As anyone who pays attention to retail holiday displays has probably noticed, Halloween celebrations seem to start earlier every year. That's also apparent in the Sarasota area's October calendar, where events have taken place from the start of the month and run through Oct. 31 proper.
Halloween happenings already taking place include Lights at Spooky Point at Selby Gardens' Historic Spanish Point campus, while this weekend will bring new events such as Boo! at the Bay in downtown Sarasota, Goblin Gathering in Bradenton, and Halloween Notte in Port Charlotte.
Even more events will take place the following weekend, and with the holiday falling on a Saturday this year, many Halloween celebrations will happen on Oct. 31 itself, ranging from trick-or-treating
and other family-friendly festivities to a block party outside downtown Sarasota bar Gator Club.
To help keep track of it all, here are some of the most notable Halloween celebrations in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties this year, listed in chronological order. Event details are subject to change.
Sarasota Players 'Dracula'
Sarasota Players will put on this black box production based on Bram Stoker's classic Gothic horror novel, following the Transylvanian Count Dracula, who is secretly a vampire, and his encounters with Jonathan Harker, his fiancée Mina Murray and Abraham Van Helsing. Through Oct. 25; The Players Studio Black Box, 1400 Boulevard of the Arts, Suite 200, Sarasota; $30, $15 students; 941-365-2494; theplayers.org
Haunted Sarasota Tour
Discover Sarasota Tours hosts this 75-minute Halloween tour where passengers will hear stories about haunted buildings, intriguing ghosts and spirited sightings, with prizes for best costumes. Through Oct. 30; Discover Sarasota Tours, 1826 Fourth St., Sarasota; $62.99 (includes free beer/wine for guests age 21 and up before tour; all guests must be age 12 and up); 941-260-9818; discoversarasotatours.com
Lights at Spooky Point
The Halloween-themed light show turns Selby Gardens' Historic Spanish Point campus into “Spooky Point” in a walk-through show that is described as all-ages and "equal parts campy, creepy, and cute." Through Oct. 31; Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Historic Spanish Point Campus, 401 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey; $34 adults, $24 members, $19 ages 5-17, free ages 4 and under; 941-366-5731; selby.org
'Carrie: The Musical'
Stephen King's debut 1974 novel about the titular tormented teen with telekinetic powers was later made into an 1988 musical that an infamous flop in its original Broadway but has gained a cult following in the ensuing years. Prom attire is encouraged, and the Halloween show will encourage costumes, give out trick-or-treat goodie bags, and have themed cocktails available. Through Nov. 1; Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W. Bradenton; $32.50, $50 Halloween show; 941-748-5875; manateeperformingartscenter.com
Fruitville Grove Pumpkin Festival
The 38th annual festival will feature the walk-through haunted house Hollowgraves Haunted Manor (recommended for ages 8 and up) and Mermaid Encounter (Saturdays), as well as a food truck rally, craft show, live music, kids fun zone, hold-a-skunk, pony, mini-train and hay rides, hug-a-goat, butterfly garden experience and more. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 31-Nov. 1; Fruitville Grove, 7410 Fruitville Road, Sarasota; $5, free kids ages 6 and under (admission), $1-$10 certain rides and activities, free parking; 941-377-0896; fruitvillegrovefarm.com
Goblin Gathering
The family-friendly Halloween event features local businesses passing out “treats and sweets” to participants, inflatable attractions, hayrides, food trucks, costume contests, a petting zoo and a photo booth. 4-7 p.m. Friday; G.T. Bray Park, 5502 33rd Ave. Drive W., Bradenton; free admission; mymanatee.org
Halloween Notte
The Halloween event will return with The Asylum and The Butcher's haunted houses, The Frightmare Before Christmas live show, food/drinks, vendors, a kids zone and more. Friday-Sunday (Oct. 16-18), Oct. 23-25 and Oct. 29-31; Charlotte County Fairgrounds, 2333 El Jobean Road, Port Charlotte; $5 (grounds admission only), $25, $21 veterans/seniors, $15 ages 12 and under (includes entry, one walkthrough of each haunted house, live show and kids zone), $15 unlimited haunted house or VIP front row seat live show add-ons; 941-416-2548; halloweennotte.com
Boo! at the Bay
The family-friendly Halloween celebration will feature trick-or-treating, free pumpkin picking and decorating, and a screening of a singalong version of "The Nightmare Before Christmas." 6 p.m. Saturday; the Bay, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, free admission; 941-203-5316; thebaysarasota.org
Haunted Trail Carnival and Bark-O-Ween
The family-friendly event features carnival-style games and spooky surprises along Arlington Park's half-mile walking trail, plus an annual Bark-O-Ween dog costume contest. 4-7 p.m. Oct. 23; Arlington Recreation Center, 2650 Waldemere St., Sarasota; free, children under age 5 must be accompanied by adult; letsplaysarasota.com
Pumpkin Splash
Take a dip and pick a pumpkin from a floating patch at this event, where participants can use carving tools and decorations provided, or bring their own decorating supplies. Noon-2 p.m. Oct. 24; Arlington Recreation Center, 2650 Waldemere St., Sarasota; $10 per person; 941-263-6386; letsplaysarasota.com
Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics
Candlelight Concerts performs classical works by Charles Gounod and Dmitri Shostakovich, pop hits including Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and Ray Parker Jr.'s "Ghostbusters" and music from horror films such as “Halloween” and “Psycho.” 6:15 p.m. Oct. 24; St. Boniface Episcopal Church, 5615 Midnight Pass Road, Sarasota; $45.50-$60; feverup.com
Boo Bash
The 30th annual Halloween party will feature costume contests with a total of $5,000 in cash. 9 p.m. Oct. 24; Joyland, 8333 Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota; $15-$20 ages 21 and up, $35 under age 21; 941-397-3973; joylandsarasota.com
Selby Spooktacular
The family-friendly event will feature Halloween happenings including trick-or-treating, arts and crafts, and fun and educational activities, as well as more frightening (but not too scary) options for older children such as storytelling. Food and drink will be available for purchase, with children encouraged to dress in costume and bring their own trick-or-treat bags. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 25; Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Downtown Sarasota Campus, 1534 Mound St., Sarasota; included with general admission, free members; 941-366-5731; selby.org
The Vampire Circus
Set in 19th-century Bohemia, Count Dracula uses a traveling circus as a disguise for his sinister plan in this show combining acrobatics, dance, comedy and illusion in a Tim Burton and Cirque du Soleil-inspired spectacle. To tie in with the show, the Sarasota Modern will turn their outdoor patio into a vampire lair with themed cocktails and bites Oct. 23-31. 6 p.m. Oct. 25; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $41-$81; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org
Trick or Treat on the Lake
The evening of trick-or-treating, along a candy trail with more than 50 themed booths decorated by local businesses and community organizations, will also feature a haunted house inside and outside the Finish Tower, kids games, live music, circus and dance performances, scavenger hunt for prizes, and photo op and selfie station. 4:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 27; Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota; free; 941-358-7275; nathanbendersonpark.org
Trunk or Treat
The safe, free and family-friendly evening will feature games, candy and fun, with prizes awarded for the best decorated trunks and costumes. 5-8 p.m. Oct. 28; Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, 1845 John Rivers St., Sarasota; free; 941-263-6386; letsplaysarasota.com
'Ghostbusters' in Concert
The 1984 horror comedy will be screened on a large HD screen, with Elmer Bernstein's score performed live by an orchestra. 7 p.m. Oct. 29; Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $46-$91; 941-263-6799; vanwezel.org
'The Silence of the Lambs'
The free outdoor movie series Cinema at The Bay will screen "The Silence of the Lambs," Jonathan Demme's 1991 Best Picture Oscar-winning film starring Jodie Foster as a FBI trainee pursuing the serial killer Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) with the help of the imprisoned Hannibal Lector (Anthony Hopkins), for Halloween and the film's 35th anniversary. 7-9 p.m. Oct. 29; the Bay, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota; free; 941-203-5316; thebaysarasota.org
Trick or Treat at City Center
The annual celebration at North Port's City Center Front Green will feature a Pumpkin Trail with decorated booths and candy, a Monster Mash Pit with DJ music, food trucks and more. 5-8 p.m. Oct. 30; City Center Front Green, 4970 City Hall Blvd., North Port; free; 941-429-7275; northportfl.gov/trickortreat
BooFest
The family-friendly Halloween event on Lakewood Ranch's Main Street features trick-and-treating, a kids zone, live music, food and drink vendors and more. 6-9 p.m. Oct. 30; 8100 Lakewood Main St., Lakewood Ranch; free admission; 800-307-2624; lakewoodranch.com
Hocus Pocus Pops II
The family-friendly Halloween concert by The Pops Orchestra of Sarasota and Bradenton will feature a spooky set list, a special performance by Sarasota Ballet’s Dance — The Next Generation program along with on-stage dancing inspired by hits such as "Thriller" and "The Monster Mash," and trick-or-treating following the performance. 7 p.m. Oct. 30; Riverview Performing Arts Center, 1 Ram Way, Sarasota; $35-$65; 941-926-7677; thepopsorchestra.org
Dog-A-Ween
Proceeds from the Halloween dog costume contest and parade will benefit the Donte's Den animal sanctuary in Myakka City. 9 a.m. registration, 10 a.m. parade and contest Oct. 31; Sarasota Farmers Market, 1 N. Lemon Ave., Sarasota (registration), Paul Thorpe Park, 135 S. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota (contest); $15 donation per dog registered; destinationdowntownsarasota.com
Boo! at The Bazaar
There'll be trick or treating throughout the Bazaar, a costume contest with prizes, DJ music and food specials at Hamlet's Eatery. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 31; The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, 821 Apricot Ave., Sarasota; free; 941-445-1938; bazaaronapricotandlime.com
AMI South End Presents Sundown Get Down — Halloween Spooktacular
Historic Bridge Street on Anna Maria Island serves as the site for this Halloween community celebration with trick-or-treating, games and local vendors. 2-8 p.m. Oct. 31; Historic Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach; free; amisouthend.com
Downtown Halloween Strut
All ages are invited to show off their costumes at this downtown Venice event, with trick-or-treating at participating locations on Miami, Nokomis, Tampa and Venice avenues, and a parade starting at 4 p.m. (with parade lineup starting at 3:45 p.m.) 4-5:30 p.m. Oct. 31; Downtown Venice District, 200 W. Venice Ave., Venice; 941-484-6722; visitvenicefl.org
Siesta Key Safe Treats
The annual Halloween event features trick-and-treating, with participating businesses displaying Safe Treats signs. 4-6 p.m. Oct. 31; Siesta Key; free; 941-349-3800; siestakeychamber.com
Halloween at The Ringling
The museum will celebrate the holiday with trick-or-treating, a lantern labyrinth, artmaking, guides highlighting not-too-spooky paintings, a seek-and-find, historic Halloween shorts playing and a food truck. 4-7 p.m. Oct. 31; The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota; free, but bringing non-perishable food items for All Faiths Food Bank requested; 941-359-5700; ringling.org
Halloween Block Party
Downtown Sarasota bar The Gator Club hosts this block party with music by DJ Ryan, Phoenix 5 and Johnny Diamond, costume contest, and food and drink from Smokin Momma Lora's BBQ, Jim Beam and Gold Coast Eagle Distributing. 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Oct. 31; The Gator Club, 1490 Main St., Sarasota; 941-366-5969; facebook.com/thegatorclubsrq
Fright Night on St. Armands
The 18th annual Halloween event will feature decorated storefronts and frightening characters as well as trick-or-treating, with numerous retailers and restaurants in the popular Sarasota shopping and dining district offering candy, games and customized promotions. 5:30-8 p.m. Oct. 31; St. Armands Circle, Sarasota; free; 941-388-1554; starmandscircleassoc.com
Trick or Treat in Village of the Arts
Trick or treat in the colorful Bradenton neighborhood (and return the following weekend for the annual Día de los Muertos celebration Festival of the Skeletons). 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31; Village of the Arts, 1227 12th St. W., Bradenton; free; villageofthearts.org
Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Top Sarasota area Halloween events taking place, now through Oct. 31
