DUNWOODY, Ga. — The party is over for a popular Halloween attraction that draws thousands of people every year.
About 5,000 visitors crowd onto Briers North Drive in Dunwoody every Halloween for the elaborate decorations and treasure trove of treats. But organizers told Channel 2’s Bryan Mims it has grown too big, causing safety and traffic concerns.
“There were buses coming in and dropping people off,” said Joe Bowen, one of the organizers of the block party. “At the front entrance, you’d hear people say, ‘Oh, I brought my friends, they’re here from Finland.’ People would drive from 50 or 60 miles away to attend it.”
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The neighborhood hires two off-duty police officers, at a cost of $1,000, to manage traffic and puts about 40 volunteers to work.
But many of the party visitors park in surrounding neighborhoods, crowding the streets and making it difficult to pass.
“There’s so much overflow, people trying to find parking that our street basically becomes gridlocked,” said Michael Muiznieks, who lives on a nearby street. “It’s like you have cars on both sides. Plus, you have families with kids in the middle of the street, and it’s a huge safety issue.”
Another neighbor, who declined to speak on camera, said cars block his driveway and candy wrappers end up in his yard.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Bus driver arrested while on route in north GA
- Construction underway after Buc-ee’s unveils its next Georgia location
- Students getting cars shipped cross-country say driver demanded thousands more dollars than agreed
Bowen said he spends 10 to 20 hours decorating his house for Halloween, and it’s tough to have to cancel this beloved Halloween tradition.
“It is, but at the same time, we don’t want to do it after someone gets hurt,” he said. “We don’t want a pedestrian to get struck by a car.”
He expects many people will still turn out this year, unaware that the block party has been canceled. He plans to have the two officers again this year, but the Halloween crowds should get smaller as word gets out.
Muiznieks called the cancellation “bittersweet.”
“It’s like a known community event,” he said. “It’s like a Fourth of July parade.”
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
