Oatland Island Events & Special Programs
From fun family festivals to special exhibits and animal encounter programs, there’s always something happening here! These programs are ideal for families of all ages and provide opportunities to experience and connect with your local environment.
Halloween Hike
Join us for the annual Halloween Hike
October 16 & 17
5:00 - 8:00 pm
Walk with your trick or treater through our friendly forest to meet and gather goodies from cheerful animal characters! Face painting, crafts, concessions and many more activities await your arrival!
Ticket prices: Adult - $10, Children - $12
Early Registration opens to current (as of September 20th) FOO members on Monday, September 21st.
Registration opens to the public on Monday, September 28th.
NOTE: Oatland Island will close to the public at 3:30 PM to prepare for Halloween Hike. Last admissions will be at 2:00 PM.
Advance Reservations Required:
Members, check your email on September 21st for member early access!
General ticket sales will start September 28th!
NEW THIS YEAR:
Your ticket will come with a QR code! You must have this code at the gate when you check in for your timed entry! This will help us speed up the process of getting everyone checked in and ready to trick or treat!
PLEASE NOTE:
Halloween Hike has timed entry for the event to ensure everyone has a wonderful experience and to help prevent long wait times. This means that when you book your ticket, you MUST select the link to the timed entry that you would like. PLEASE double-check your tickets when you purchase them to ensure you have the time slot you want! If a time slot is not available when you click the link, it means the tickets are sold out for that time - go back to the main page and select a different time.
The time slots are:
5pm-6pm
6pm-7pm
7pm-7:45pm
MEMBERS FIRST!
Our members get first dibs on tickets to the Halloween Hike (and many other events and programs throughout the year!) If you're not a member, make sure you sign up before Sunday the 20th!
Members will be getting an email on Monday, September 21st, so make sure you keep an eye out, and check those spam folders just in case! As always, see you on the trails!
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Summer Camp
VISIT NEXT YEAR FOR SUMMER CAMP 2027
Join us for a week of exploration and discovery your child will never forget!
Oatland Island Summer Camps are week-long day camps available to rising Kindergarteners through rising 8th graders. Campers will discover the fascinating world of science through hands-on activities, creative crafts and wildlife investigations. Enthusiastic adult instructors, most of whom are certified teachers, bring a wide range of experience and talent to enhance these camp adventures.
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MORE EVENTS COMING SOON!
Fall Festival
Join us in celebrating Georgia's diverse agricultural traditions during our annual cane grinding event. Centered around our 1800's Heritage Homesite, history comes alive with old-time music, demonstrations and cane-boiling. See how "it was back then" amidst the sights and sounds of an old-fashioned fall gathering.
Children young and old will enjoy social distance conscious demonstrations, take home crafts, live music and other fun presentations as you venture back through history.
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Fairy & Gnome Festival
2026 EVENT MAY 9th 10am-2pm
Join us for a day of enchantment! This family-themed festival is all about the “wee folk” getting up close with the natural world and encouraging imaginative outdoor play.
Activities will include a scavenger hunt, fashion show, gem mining, fairy and gnome home building and food trucks. Bring the family and stroll through Oatland’s magical trails and maybe you will catch a glimpse of a fairy or gnome looking for a place to call home.
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COUGAR AND SOUND BOWL YOGA
SEE YOU NEXT JUNE!
$40/person
A Sound Journey, or Sound Therapy, increases your vibrational frequency and deepens your yoga/meditation practice. During this experience, Sue and Chrissy will blend the complementary healing aspects of a Sound Journey with a gentle yoga practice.
While Sue leads you through a chakra meditation and gentle yoga class, Chrissy will play chakra crystal bowls and a variety of other instruments.
Your physical practice combined with a Sound Journey will serve to clear, cleanse, and balance all the energetic centers of your body, and clear and balance your mind. This experience will leave you feeling deeply rested and renewed.
Yoga students of all ages and levels welcome!
Please bring your own props to allow for optimal comfort (mat, blankets/towels, bolsters/pillows, blocks, straps).
Members will receive an email in their inbox for first-access tickets! Make sure your membership is up to date for early access to events like these!
Oatland Youth Programs
Toddler Tuesday
Toddler Tuesday is a program for 1-4 year old children and their caregivers that focuses on one of our animals, or a relevant nature theme. The program will meet at the picnic pavilion and will include singing, finger play, a story, and a possible encounter with one of our furry, feathered or scaly residents.
School & Group Programs
Education is the keystone mission of Oatland Island Wildlife Center. Each year, more than 28,000 students take part in our educational programs. We have more than 30 innovative, hands-on opportunities available for you to choose from. School programs are age/grade specific and are aligned with Georgia Performance Standards. In addition, Oatland offers guided trail walks and other inquiry-based activities.
Oatland Wildlife Leaders (OWLs)
Join Oatland’s team and gain valuable volunteer experience while developing a deeper understanding of wildlife and environmental conservation. Learn about Oatland’s animal collection and share your knowledge through outreach programs and various events as you sharpen your public speaking and workplace skills. The Oatland Wildlife Leaders program (OWL) is offered to rising 8th through 12th graders.
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