Storybook tales come to life at Stone Mountain's Pumpkin Festival

It’s been 80 years since a girl named Dorothy was swept over the rainbow and into the magical land of Oz.  And while you’ve probably seen the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz more times than you can count…you’ve never seen it like this.

Right now, The Wizard of Oz is coming to life as an all-new, 4-D experience at Stone Mountain Park, as part of the annual Pumpkin Festival — Play by Day, Glow by Night

The seasonal event runs on select dates through November 3rd, shedding a whole new (literal) light on the park’s family-friendly activities -- especially when the sun goes down. 

As you can tell from the event’s name, the Pumpkin Festival is really a two-in-one celebration of the season, with the special fall entertainment planned for the daytime hours before the park is transformed into a unique glowing experience at night.  This year’s Glow by Night features 10 themed areas (including the Scenic Pass, Enchanted Forest, and Adventure Alley) and 40 scenes, all inspired by classic children’s stories and including giant pumpkins, twinkling lights, and other special effects.

And speaking of special effects…“The Wizard of Oz 4-D Experience” is a 12-minute experience featuring a digital 3-D print of the film along with 4-D effects including wind, snow, and lightning — essentially taking audiences inside the vivid world that’s been enchanting audiences for eight decades.

This year’s Pumpkin Festival — Play by Day, Glow by Night continues on select dates through November 3rd.  Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with the Glow by Night experience taking over from Dusk until 9:00 p.m.  All-Attractions passes are available online for $31.95 for adults and $29.95 for children ages three to 11.

We couldn’t wait to see how the Stone Mountain team took our favorite fairy tales and nursery rhymes and brought them to life — so we spent the morning at the park getting a special behind-the-scenes tour of this year’s Pumpkin Festival.