October is almost here, which means Halloween is right around the corner. This is your perfect way to explore and find local Halloween events. Communities across North Central Florida are offering several ways to celebrate the upcoming season with endless scares and treats.
Newberry Cornfield Maze
Halloween is in full swing in the town of Newberry. The annual Newberry Cornfield Maze welcomes a night of scares, now in its 24th season. The traditional Halloween attraction features a variety of activities including a hay ride, a mechanical bull, an outdoor movie theatre, human hamster balls, and a haunted house.
The Newberry Cornfield maze opened their Halloween festivities on Sept.18 and will last through Oct. 24
The Newberry Cornfield Maze has been entertaining locals and visitors for over 24 years and has to be creative to continuously satisfy its customers.
“You have to love Halloween, you have to enjoy all the scary things, you have to come up with new ways to interact with people. You know, immersing them into a different world, that's ultimately the goal.” Lacy Dowdle, Operations Manager and Sound Technician said.
For Dowdle and staff, this isn’t just about bringing that scare factor, but also putting their all into a monthlong event. That hard work begins with pride to recreate something people will love.
“We bring together a piece of an idea as to what we’re going to do. We’re done at the end of October, and we are back to brainstorming and building ideas right back in January,” Dowdle said.
Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo (Boo at the Zoo)
Looking for fewer tricks and more treats? Students and staff will be dressed in costumes at the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo giving children and families a chance to trick-or-treat throughout the zoo.
The annual “Boo at the Zoo” offers a night of live performances and games hosted by Santa Fe College Athletics.
The cost of admission is a simple act of donating any canned goods or non-perishable foods, this year they will be donated to the Saints Food Share at Santa Fe college.
“Typically, between 5,000-6,000 people attend each year, canned goods usually line up with those numbers as well. Some years there are even more cans donated than attendees.” Christina Arnold, Business and Guest services Manager and Coordinator of Public Events said.
This fun family event will be held on Oct. 28, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
In past years, the event has had huge turnouts, which demonstrates that it has become more than a simple Halloween activity, organizers said. It also allows the community to leave with a greater purpose.
“The way trick-or-treating on Halloween works overall is really in the spirit of giving, the community are giving goods in exchange for nothing but smiles and the opportunity to see costumes and creativity,” Arnold said. “For zoo students, this is a great way to lean into a fun holiday and show off their creativity, they are gaining that experience that will translate throughout their careers.”
Sigma Kappa Sorority (Ghouls, Goblins, and Greeks)
UF students are also dabbling in the Halloween fun. The Panhellenic and Junior Panhellenic councils are hosting their yearly “Ghouls, Goblins and Greeks”.
Each year, the houses are decorated with a specific fun and playful theme picked by sorority members. Local families can trick or treat on Sorority Row near the campus.
“As a delegate, I put a lot of time and effort into planning and coordinating. So, getting to see it all come together on the actual night, and to see how much the families from the past loved it, it was super awesome,” said Abby Dean of Sigma Kappa Sorority.
Beyond the planning process, Dean believes members of her sorority and others are able to see the impact of their work and what truly makes families smile.
“I think it’s important because it also gives local families a fun and safe way to celebrate Halloween, while also allowing us to give back to the Gainesville community.”
Dean said more than 600 families attended last year's “GG&G,” making it their strongest turnout.
There’s no date for the event yet, but it’s set to happen in late October.
Gainesville Harley-Davidson (Trunk or Treat)
Well-known businesses are also joining in on the community fun. For the motorcycle community and locals, Gainesville Harley-Davidson is hosting their very own “Trunk or Treat.”
On the afternoon of Oct. 24th, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Motorcycle trunks will be festively decorated and filled with candy for all to trick or treat out of.
There will be other festivities such as games, decorated displays and a barbecue held by the Christian Motorcyclist Association. Motorcyclists can also compete for prizes; the best decorated trunk wins.
“We’ve been doing this for 4-5 years and we just want to make sure our riding community and the community in general has a way to give back to the kids. We want to make sure that the kids aren’t scared of bikers.” said Nikki Washington, Marketing Event Coordinator at Gainesville Harley-Davidson.
Washington hopes the children leave with important interactions and see that bikers are also members of their community that shouldn’t be feared.
Critter Creek Farm Sanctuary (Farmers Moo-Ket)
Costumes and candy are Halloween staples, but Critter Creek Farm Sanctuary is offering just a few unexpected elements to a spooktacular day.
Getting up close and personal with different animals by feeding them, participating in a scavenger hunt, face painting, costumes and more. Feeling hungry? Visitors are presented with several food vendors, even up to plant-based options to accommodate everyone.
As a registered non-profit organization, thriving since 2020, the Mooket has no admission fee. A $5 donation is suggested but not required. Donations help support veterinary care, medication, infrastructure and feed bills for the animals.
“During the pandemic, many folks yearned for community, due to social distancing and not being able to find many opportunities to get together. The sanctuary decided that our outdoor space would allow for people to safely get together, while also introducing visitors to our residents and their stories.” said Katelyn Braglia, outreach and volunteer coordinator.
Like all the special Halloween events in our area, people are brought together every fall to create meaningful memories forever.