The Haunted Masquerade Nightclub

Posted: 03.18.2025 | Updated: 03.18.2025

When people went to the Masquerade Nightclub in Atlanta, they wanted to get lost in the darkness. People went to the Masquerade to quiet whatever was weighing on their minds and instead rock out to the show playing that night — whether it was rock, punk, or heavy metal. 

Yet, hidden in that darkness can be a foreboding presence. Some music lovers report hearing terrifying sounds and seeing strange things peering back at them. This includes everything from male phantoms to living statues to bloodthirsty vampires. 

While the Masquerade is beloved by its fans, it’s one of many haunted sites throughout Atlanta. To see some of the locations with the highest number of spectral occurrences, book a ghost tour with Atlanta Ghosts tonight. 

Is Masquerade Nightclub Haunted?

There have been many strange, inexplicable experiences that have occurred in the Masquerade Nightclub over the years, from concertgoers and staff alike. Believers point to the dark past of the building, which used to operate as a mill, as the reason for the strange encounters.

While successful, the mill was responsible for a great deal of tragedy. Deaths from accidents and disease are forever connected to the building, and it seems some of the deceased haven’t been able to move on from the current-day nightclub. 

The History of the Masquerade Nightclub 

A century before it was a nightclub, a large building was built on the Atlanta property to house a mill. Called the Dupre Excelsior Mill, the business opened in 1890. The mill produced wooden shavings that were used to protect fragile goods during transport. 

While business was good early on, there were also several incidents that didn’t exactly bolster the confidence of the workers who were employed there. This included unexplained fires that appear to have been swept under the rug rather than seriously investigated. Several people died in these fires, though records are scarce to show how many perished. 

There were also numerous workplace accidents. While all the accidents on record claimed to have involved male workers, there are rumors that several women were injured or even killed within the mill’s premises. By who, exactly, is unclear. 

Finally, a tuberculous outbreak originated at the mill. After getting sick from their coworkers, employees brought the illness back home, where it spread. Several people died from this outbreak, though, again, the full extent of the number of victims is unknown. 

The mill carried on for several decades, even expanding in the 1940s to support the war efforts (getting bombs and grenades across the ocean safely without exploding was a top priority, after all). Yet, this expansion ultimately led to too much space with too few orders. 

After the war, the business operated for a few more years and then closed up. The building was abandoned for several years until a pizza place opened in the 1970s. 

After a short stint as a theater, the building finally became known as the Masquerade Nightclub in 1989. While the Masquerade recently moved to a new location in Atlanta, many still believe the original Masquerade Nightclub is haunted.

Disaster at the Masquerade Nightclub

Just because the Masquerade was the latest tenant doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any juicy drama of its own. In 2001, the club was packed on New Year’s Eve. So packed, in fact, that the stairs collapsed on the top floor. Several people were injured, some seriously, but no deaths were recorded. 

Yet, this incident only added to the whispers that there was more going on at the Masquerade than the owners were letting on. 

Who Haunts the Masquerade Nightclub?

The Masquerade represents a unique blend of otherworldly phenomena. In addition to ghosts, possessed inanimate objects are said to live within the club, as well as the original night owls: vampires. 

The Spirits of the Masquerade

First off, the phantoms that haunt the building are said to be the souls of those who perished within the property when it was a mill. 

While many men worked the mill, quite a few of the spirits are said to be female. Some believe the women to be the wives of the men who brought home tuberculosis. 

They had to watch their children suffer through, or possibly perish from, the horrific disease that originated at the mill. Perhaps this is why a bloodcurdling scream from a woman can be heard from the back of the stairs. If anyone inspects the yell, they find no one there. 

Women have also reported hearing a scream from an invisible person near the restroom. These are said to be higher-pitched, almost like they’re coming from a child. 

People speculate that these could be some of the child laborers who toiled away at the mill. As child workers often weren’t documented, any accidents or resulting deaths wouldn’t have been recorded — meaning this could be the remaining shadow of a fallen child from a century ago.

Phantom footsteps are also often heard throughout the club, and spikes and drops in temperature are common. 

The Purple-Obsessed Living Mannequin 

Before the collapse of the stairs in ‘01, there was a regular fixture in the club: a mannequin who sat at the top of the stairs. Always dressed in purple, the mannequin’s arms would be crossed one way one moment, and then someone would look back and the other arm would be crossed on top. 

Additionally, people said that sometimes the mannequin’s eyes would be closed, while other times its eyes would shine purple — reflecting its outfit. After the accident, the mannequin has never been seen again, though many believe he’s still out there somewhere. 

The Hidden Vampires

Last but not least, are the tales of the vampires. While it’s not incredibly clear where the vampire lore came from, it’s taken hold of the identity of the Masquerade Nightclub. People swear up and down that vampires live in the business, with one person saying they spotted a man crouching in the rafters, looking down at them. When the person tried to show a friend, the vampire was gone.

The club leaned into the vampire persona, at one point hosting The Atlanta Vampire Alliance and even hosting a show called “Vampires Everywhere!” 

Haunted Atlanta 

Atlanta has a deep history with music, theater, and the arts in general. Several of these art-related buildings, in addition to the Masquerade Nightclub, seem to have spectral ties. 

The Fox Theatre was one of the finest places to catch a show or movie in town in the 1920s. However, a phantom is said to now haunt the building — particularly showing up in the theater’s hospital room (which is creepy in itself). 

There’s also the Biltmore Ballrooms, where many generations have danced the night away. Today, dark, shadow-like people lurk in the corners of the dance floors, watching over all who cut a rug. 

If you want to see these haunted sites for yourself, book a ghost tour with Atlanta Ghosts. On a warm Atlanta evening, you never know what you might run into in the night. 

While the Masquerade’s story is fascinating, it’s just one of many haunted nightclubs and music venues around the United States. To learn about other music-loving ghosts, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. If you want to read about more local Atlanta ghost stories, check out our blog. 

Sources:

• https://paranormalsouth.wordpress.com/2018/10/02/the-masquerade-atlanta-ga/
• https://www.georgiahauntedhouses.com/real-haunt/the-masquerade.html
• https://www.southeastofheaven.com/?p=19323
• https://www.masqueradeatlanta.com/
• https://atlantaghosts.com/the-haunted-fox-theatre-in-atlanta-ga/