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Halloween events, pumpkin fests: 10+ things to do around Bradenton this weekend

Downtown Bradenton’s beloved street parties are returning this year, and the series will kick off with a Halloween weekend celebration with candy, games and costumes.
Downtown Bradenton’s beloved street parties are returning this year, and the series will kick off with a Halloween weekend celebration with candy, games and costumes. Courtesy of Independent Jones

Another October weekend is here, and there’s plenty of local fun on tap to help you enjoy it.

Halloween celebrations and fall festivals are on around Bradenton and Sarasota, and Main Street Live will open its 2022-23 series on Old Main Street this Saturday.

Still need plans? We’ve got you covered.

Here’s a hand-picked guide to fun times around Bradenton and Sarasota this weekend, Oct. 28-30.

Main Street Live

Downtown Bradenton’s beloved street parties are returning this year, and the series will kick off with a Halloween weekend celebration with candy, games and costumes.

Main Street Live also includes vendors, food trucks and family-friendly activities. Rock ‘n’ roll cover band Stormbringer will play.

Pumpkin harvest festivals

The season of all things pumpkin has arrived in Florida, and some local festivals are here to help you get your gourd on.

Despite some mess from Hurricane Ian, both Hunsader Farms in Bradenton and Fruitville Groves in Sarasota will host their annual pumpkin festivals this October.

Here’s what to know before you head out to the patch.

Fruitville Grove Farm Market’s 34th annual Pumpkin Festival will feature a free petting zoo, playground, live music, circus performances, craft vendors, decorated photo spots and costume contests. Admission is also free.

Activities in the $1-$10 range include pony and carriage rides, a rock-climbing wall, a wildflower maze, a kids fun zone with a zip line, and pumpkin painting.

Food trucks and food vendors will be on site every day of the festival.

  • Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct.ober 15-16, 22-23, and 29-30. Fruitville Grove, 7410 Fruitville Road, Sarasota. Free admission. $5 parking.
  • Info: fruitvillegrove.com

Hunsader Farms’s 31st annual Pumpkin Festival is family-friendly event offering crafts, entertainment and harvest fun.

Live music, juggling shows, chainsaw sculpting displays, hayrides, scarecrow displays, a petting zoo and playground access are included with admission.

Activities available for an additional charge include pumpkin games, a corn maze, train rides, pony rides and arm painting.

There’s also a bounty of food and desserts to try, such as roasted sweet corn, homemade ice cream and pumpkin pie.

  • Details: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30. Hunsader Farms, 5500 County Road 675, Bradenton. Admission: $15. Children 10 and under: Free. Parking: $5. Cash only.
  • Info: hunsaderfarms.com

Halloween events

BooFest in Lakewood Ranch: Lakewood Ranch will host some Halloween weekend fun with BooFest. The special event will include trick-or-treating, a costume parade for kids, live entertainment and food and drink vendors on Lakewood Ranch Main Street.

  • Details: 6-9 p.m. Oct. 28. 8130 Lakewood Main St., Lakewood Ranch. Free admission.

  • Info: lakewoodranch.com

Boo! at The Bazaar: The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime in Sarasota will host a free, indoor trick-or-treating event on Oct. 29. “Join the 40+ local creators and curators for a fun and festive day,” an event description says. Costumes are encouraged, and there will be live music.

Boo! at the Bishop: This nighttime trick-or-treating event inside The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature offers a chance to collect candy in a safe and fun environment. Candy stations will be spread throughout the museum. Family-friendly costumes are encouraged for all ages.

  • Details: 6-9 p.m. Oct. 29. The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton. $7 per person. Ages 4 and under: free. Register online.

  • Info: bishopscience.org/boo-at-the-bishop

Halloween at the Meadows Farmers Market: The Halloween weekend edition of the Meadows Farmers Market will feature trick-or-treating, costume contests for adults and kids, food, music and family fun. The market boasts fresh local produce, artisans and food vendors.

Halloween on South Lime: A Sarasota cul-de-sac will transform into a family-friendly, haunted walking experience over the Halloween weekend. Local art education company Enlightened Monkey Arts is sponsoring the production which will feature animatronics, projection mapping, spooky sounds and special effects.

This year’s event, “Madam Dementia’s Circus Menagerie and Midway,” will conjure old-time circus scenes. Attractions include circus acts, mythical creatures, a silent outdoor theater, a toy shooting gallery, fortune telling, a haunted garden and a western cemetery.

Parking is available on nearby Ringing Boulevard, in the free city parking garage next to Payne Park and at Sarasota Lanes.

  • Details: 7-10 p.m. Oct. 30 and 31. 133 S. Lime Ave., Sarasota. Free. Parking available on Ringling Boulevard and South Lime Avenue. Free.
  • Info: enlightenedmonkeyarts.com.

Halloween Safe Kids Night: On Halloween night, families are invited to costume up and head to the Manatee County Fairgrounds for the 19th annual Halloween Safe Kids Night.

Community organizations will be set up at booths with individually wrapped and sealed candy to distribute under the cover of the Mosaic Arena. There will also be games to try, public safety equipment and vehicles to see and a children’s costume contest.

Guests can park along 17th Street West and enter at Gate One across from Palmetto High School or park at the south end of the fairgrounds and enter at Gate Nine, across from Church on the Rock.

The event is hosted by CrimeStoppers of Manatee County in partnership with the Manatee County Fair.

St. Armand’s Fright Night: For the 14th year, St. Armand’s Circle showcases decorated storefronts and frightening characters at every corner among the statues dressed in Halloween garb. Restaurants and businesses will offer candy for kids and special promotions for adults.

  • Details: 6-8:30 p.m. Oct. 31. St. Armand’s Circle shops and restaurants, Sarasota. Free.
  • Info: starmandscircleassoc.com

Lights at Spooky Point: Marie Selbie Botanical Gardens is famous for its Christmas light displays; this year, the garden’s Historic Spanish Point campus in Osprey will bring some illuminated magic to the Halloween season, too.

“Visitors to ‘Spooky Point’ will follow a lighted path through the wooded campus and past several historic areas, encountering fantastical creations around every turn,” a preview says. “Light installations will include suspended ‘orchid spiders,’ flying ‘ghost orchids,’ giant ‘bat orchids’ and many more surprises. Food and beverages will be available for purchase, and a hay maze will await visitors near the end of their journey.”

Guests can also opt to arrive at the garden light show via a narrated boat tour on select nights (Oct. 14, 15, 21, 28 and 29; $140 per person for non-members).

  • Details: Admission times at 6:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. nightly. Oct. 14-31. Historic Spanish Point Campus, 401 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey. Members: $20. Non-members: $25. Ages 5-17: $15. Ages 4 and under: free. Advanced purchase required.
  • Info: selby.org

Circus on the Ranch presents Halloween Spooktacular: Head to Myakka City for Circus on the Ranch’s second annual Halloween Spectacular, a family-friendly holiday bash. The highlight is “Fun and Fright,” a circus show with flying trapeze, equestrian and aerial arts acts by professional and student performers. Other fun includes face painting, hay rides, yard games and food and drink. Candy for kids and adult beverages for guests 21 and up are complimentary with admission.

  • Details: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28 and 29; 6 p.m. Oct. 30. Gates open an hour prior to showtime. 9855 Wauchula Road, Myakka City. $15 per person. Ages 12 and under: Free.
  • Info: circusontheranch.com

Joyland Boo-Bash: Joyland’s 26th annual Boo Bash promises a Halloween dance party with costume contests, cash prizes and giveaways. Country radio DJ Maverick Johnson of 92.1 CTQ will host. This year’s bash will also add a haunted house experience.

  • Details: 9 p.m. Oct. 29. Joyland Live Music Night Club, 8341 Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota. $10 advance. Day of admission: $15 for 21 and up; $30 for ages 18-20.

  • Info: joylandsarasota.com

Downtown Sarasota Block Party: The Gator Club in downtown Sarasota will host its annual adults-only block party on Halloween weekend. The party includes indoor and outdoor music, a DJ, food vendors and a costume contest.

Corporate Ladder Brewing Company will host “Long Live the Horror,” an extra-scary beer, movie and horror event. Designed for a mature audience, the night will feature nightmare-ish decor, themed drinks and food and a rotation of classic horror films. Guests are encouraged to wear their scariest costumes.

Performing arts and shows

West Coast Black Theatre Troupe presents Guys and Dolls: “A Tony Award winner for Best Musical, ‘Guys and Dolls’ tells the story of New York City gambler Nathan Detroit, who dreams of setting up a big dice game while avoiding the authorities—and marriage to his longtime fiancée. WBTT will add its own special twist to this crowd-pleasing show,” a preview says.

  • Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Through Nov. 20. Donelly Theatre at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe Campus, 1012 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota. Adults: $50; student/military: $20.
  • Info: 941-366-1505. westcoastblacktheatre.org

‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’ at Sarasota Polo Club: The Players Centre in Sarasota is once again teaming up with the Sarasota Polo Club to host the sixth annual live outdoor production of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”

Bring lawn chairs or blankets and watch Ichabod Crane’s infamous encounter with the Headless Horseman.

  • Details: 6 p.m. Oct. 27 and 28; 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Oct. 29. Sarasota Polo Club, 8201 Polo Club Lane, Lakewood Ranch. Adults: $20; Students 24 and under: $10; Family four-pack: $50.

  • Info: 941-365-2494. theplayers.org

Scott Novotny at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre: “A versatile performer, Scott acted in numerous stage productions, worked at the ‘Brave New Workshop’ as an improvisational actor/writer, owned and operated The Comedy Cabaret...and has written for ‘Saturday Night Live’ and the comic strip, ‘Strange Brew,’ the comedian’s bio says.

  • Details: 7 p.m. Saturday. McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota. $25.

  • Info: mccurdyscomedy.com

Farmers’ markets

Downtown Bradenton Public Market: This weekly market is a community gathering place that welcomes vendors offering fresh local produce, meat, pantry and home goods, packaged foods, plants, clothing, accessories and more.

Food, drink and dessert vendors make the market a great place to grab a tasty snack.

This year, the market is nearly doubling in size with plans to host about 100 vendors each week, including a core group of businesses and some rotating selections, organizers say.

The market also features live music performances from different regional artists each week. Kid’s activities, special events and cooking demonstrations add to the fun throughout the season.

The Farmers’ Market at Lakewood Ranch welcomes more than 90 regional vendors to Waterside Place each Sunday. Offerings include produce, meat and seafood, prepared foods and breads, crafts, jewelry, plants and pet treats. Live music from a rotation of local musicians and yoga sessions are another regular feature at the market.

Oneco Farmers Market is open seven days a week. The permanent market boasts more than 100 vendors in one location, including meats and seafood, fresh produce, sweets and treats. There are also restaurants and arts and crafts vendors to check out, and the market frequently hosts free community events.

  • Details: Open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. Oneco Farmers Market, 5108 15th St. E., Bradenton.
  • Info: onecofarmersmarket.com

Sarasota Farmers Market brings vendors selling arts and crafts, goods and services, produce, food, plants and more to downtown Sarasota. There’s also live music to enjoy.

Newtown Sarasota Farmers Market offers local produce, fresh-baked goods and other items twice a week in the Newtown neighborhood. The market also hosts community gatherings including events for kids and food festivals.

  • Details: 10 a.m.-5p.m. Friday and Saturday. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, 2523 Cocoanut Ave., Sarasota.
  • Info: newtownfarmersmarketsrq.org

Meadows Farmers Market: Started in Oct. 2021, the Meadows Farmers Market promises organic fruits and vegetables straight from local farmers. Other attractions include artisans, food vendors and live music. Events at the market include yoga, tai chi, wellness talks and holiday celebrations.

Red Barn Flea Market combines the best of a farmers market, a flea market and a food court in one stop. At Red Barn, you’ll find permanent storefronts, vendor booths, fresh produce, local food offerings, live entertainment and more.

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This story was originally published October 27, 2022 at 12:09 PM.

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Ryan Ballogg
Bradenton Herald
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Ryan Ballogg is a local news and environment reporter and features writer at the Bradenton Herald. His work has received awards from the Florida Society of News Editors and the Florida Press Club. Ryan is a Florida native and graduate of USF St. Petersburg. Support my work with a digital subscription
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