Cool Spring Downtown District announces Fall Festival and Trick-or-Treat

By Staff Report, posted Sep 24, 2026 on BizFayetteville.com

This October, the beloved Zombie Walk is taking a hiatus. But there’s still plenty of seasonal celebrations in store. Cool Spring Downtown District invites you to break out your plaid shirts and fall boots and join them at the October 4th Friday, District Gets Lit, celebrating local and regional authors in partnership with downtown bookstores City Center Gallery & Books, Bound & Vine and Chapter House Books, along with the Cumberland County Public Library, Woven Lore Publishing, The United Way and The Capitol Encore Academy (TCEA).

TCEA’s vivacious School of Rock Band, led by Guy Unger, will take the District Vibe Stage, opening for the winner of the 2025 North Carolina Folk Festival’s “Not Your Average Folk Contest,” and Greensboro Sound’s 2025 “Emerging Artist” to watch, Evan Blackerby & The Bandwagon, a soulful, high-energy Americana group whose sound blends weathered roots tradition with a cool, contemporary edge.

Additional features will include an Oktoberfest Beer Garden highlighting local breweries including Gaston Brewing Company, North/South Brewing, Heckler Brewing Co., Dirtbag Brewery and more. CSDD is especially thrilled to announce the exciting Fayetteville debut parade performance from award-winning theatre company, Paperhand Puppet Project. The company is known for its incredible giant puppets, epic masks, shadow plays and ethereal spectacle performances for all ages. Hay rides, seasonal photo spots, arts and crafts vendors and activities, food trucks, games and more can be found at the District Fall Festival.

Any lingering zombies, witches, ghosts, ghouls, costumed heroes, and other masked Fayettevillains will still be able to take over the streets of downtown Fayetteville this Halloween. Save the date for Saturday, October 31 from 4- 8 p.m. for trick-or-treating and a costume contest.

Additionally, on Sat, Oct. 31 from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., the District will also play host to FanQuest Day, presented by Fayetteville Fan Fest.

“FanQuest Day is more than a small comic convention”, shared CSDD Vice Chair and FanQuest Day organizer LeJuane Bowens in a press release. “It’s a celebration of the things we love, the people who make fandom special and the creativity that brings us all together. ”

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