8 minute read
CRISP AIR & SPOOKY SCARES
by Nicole Willis
Although the Pensacola area is most known for its sandy white beaches and summer sun, when it comes to the fall season, there are plenty of fun fall events and spooky Halloween festivities to keep everyone entertained. From family-friendly festivals to horrifying haunted houses, the whole family can celebrate the season in their own way. Spice up the season with these fun fall events and spooky Halloween experiences.
Pensacon Halloween Fest
October 1-2
Pensacon Halloween Fest is a two-day celebration of pop culture and all things Halloween, featuring fun for the whole family! This year’s HalloweenFest is a free event held at Splash City Adventures (6709 Pensacola Blvd). Pensacon HalloweenFest combines the fun, convention-style atmosphere of Pensacon with the Halloween activities we all know and love. The event will feature trick-or-treating, costume contests, spookythemed vendors, live entertainment and more. HalloweenFest will host several celebrity guests, including Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster on “The Munsters.” Dressing up is encouraged, as there will be opportunities for kids to trick-or-treat with various vendors across the festival. HalloweenFest will also host a raffle-style auction to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Northwest Florida. HalloweenFest will run from 10 am to 6 pm on October 1 and 10 am to 5 pm on October 2. For more information, visit pensacon.com. PENSACOLA MAGAZINE | 25
Sweet Seasons Farms has all of your favorite fall festivities– a corn maze, pumpkin patch, hayrides, pony rides, games (including pumpkin bowling!) and lots of fall foods. Every year, the farm’s massive 10-acre interactive maze is perfect for those who are up for a challenge. At the start of the maze, your group will choose a trivia topic and you will answer related questions to progress throughout the maze. There is also a kiddie maze for those who may not be up for such a challenge. Sweet Seasons’ pumpkin patch features a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors of pumpkins; a percentage of all pink pumpkin sales will be donated to the American Cancer Society. Starting on October 1, the farm will be open on Saturdays from 9 am to 5 pm and on Sundays from 11 am to 5 pm. The farm will be open on two additional days, October 21 and 28 from 6 pm to 10 pm. Sweet Seasons Farms is located at 2260 Horn Road in Milton. Tickets start at $13.50. For ticket information and more, visit sweetseasonfarms. com.
First City Art Center’s 16th Annual Pumpkin Patch
October 8
First City Art Center (FCAC) is hosting their 16th Annual Pumpkin Patch fundraising event on Saturday, October 8 at Blue Wahoos Stadium (351 W. Cedar Street). The FCAC pumpkin patch will feature thousands of hand-blow glass and handcrafted ceramic pumpkins up for picking! Created by artists at FCAC, these glass and ceramic pumpkins come in different shapes, sizes and colors. The Annual Pumpkin Patch is the nonprofit’s largest fundraising event of the year. In addition to supporting FCAC in their art education endeavors, this event also supports over 40 local artists who handcraft the pumpkins. Member tickets start at $30 and allow for the first pick of the patch with early entry at 10 am. Non-member tickets start at $40 with entry at 11 am. The patch will be open for the public to browse at no cost from 1 pm to 4 pm. Pumpkin prices begin at $20. For details, visit firstcityart.org.
Beach-O-Ween
October 21
Halloween is making its way to Pensacola Beach with the 4th annual Beach-O-Ween celebration. This family-friendly event is free to attend and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. The kiddos can spend their time jumping around in the halloween-themed bounce house, playing games, making arts and crafts and more. Beach-O-Ween will also feature fun face painting (adults can have costumes, too!), a photo booth, local businesses and vendors, food, drinks, and more to keep parents and older siblings entertained as much as the kids. The 2022 annual Beach-OWeen will be held October 21 from 4 pm to 8 pm at the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk on Via de Luna Drive. For information, check out visitpensacolabeach. com.
October 15
The Pensacola Museum of Art (PMA) is hosting a different type of Halloween party so that everyone can be included in the spooky fun! Spooktacular is a low sensory Halloween party specifically designed for people on the autism spectrum. Spooktacular activities include low sensory games, arts and crafts and a special Monster Mash dance party. There will also be refreshments, prizes and candy galore. Quiet spaces will be available for guests as needed. The fifth annual Spooktacular will be held October 15 from 5 pm to 7 pm at the PMA at 407 S. Jefferson St. Tickets are $10 for PMA guests on the spectrum, with no charge for accompanying adults. For complete details, visit pensacolamuseum.org.
Wahooloween at Blue Wahoos Stadium
October 29
Wahooloween is an annual event for Blue Wahoos fans to come together and celebrate Halloween on the stadium field (351 W Cedar St). Occurring on October 29, Wahooloween will feature trick-or-treating and a showing of Hocus Pocus. Local businesses and organizations will open spookily decorated booths around the stadium for guests to stop by and trick-or-treat at. Gates will open at 5 pm, with trick or treating running until 6 pm. At 6, the stadium lights will dim and guests can enjoy a showing of Hocus Pocus. Tickets for Wahooloween are $7 each. If trick or treating isn’t your thing, consider attending the Wahoos’ 18+ showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show on October 28. To buy tickets and view further details for both nights, visit milb. com/pensacola/tickets/ specialevents.
October 1-31
Chills will run down your spine as you run through the Nightmare Chambers at OWA Parks & Resort. Featuring three different scare zones, this haunted adventure will leave guests having nightmares. Muster up the courage and face your childhood fears through the twisted clown room. Check into the haunted insane asylum and try to outrun the demented patients, or else you may never check out. Escape the butcher who has run out of meat and is looking for the next slab. The Nightmare Chambers will be open to all ages from October 1 through October 31 on Friday and Saturday nights from 7 pm to 10 pm, on Sundays from 7 pm to 9 pm and on October 31 from 7 pm to 9 pm at OWA (101 S OWA Blvd, Foley, AL). Tickets start at $19.99 and can be purchased online at visitowa.com/ nightmare-chambers.
Other Events Creepy Hollow Woods
September 23 - October 29
The unknown awaits around every corner at Creepy Hollow Woods, one of Northwest Florida’s favorite haunted trails. Venture through the woods and try to escape the horrific sights and sounds of the wood monsters. Since this haunted experience is so intense, Creepy Hollow is offering “kid-friendly” Thursdays. During the kid-friendly experience, kids will receive a flashlight that they can shine at the monsters to spook them and make them run away. Wood monsters do not like light! Whether you want to be horrified, or just want a fright, Creepy Hollow Woods is the perfect place to get into the spooky spirit. Creepy Hollow Woods is open every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from September 23 to October 29, from 6 pm to 9:30 pm on Thursdays, and 6 pm to 11:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Thursday’s tickets are $15 and Friday and Saturday’s tickets are $20. Check out Creepy Hollow Woods at @ CreepyHollowWoodsFL on Facebook, or at 2251 Wade Road in Jay.
Holland Farms | September 24 - November 5
Holland Farms is a family-owned crop farm that puts together fun fall festivities. The farm is home to a bountiful pumpkin patch and crazy corn maze. The farm also offers hayrides, zip lines, a hill tube slide, and more. Holland Farms is located at 2055 Homer Holland Rd. in Milton. The farm will be open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. For more details, visit hollandfarmsonline.com.
Hadji Haunted House | October 14-15, 21-22, 28-29, 31
Get spooked and support a good cause at the Hadji Haunted House. With 40 rooms of horror, the Hadji Haunted House is Northwest Florida’s largest haunted house. Hosted at the Hadji Temple at 800 W 9 Mile Rd, the haunted house will be open from 7 pm to 10:30 pm several weekends in October. For the seventh year in a row, event proceeds will benefit the Pensacola Breast Cancer Association. For tickets and more information, visit hadjihauntedhouse.com. Gulf Breeze Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo | October 15-16, 22-23, 29-30
Gulf Breeze Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo is perfect for families looking to do something a bit more adventurous for their Halloween festivities. Boo at the Zoo features a trick-or-treat trail that runs throughout the zoo, as well as other kid-friendly activities. The Gulf Breeze
Zoo is located at 5701 Gulf Breeze Pkwy. Boo at the Zoo runs from 10 am to 5 pm several weekends in October. For ticket information and more, visit gbzoo.com/event/boo-at-the-zoo. Pensacola Interstate Fair | October 20-30
The annual Pensacola Interstate Fair is back for another year of family friendly fun, featuring all your favorite fair food, rides, games, prizes and entertainment. This year’s fair runs from October 20 to 30, with different open and close times each day. The Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds are located at 6655 Mobile Hwy. Visit pensacolafair.com/ for ticket prices and details.
