Rome, October 30–31: Schnauzerfest opens Friday at 5 p.m. with a Meet & Greet BBQ at Burk Farm.

Saturday’s Forum River Center activities begin with vendor shopping at noon and scheduled programming at 2 p.m., including Barn Hunt, Fast CAT and Schnauzer Idol.

The Halloween highlight is the Schnauzerween Night Parade at 7 p.m. Saturday, departing Bridgepoint Plaza for Broad Street with costumes and lights.

Dog registration starts at $55 before fees; Friday’s meal ticket is separate.

For Tickets click HERE.

The Rome International Film Festival runs November 5–8, 2026, in downtown Rome, GA. Opening night begins Thursday with a 6:15 p.m. red carpet outside the Historic DeSoto Theatre, followed by The Accountant with special guest Ray McKinnon at 7:15 p.m.

The weekend also uses Rome City Auditorium, SPAM Studios and Screen 417. Friday’s screenings begin at 11 a.m., Saturday’s cartoons at 10 a.m., and Sunday’s Awards and Biscuits at 10:15 a.m.

Recognizable guests, including Flannery O’Connor Award honoree Danny McBride, share the program with independent features, documentaries, shorts and conversations about filmmaking.

Whether you have one evening or four days, start with an event you most want to attend and build around its venue and admission rules. Some programs overlap, and certain Saturday evening locations remain pending.

This overview explains the choices, reservations and travel between venues. Keep the official RIFF schedule handy as your final source for updates.

Choosing where to eat in downtown Rome, GA, during RIFF is partly about appetite and partly about the clock. Eight nearby restaurants offer different ways to turn a gap between screenings into a good meal.

Ana’s by the River brings a muffuletta or Cuban to the discussion; Schroeder’s New Deli pairs pizza with fried mushrooms; and Doug’s Deli Downtown gives sandwich and burger fans another lunch option.

Harvest Moon offers Southern dishes, John Henry’s a broader grill menu, and Moe’s Original Bar B Que barbecue with familiar sides. Jefferson’s belongs on the list for local favorites including fried pickles and wings.

For an evening when dinner deserves its own place on the itinerary, Chophouse on Broad offers the steakhouse option. Compare the menus and opening hours below before committing: an early deli lunch and a leisurely steak dinner fit very different spaces on a festival schedule.

Click a linked restaurant name to open its Seven Hills Spotlight directory listing, with a map and directions for your next visit.

Get a head start on holiday pies, cookies and bread with King Arthur’s On-Demand Baking Classes.

The class sale ends Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time: save 15% on one class, 20% on two or 25% on three.

Other current offers include free standard shipping on appliances and 10% off Ankarsrum accessories purchased with an Ankarsrum Essential Stand Mixer.

Read the full article for affiliate links and disclosure; purchases through those links help support Seven Hills Spotlight at no additional cost to you.

Halloween candy belongs to trick-or-treaters, not dogs.

Doorstep bowls, party leftovers and dropped wrappers can put tempting—and dangerous—treats within reach.

Chocolate is especially concerning because dogs cannot process its theobromine and caffeine the way people can.

Dark and baking chocolate generally pose the greatest risk, but any suspected chocolate ingestion warrants a call to your veterinarian.

Vomiting, diarrhea and restlessness may be warning signs; tremors, an abnormal heartbeat or seizures require urgent care.

Other Halloween hazards include xylitol, a sweetener in some sugar-free candy and gum, and raisins, which can cause kidney injury.

Hard candy and wrappers can also cause choking or blockages.

Do not wait for symptoms if your dog gets into candy.

Check the packaging and promptly tell a veterinarian what your dog ate, how much and when; do not induce vomiting unless instructed.

Keep candy secured, check walkways for dropped treats and offer your dog a familiar pet-safe snack instead.

The Vogue, 247 Broad Street, Rome — Saturday, October 31: Romehellion combines live performances, DJ sets, costume contests with cash prizes, haunted games and free raffles.

Advertised admission is $12; the event description lists doors at 5 p.m., while the tourism calendar lists 7 p.m., so check the ticket page for current timing.

The detailed description lists ages 18+ to attend and 21+ to drink; valid ID and a ticket or receipt are required.

For Tickets click HERE.

Milk Street is full of useful kitchen tools, unusual pantry finds and gifts for cooks who are hard to buy for.

Sale prices checked October 27 include the 11-inch hammered carbon-steel skillet at $69.95 and the Pasta Pot at $99.95.

New arrivals include Scottish shortbread, Spanish chocolate fig bonbons, alfajores and chocolate Advent calendars. Frequent shoppers can also compare the $30-per-year Store Pass, which offers member pricing and early access to sales and new products.

Read the full article for affiliate links and disclosure; purchases through those links help support Seven Hills Spotlight at no additional cost to you.

Helen is a little farther than we usually wander for Worth The Drive — about two and a half hours from Rome — but some fall events are simply too big to ignore.

The 56th annual Helen Oktoberfest is already underway and runs through November 1, with weekend celebrations through September and daily events beginning October 1. It is the longest-running Oktoberfest in the United States, and year after year Helen lands among the country’s most recognized Oktoberfest destinations.

And if you’re going to drive that far, I’d...