Atlanta Botanical Garden is making room for some especially tall fall visitors. Scarecrows in the Garden returns October 1–November 1, 2026, with a new supersized showcase tied to the Garden’s 50th anniversary.
The seasonal display is part of a wider October calendar, but the daytime exhibition, family programs and special evening events do not all use the same ticket. Choosing which experience matters most is the first step toward planning the visit.
What is different about this year’s scarecrows?
The Garden’s exhibition overview describes an invitation-only category created by previous winners. These larger creations, reaching up to 12 feet tall, will be displayed in the new Great Lawn Garden. They join entries from schools, families, businesses, artists and community organizations.
Visitors can also take part in the audience award. The event listing gives October 1–18 as the voting period and October 22 as the winner announcement at the Great Pumpkin-Carving Festival. The exhibition continues after voting ends. Registration to enter a scarecrow closed September 14; this is a guide for visitors, not an announcement that entries remain open.
Turn the walk into a family activity
The Garden’s family guide lists drop-in programming through October, including Garden Playtime, Storybook Time, Garden Grooves, Frog Feeding and Budding Botanists. Those activities follow their own schedules; do not assume every program happens every day. Included programming is not the same as free entry to the Garden.
For a simple activity of your own, let each child choose a favorite scarecrow and explain the choice. Look at the materials, the expression and the joke or story behind the design. A slow walk with a few close looks can be more satisfying than trying to photograph every entry before anyone gets tired.
The exhibition overview also lists Goblins in the Garden for October 18, with costumes encouraged and planned family entertainment. Check the dedicated event information as the date approaches before promising a particular activity to the children.
October 22 is a separate evening event
The Great Pumpkin-Carving Festival is scheduled for October 22 from 5–9 p.m. It requires tickets for everyone, including members. Posted general-admission prices are $30 for member adults and $10 for member children; nonmember prices are $35 and $15, with the child category covering ages 3–12.
The evening includes amateur pumpkin carving, music, crafts and seasonal food available to purchase. Premium tickets are a separate option. The event page lists $15 parking per vehicle and says tickets are nonrefundable, with no rain checks. Budget for the outing you are actually booking rather than treating a daytime admission or membership as automatic evening access.
Choose daytime or evening around your group
A daytime visit may suit a family that wants an unhurried walk and a chance to explore the Children’s Garden. The pumpkin-carving evening is a different choice for a group interested in scheduled entertainment and watching the competition. Neither plan requires doing every activity on the calendar.
Write down the admission type, arrival window and transportation plan before purchasing. When comparing costs, count each person in the correct age category and keep optional food and parking separate. That avoids turning an appealing event price into an incomplete estimate of the day’s total.
Check the Atlanta location and final hours
This exhibition is at the Atlanta location, 1345 Piedmont Avenue NE, not the Gainesville garden. The event listing says the exhibition is closed Mondays. The site’s posted September 7–October 31 daytime hours are Tuesday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–7 p.m.; confirm November 1 separately rather than extending October’s hours by assumption.
Save the official calendar page and check it again before leaving, particularly when pairing the scarecrows with a timed activity. This guide reflects information available September 16. The photographs are clearly labeled archival images, not evidence that October’s displays are already installed.
