Halloween spirit materializes in events around Atlanta

The 10th installment of “The Ghastly Dreadfuls” takes the stage Oct. 12-29 at the Center for Puppetry Arts. CONTRIBUTED BY CENTER FOR PUPPETRY ARTS

The 10th installment of “The Ghastly Dreadfuls” takes the stage Oct. 12-29 at the Center for Puppetry Arts. CONTRIBUTED BY CENTER FOR PUPPETRY ARTS

If haunted houses, ghost tours and Six Flags Over Georgia's Fright Fest can satisfy only some of your thirst for all things Halloween, follow us to these other events — if you dare.

Monsterama

What began two years ago as a boutique horror convention continues transforming into a much larger, bountiful beast. Fans of spooky cinema, books and art have the opportunity to howl over things that go bump in the night. Classic horror, sci-fi and fantasy film actress Caroline Munro (“The Spy Who Loved Me”); “Gremlins” star Zach Galligan; and James Marshall, who played an angst-ridden hunk on TV’s “Twin Peaks,” join more than 20 other special guests. Creature makeup artists, authors, musicians, memorabilia vendors and others haunt the halls of Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center. Film screenings, model-making contests, panel discussions, parties and more scare up three days of entertainment.

Oct. 7-9. $20 Oct. 7; $30 Oct. 8; $25 Oct. 9; $60 three-day pass. Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center, 246 Perimeter Center Parkway N.E., Atlanta. monsteramacon.com.

‘The Ghastly Dreadfuls’

The Center for Puppetry Arts conjures this Halloween-themed vaudevillian romp for its 10th installment. A live-action cast, including creators Jon Ludwig and Jason Hines, weaves a web of creepy yarns, song and dance, and puppetry. With dark humor and a disembodied tongue in cheek, "The Ghastly Dreadfuls" skews 18 and older. Those who can legally imbibe are invited to visit the beer and wine bar before the show and during intermission. Ticket includes access to the Worlds of Puppetry Museum featuring a new exhibit focusing on "Jim Henson's Labyrinth."

8 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays Oct. 12-29. $25; $18.75 for members. Center for Puppetry Arts, 1404 Spring St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-873-3391, puppet.org.

Little 5 Points Halloween Festival and Parade

Leave it to Atlanta’s counterculture haven to lay claim to one of the city’s most storied Halloween events. Now in its 16th year, the festival and parade dish out tricks and treats from noon until 10 p.m. Oct. 15. Live music, oodles of food vendors, and arts and crafts highlight the day. Yet, the event’s beaming jack-o’-lantern continues to be the two-hour parade, which steps off at 4 p.m. The over-the-top seasonal procession — think frightening floats, marching bands and more — begins at the intersection of Euclid and Austin avenues; travels up Euclid; hangs a right on Moreland Avenue; makes a U-turn in front of the Wrecking Bar Brewpub; and wraps at Moreland and Freedom Parkway.

Noon-10 p.m. Oct. 15. Free. Little 5 Points. l5phalloween.com.

‘Spring Break Zombie Massacre’ premiere

It may have been shot last year in Providence, R.I., but the gory guts of this 45-minute horror action comedy, written by and starring Sam Suchmann and Mattie Zufelt, a pair of lifelong buds who both have Down syndrome, have Atlanta DNA. The film’s creators tapped Shane Morton’s Atlanta-based Silver Scream FX Lab to provide creature makeup and practical effects. Local actresses Madeline Brumby and Allison Maier appear in front of the camera alongside protagonists Suchmann and Zufelt. The latter duo use their newfound bionic prowess to try to kick Beelzebub’s butt, stop his demonic and zombie horde, and keep spring break alive. A vinyl-slinging DJ Pauly D (“Jersey Shore”) makes a cameo. For the flick’s Atlanta debut, Suchmann and Zufelt hit the red carpet with director Bobby Carnevale, producer Jesse Suchmann and the homegrown participants. A live filmmakers’ Q&A follows the screening.

7 p.m. Oct. 21. $15. Plaza Theatre, 1049 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 1-800-838-3006, samandmattieatl.brownpapertickets.com.

Capturing the Spirit of Oakland Halloween Tours

Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta’s most historic burial ground, serves as the golden slumber spot for more than 70,000 folks, from unknown Civil War soldiers to “Gone With the Wind” scribe Margaret Mitchell. Even legendary golfer Bobby Jones and former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson bunk there. These Halloween-themed tours, spanning two weekends in October, mark the only time Oakland allows the living to visit after sunset. Costumed guides and actors resurrect the stories of some of Oakland’s residents. Just enough illumination allows ticket holders the opportunity to appreciate the lush Victorian gardens. The event typically draws sell-out crowds, but live music and concessions keep visitors occupied while waiting for the tour to begin. The first six nights already sold out in record time. Limited tickets remain for tours on Oct. 30.

5:30-10:30 p.m. Oct. 21-22; 5:30-9:30 p.m. Oct. 23; 5:30-9:30 p.m. Oct. 27; 5:30-10:30 p.m. Oct. 28-29; 5:30-9:30 p.m. Oct. 30. $25; $13 ages 12 and younger. Historic Oakland Cemetery, 248 Oakland Ave. S.E., Atlanta. 404-688-2107, oaklandcemetery.com.