Knoxville sets no official trick-or-treat hours. Halloween is Saturday, Oct. 31; Market Square and Union Avenue businesses give out candy 5 to 8 p.m.

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. This page is updated each year. Facts come from Downtown Knoxville, Zoo Knoxville, the City of Knoxville events calendar and the organizers linked below.

The City of Knoxville does not set official trick-or-treat hours. Halloween falls on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, and families trick-or-treat in their own neighborhoods in the early evening. The biggest organized event is Trick or Treat on the Square downtown, 5 to 8 p.m., when businesses on Market Square and Union Avenue hand out candy. For the full Halloween calendar, see things to do this month.

Who to call

  • Emergencies: 911
  • Knoxville Police Department non-emergency: 865-215-4010
  • Knox County Sheriff’s Office (outside city limits): knoxsheriff.org
  • Downtown event questions: Downtown Knoxville

Halloween night: Saturday, Oct. 31

  • Trick or Treat on the Square: 5 to 8 p.m. Free. Follow the giant candy corns along Market Square and Union Avenue; each one marks a business with treats inside, and the organizers say participating businesses will also have non-candy treats for children with allergies or dietary limits. Pick up a free tote bag at the Downtown Knoxville table at 17 Market Square while supplies last. Costumed characters, cornhole and other games fill the center of the square.
  • Monsters at the Museum: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Museum of East Tennessee History, 601 S. Gay St. Free, with Halloween crafts, story times and walking tours. Children can wear costumes.
  • Miles for Milestones 5K and Fall Festival: 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 4901 Bradshaw Road, with a 100-yard dash, a costume contest and inclusive trick-or-treating. City listing

Before Halloween

  • Boo! at the Zoo: 5:30 to 9 p.m. on select nights: Saturday, Oct. 17; Thursday to Saturday, Oct. 22-24; and Thursday and Friday, Oct. 29-30. A storybook trick-or-treat trail, the HallowGlow Forest and a Monster Mash dance party. Last zoo entry 8 p.m., last trail entry 8:15 p.m. Tickets through Zoo Knoxville.
  • Halloween Trick or Treat Trails: 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, and Friday, Oct. 23, at Ancient Lore Village, 7107 Sevierville Pike. Listing
  • Scare on the Square: 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, on Market Square, family-friendly with live music. City listing

Trunk-or-treats

Churches, schools and community groups across Knoxville hold trunk-or-treats, where children go car to car in a parking lot. Most are posted by the host a week or two ahead on its own website or social media. Send yours to us through our contact page with the date, time, address and host, and we will add it here.

Safety on Halloween night

  • Carry a flashlight or glow stick and wear something reflective; it will be dark by the time most neighborhoods are busiest.
  • Walk on sidewalks, cross at corners and look both ways. Drivers in neighborhoods should slow down and watch for children between parked cars.
  • Check treats before children eat them, and throw away anything unwrapped.
  • Teal pumpkins on a porch usually mean the house has non-food treats for children with allergies.

What this means for you

  • Downtown on Oct. 31 will be busy all day: races in the morning, the museum event midday, trick-or-treating from 5 p.m. and bar crawls after dark. Park in a downtown garage.
  • Halloween on a Saturday means no school the next morning, so expect neighborhoods to stay busy later than on a weeknight.

Related: fall festivals and pumpkin patches and parks and trails.

Frequently asked questions

What are the trick-or-treat hours in Knoxville in 2026?

The City of Knoxville does not set official trick-or-treat hours. Halloween falls on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, and most neighborhoods trick-or-treat in the early evening; downtown businesses on Market Square hand out candy from 5 to 8 p.m.

Is there trick-or-treating on Market Square in Knoxville?

Yes. Trick or Treat on the Square is 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, with businesses on Market Square and Union Avenue handing out candy. It is free, and tote bags are given out at 17 Market Square while supplies last.

When is Boo at the Zoo in Knoxville?

Zoo Knoxville’s Boo! at the Zoo runs 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 17, 22, 23, 24, 29 and 30, 2026. Last zoo entry is 8 p.m. Tickets are sold through the zoo.

Are there free Halloween events for kids in Knoxville?

Yes. Trick or Treat on the Square and Monsters at the Museum, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Museum of East Tennessee History, are both free.