Covington GA October Events 2026: Fan Weekend and More

"We're all hurt," a fan told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in September 2025. "It hurts." She had moved to Covington from South Carolina that year, partly because of "The Vampire Diaries." She was ready to spend $2,000 on the annual convention in town. Then the organizer, Epic Events and Entertainment, canceled the Nov. 7–9 event without warning. According to the AJC, Epic had filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation on Aug. 5, listing debts between $1 million and $10 million owed to more than 1,000 creditors.

The weekend went ahead anyway, organized from inside Covington. City leaders, business owners and residents put together screenings, meet-and-greets and other events under a new name, "fan appreciation weekend," and the city invited fans with canceled tickets to come during those dates.

A year later, the idea has a sequel and a new date. "TVDU Fan Appreciation Weekend Year 2" is listed for Oct. 23–25, 2026, hosted at Vampire Stalkers Mystic Falls Tours, 1102 Monticello St SW, with free admission. The original convention was a paid event run by an outside company in November. Year 2 is free, hosted by a local business, and held in late October. That puts it six days after the City's Fall Festival, which makes Oct. 17 through Oct. 25 the most crowded nine days on the downtown calendar this fall.

From a convention to a local event

The people behind the 2025 weekend were clear that it wasn't about money. Angi Henderson, a Covington native who runs the "Vampire Diaries"-inspired Mystic Grill on the downtown square, plus a gift shop and tour business called Mystic Mercantile, told the AJC the weekend wouldn't bring the city a financial gain but would help fans who had lost their money.

We couldn't find any reporting on how that first weekend actually went: no turnout numbers, no confirmed guest list, no list of participating businesses. When it was announced, Vampire Stalkers described its own plans as tentative. What we do know is that the organizers came back, called it "Year 2," and picked an earlier date. In Covington's October, that earlier date means sharing the same week with events that were already on the calendar.

The October calendar, in order

Here is October around the Square and Legion Field, based on the City of Covington calendar, the event hosts' own pages and Discover Covington's 2026 events calendar.

The first half of the month is mostly the regular local rhythm. There's a free lunchtime set in Square Park every Thursday, weather permitting, a Saturday morning market on the lawn at Lily & Sparrow, and a free evening concert at Legion Field on Oct. 9, with food trucks planned. The Artisan Market, hosted by Sparrow Launch Co, is set up as a showcase for local makers and vendors.

Nine days from Oct. 17 to Oct. 25

The second half of the month is a different story, and it starts on Saturday, Oct. 17. The City's Covington Fall Festival takes over the Square from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with vendors, games, music, a nonprofit fair, a petting zoo, face painting, food and deals from downtown merchants. The City says the Square will be closed to vehicle traffic. If you want a pumpkin without driving out to a farm, the festival is the place this month: its approved vendor categories include pumpkins, decorative squash and fall-themed vegetable decor. The same morning is the last Artisan Market date on the October schedule, so Reynolds Street and the Square are both busy at the same time.

Five days later, Tragic Love plays the Oct. 22 Live at Lunch. The fan weekend opens the next morning. On Friday, Oct. 23, from 5 to 9 p.m., Main Street Trolleys and Tours runs an adults-only Fan Appreciation tour that includes a sip-and-paint at Wild Art, a stop at Bree's Bar and "special Blood bags" at The Otherside. That's three local businesses on one tour, which is the clearest confirmed sign so far that the weekend reaches past the host's storefront.

Saturday, Oct. 24, is the busiest day. The 4th Annual Harvest Faire & Market for CASA fills the Lily & Sparrow lawn from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with artisan makers, family activities and live entertainment, all supporting Alcovy CASA. That evening, a separate ticketed TVD Universe Masquerade Ball takes place at Lockwood Mansion on Anderson Avenue. If you've been planning to take visiting family on a filming-location tour, Mystic Falls Tours says it won't run its regular tram tours on Oct. 24–25 because of the fan weekend. Its regular public tours run Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from the Covington Visitor Center at 1143 Oak St., with other days added seasonally, so the weekday before or the weekend after works better.

What hasn't been posted yet

A free weekend organized by local businesses comes with less advance detail than a paid convention. As of Oct. 1, we couldn't find a parking plan, a street-closure notice or a stated City of Covington role for Year 2. Discover Covington's 2026 October calendar lists other events but not this one. One event-directory listing says businesses around the Square are expected to host activities, and that the participating businesses and actor schedules will be announced later. The guest list is still changing. The organizer's own events page already notes that one advertised cast member won't be able to attend, even though that name still appears on outside listings.

If you're planning an errand on the Square or a dinner downtown for Oct. 23–25, the organizer's event page is the place to check for the latest. The free ticket page had more than 1,500 guests marked as of this writing, though that's an RSVP count and not an attendance figure.

Into Halloween

The last week of October calms down on the Square and moves over to Legion Field. Live at Lunch closes out the month on Oct. 29, with the performer still listed as TBA. On Saturday, Oct. 31, the City and the Covington YMCA hold their annual Trick or Treat on Legion Field from 2 to 4 p.m. at 3173 Mill St. For adults, Main Street Trolleys advertises an adults-only Halloween tour from 4 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 31, with a sip-and-paint, a visit inside 12 Oaks, a haunted house and stops at Covington filming locations. Covington Ghost Tours says it regularly runs Friday and Saturday evening walks around the Square, so you can still take one after the Oct. 3 date.

Put together, the trick-or-treat hours at Legion Field end at 4 p.m., and the adults-only trolley tour starts at 4 p.m. the same day.

Covington's event calendar affects day-to-day life for anyone a few blocks from the Square, from where you park on a festival Saturday to which weekends feel busiest. If you're thinking about what living close to downtown is like through a season like this one, Shawn Self is glad to talk it through with you, with no pressure. Let's Connect.