs allowed. Details are checked against official park, city, and venue sources, and each guide shows the date it was last updated.
