Celebrate Halloween with upcoming local events
Get into the spooky spirit of Halloween with these upcoming events and promotions, and read on for tips and strategies to have a fun and safe Halloween.
Not in Gainesville? Find events near you.
Events
Batty Bingo Night | Oct. 17 at 7 p.m.
Hosted by Blackadder Brewing and benefitting Lubee Bat Conservancy
The Nightmare Before Christmas at Bo Diddley Plaza | FREE | Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.
Hosted by the City of Gainesville
High Springs Fall Festival | Oct. 19 at 10 a.m.
Hosted by the High Springs Chamber of Commerce
Trunk or Treat | Oct. 19 at noon
Hosted by the Humane Society of North Central Florida
Halloween Mask Making | FREE | Oct. 19 at 2 p.m.
Hosted by the Alachua County Library District
Fall Festival | Oct. 19–20, 26–27
Hosted by Braze Ranch
Spooktacular Fun Run/Walk | FREE | Oct. 20 at 9:45 a.m.
Hosted by Fit2Run
Ask a Scientist: Not So Scary Science | FREE | Oct. 20 at 1 p.m.
Hosted by the Florida Museum
Fall Fest | FREE | Oct. 23 at 10 a.m.
Hosted by the George A. Smathers Libraries
Screaming for Safety | FREE | Oct. 24 at 4 p.m.
Hosted by Gainesville Fire Rescue
Trick or Treat | Oct. 25 at 5 p.m.
Hosted by the Shoppes at Thornebrook
Dracula & Vampyra | Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Hosted by Dance Alive National Ballet
Costume Parkrun 5K | FREE | Oct. 26 at 7:30 a.m.
Hosted by Depot Park Parkrun
Florida Bat Festival | Oct. 26 at 10 a.m.
Hosted by the Lubee Bat Conservatory
Sparks & Spooks | Oct. 26 at 10 a.m.
Hosted by the Cade Museum
ArtSpace: Painting Pumpkins | FREE | Oct. 26 at 2 p.m.
Hosted by the Alachua County Library District
City of Waldo Fall Festival | Oct. 26 at 4 p.m.
Hosted by the City of Waldo
Monster Mash & Trick or Treat | Oct. 26 at 5 p.m.
Hosted by The Oaks Mall
Haunted Hogtown 2024 | Oct. 26 at 5:30 p.m.
Hosted by History Bike Gainesville, First Magnitude Brewing Company and Florida Public Archeology Network
Halloween Ball Costume Contest | Oct. 26 at 7 p.m.
Hosted by First Magnitude Brewing Company
Micanopy Fall Festival | Oct. 26–27
Hosted by local non-profits
Spooktacular Fun at the Library | FREE | Oct. 31 at 2:30 p.m.
Hosted by the Alachua County Library District
Boo at the Zoo | Oct. 31 at 3 p.m.
Hosted by Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo
Annual Halloween Spooktacular | FREE | Oct. 31 at 7:20 p.m.
Hosted by the UF Carillon and Organ Studios
Promotions
From Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights to Savannah, Georgia, ghost tours, explore curated discounts from Tickets at Work for Halloween fun on a budget! Create a free account and enter company code UFLEDU when prompted.
The Georgia Aquarium is offering the UF community up to $20 off general admission tickets for the entire month of October.
Sign up for our GatorPerks newsletter to stay up to date with new vendors and limited time promotions!
Stop by LifeSouth’s donor center now through Oct. 20 and receive two tickets to Dance Alive National Ballet’s performance of Dracula & Vampyra on Oct. 25. Donors will also receive a recognition t-shirt and a complimentary cholesterol screening.
Tips & Strategies
- Heading to the pumpkin patch? Read this UF/IFAS article for tips on purchasing, carving and eating pumpkins. Explore more pumpkin recipes here.
- Use these tricks to make your treats nutritious and safe.
- Learn about the health benefits of pumpkins and how you can enjoy them in your meal.
- Explore the spookiest spots at UF.
- Stop by Museum Road across from Lake Alice to watch more than 450,000 bats fly into the night from one of UF’s bat houses. The bats normally emerge 15 to 20 minutes after sunset. To learn more, check out this From Florida podcast.