Spooky season is upon us with loads of activities for grown-ups and kids alike. Don this year's creative costume and head into the night for a month of scary and not-so-scary celebrations.

Ghost & Gruesomes of Sarasota

Oct. 1-31, at 8 p.m.
Sarasota Suncoast Tours, Downtown Sarasota, sarasotasuncoasttours.com

Sarasota Suncoast Tours leads this 75-minute walking tour through downtown Sarasota. Explore our spirited side with tales of paranormal activity and other sinister stories.  Book tickets here. 

Family Friendly!

Lights at Spooky Point

Oct. 1-31, 6:30-9 p.m.
Historic Spanish Point, 401 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey, selby.org

Selby Gardens’ popular Halloween-inspired light show returns, transforming Historic Spanish Point into “Spooky Point.” Follow an eerily lit path dotted with fantastical creations and botanical decorations—including Dracula, spider and bat orchids—and enjoy games, food and drinks, too. Get tickets at selby.org. 

Family Friendly!

Fruitville Grove Pumpkin Festival

Every Weekend Oct. 3-Nov. 1, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
7410 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, fruitvillegrovefarm.com

An annual tradition among Sarasotans, Fruitville Grove Farm's Pumpkin Festival showcases its haul of pumpkins in all sizes, loads of animal encounters and even a wandering magician to wow the kids. Swing by the farm every weekend throughout October. Learn more here.

Haunted Sarasota Tour

Oct. 3-30, at 7 p.m.
1826 Fourth St., Sarasota, discoversarasotatours.com

Hop on a trolley for Discover Sarasota’s Haunted Sarasota Tour, a spooky, historical, musical journey through Sarasota’s eerie past. You’ll hear stories about infamous local murders, visit haunted buildings and learn about unsolved crimes during the 75-minute, air-conditioned nighttime tour. Prizes are awarded for best costume; the tour includes complimentary beer or wine for guests 21-plus at the Trolley Cottage Tiki Bar before boarding. All guests must be 12 or older. Purchase tickets here.

Family Friendly!

Boo! At The Bay

Oct. 17, 5-7:45 p.m.
1055 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, thebaysarasota.org

Enjoy a not-so-scary evening of trick-or-treating, free pumpkin picking, yard games, a family movie under the stars, and more at the annual Boo! At the Bay. Candy will be stationed around the park for the kiddos, as well as plenty of food trucks for the whole family. Learn more here.

Family Friendly!

Haunted Trail Carnival

Oct. 23, 4-7 p.m.
Arlington Park, 2065 Waldemere St., Sarasota, letsplaysarasota.com

Grab the fam and head to Arlington Park for carnival games and treats. Don't forget to bring Fido, preferably in costume for the party's Bark-O-Ween contest that comes complete with dog treats, too.

The Vampire Circus at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

Oct. 25 at 6 p.m.
777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, vanwezel.org

Circus! Cabaret! Theater! Oh my! The Vampire Circus at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall has it all, with its dark, high-energy show inspired by Tim Burton and Cirque du Soleil.

Family Friendly!

Spooktacular at Selby Gardens

Oct. 26, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
1534 Mound St., Sarasota, selby.org

Join in on the fun at Marie Selby Gardens' downtown campus, where children are invited to enjoy spooky storytelling, arts and crafts and trick-or-treating galore. Children are encouraged to dress in costume. Click here to learn more.

Family Friendly!

Trick or Treat on the Lake

Oct. 27, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota, nathanbendersonpark.org

Enjoy more than 70 themed trick-or-treat booths, plus a haunted trail, hayride and pumpkin scavenger hunt, for an evening of Halloween fun and festivities that you and your family won’t want to miss. Learn more here.

Family Friendly!

Trunk-or-Treat

Oct. 28, 5-8 p.m.
Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, 1845 34th St., Sarasota, RLTaylor.com

Located at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, join neighborhood friends for a haunted house and trunk-or-treating among colorfully decorated cars. Prizes will be awarded for the best decorations and costumes.

Family Friendly!

BooFest on Lakewood Ranch Main Street

Oct. 30, 6-9 p.m.
8100 Lakewood Main Street, Lakewood Ranch, lakewoodranch.com

Children are invited to trick-or-treat along a festive street filled with local vendor booths and merchants handing out sweet treats at BooFest. The fun continues in the Kids’ Zone, where kids can enjoy face painting, balloon twisting, fun inflatables, and hands-on experiments. Click here for more information.

Family Friendly!

Trick or Treat at City Center

Oct. 30, 5-8 p.m.
4870 City Hall Blvd., North Port, northportfl.gov

Costumes, candy and community fun take over North Port's City Center at this fun trick-or-treating event. Follow the Pumpkin Trail through decorative booths hosted by local businesses with family-friendly themes. Afterwards, hop in the Monster Mash Pit with DJ Devon for loads of dance floor fun.

Family Friendly!

Sarasota Dog-O-Ween

Oct. 31, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Downtown Sarasota Farmers Market, sarasotafarmersmarket.org

Calling all four-legged friends for the Downtown Sarasota Farmers Market canine costume contest. Register your pup for $15 or just enjoy the pups strutting their stuff at the parade, beginning at 10 a.m. Learn more here.

Family Friendly!

Halloween at The Ringling

Oct. 31, 4-7 p.m.
5401 Bay Shore Road, ringling.org

Enter through The Ringling's historic Museum of Art gates, dressed in costume for family-friendly trick-or-treating on the Loggia. Also featured is a lantern labyrinth in the courtyard. Click here to learn more.

Family Friendly!

Fright Night on St. Armands

Oct. 31, 5:30-8 p.m.
St. Armands Circle, starmandscircleassoc.com

Now in its 18th year, this popular (and free!) event transforms St. Armands Circle into a Halloween lover’s dream, with decorated storefronts, wandering spirits, trick-or-treating, games, sales and more. For more information, click here. 

Family Friendly!

Downtown Venice Halloween Strut

Oct. 31, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
200 W. Venice Ave., Venice, visitvenicefl.org

Halloween celebrants of all ages are invited to show off their costumes in downtown Venice for the annual Halloween Strut. Enjoy trick-or-treating at participating locations on Tampa Avenue West, West Venice Avenue, Miami Avenue West, and Nokomis Avenue, and groove to kid-friendly music with DJ Steve while trunk-or-treating in the Merchants of Venice building parking lot. Click here for more information.

Family Friendly!

The Runaway Pumpkin 5K & Family Fest

Oct. 31, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
5600 Peace River Road, North Port, cpcsarasota.org

This event has everything you need for a fabulous family-friendly Halloween. Join the race at 8:30 a.m., then explore the family festival afterwards. Participation in the race is not required to join in on the festival activities, which include trick-or-treating, face painting, therapy dogs and more.

Halloween Boo Bash at Dog Bar Sarasota

Oct. 31, 2-5 p.m.
1314 Tenth St., Sarasota, dbsrq.com

Bring your pup in costume for a Halloween afternoon with DJ Brandon. Doxie Doggy Races with Skyway Dachshund Rescue are also planned. If you can't make it on Oct. 31, be sure to check out the Corgi Derby on Oct. 11 at 1 p.m.

Family Friendly!

Fall Festival & Carnival at University Town Center

Oct. 29-Nov. 1, 12 p.m.-11 p.m.
University Town Center, 140 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota

Enjoy trunk-or-treating, food trucks, live music, fall-themed photo ops, a pet costume contest and more at this free family-friendly event at University Town Center. More info here.