Tennessee Town Attracts Thousands with Halloween Movie Event

Harriman, Tennessee, near Knoxville, has only about a 6,000-person population. Yet when they held their second annual Halloween event in 2019, they had nearly 5,000 attendees. How did they attract such an incredible turnout? With the right films, engaging pre-show activities and enticing free concessions.

The event started with a Main Street Trunk-or-Treat outside of their small, historic community theater. Over 100 trunks handed out candy – taking up three blocks in both directions. But the treats didn’t end there. The city also offered hot dogs, funnel cakes, nachos, cookies and drinks – all for free – which attendees could enjoy outside or while watching the Halloween film inside their community’s historic public performance theater.

When selecting the featured flick for this event, organizer’s try to consider all attendees. To keep things engaging for older attendees, while still ensuring content is family-friendly, the city typically selects a popular throwback Halloween film. This past year they showed “Captain Blood” and “Ghostbusters.”

Additional entertainment included music, games and a costume contest! Following the event, many expressed their happiness with the night’s festivities and already looking forward to the next year. “Harriman outdid itself!” one community member wrote. “I’m so so thankful for everything everyone has been doing for our little town this year.” Another user wrote: “AWESOME TURNOUT!!! First time I’ve seen so many people together in Harriman since I moved here.”

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