Halloween is a family-centric time of year, and it’s fast becoming one of the most popular holidays on the calendar. If you find yourself on an Anna Maria Island vacation at the end of October, the Island offers a bucket full of fun activities.
Halloween Trail of Treats starts at 4 p.m. on Oct. 31 at the AMI Chamber of Commerce, 5313 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach. This fun, family-friendly event includes a Kid Costume Contest for children up to 12 years of age and provides an opportunity for kids to trick or treat.
Enjoy all the traditional fall activities at the 32nd Pumpkin Festival at Hunsader Farms in Bradenton. The annual event includes scarecrows, hayrides, music, craft shows, chainsaw sculpting, a barnyard playground, a Pioneer Trades Village, and a whole lot more. Admission is $15 and parking is $5. Some activities, such as the corn maze, have additional charges. Children 10 and under get in free. Make a note: The farm only accepts cash.
Wear your costumes and bring a trick-or-treat bag for the Selby Spooktacular, set 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 29 at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens downtown Sarasota campus, 1534 Mound St. The event includes arts and crafts, fun and educational activities, and an inflatable corn maze and storytelling. General admission gets you into the Spooktacular. Admission costs $21 for adults; $11 for ages 5-17 and free for children four and under.
Or visit the Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point campus in Osprey to see it transformed for the Lights at Spooky Point, which takes place from Oct. 13-31. The entry times are 6:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. each night. Follow an eerily lit path and encounter fantastic creations and bootanically-themed decorations along the way. Equal parts creepy, campy, and cute, this walk-through show is fun for all ages. The cost is $30 for adults; $15 for ages 5-17; and free for children four and under.
For the over 21 crowd, a DJ Dance Halloween Party takes place from 7-10 p.m. on Oct. 28 at Freckled Fin Irish Pub in Holmes Beach. Wear a costume and BOO-gie on down.
Finding a delightful vacation property isn’t scary at all.