Photo by Beth Teutschmann on Unsplash
Key Points
Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, giving Apopka families an extra reason to put those costumes to work all weekend. Start with a Friday evening downtown, head out for candy on Saturday or leave room for a project at the kitchen table.
These six ideas include four outings in Apopka and nearby cities, plus two activities to try on your own schedule. Check event pages for updates and registration details before hitting the road.
1. Dress up for an evening downtown
Hall’s on 5th, 15 E. Fifth St. in Apopka, hosts Haunt the Hall’s from 6 to 10:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. Hall’s event listing describes a celebration with music, food vendors and Halloween treats at E-mo’s Candy Shop.
The Friday evening schedule offers a chance to wear a costume before Halloween night. Hall’s says the event welcomes families and friends.
2. Collect treats before sunset
The B.E.E. More Trunk or Treat Fall Festival runs from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at 508 Suggs Road in Apopka. The organizer’s listing advertises decorated trunks, candy, games, music, local vendors and food trucks.
General admission is free, according to the listing. Check the organizer’s listing for current registration information before making plans. The daytime hours leave Halloween evening open for other activities.
3. Find candy and costumes by the lake
Halloween at Cranes Roost Park offers a community celebration from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at 274 Cranes Roost Blvd. in Altamonte Springs.
According to the city of Altamonte Springs, the event includes trick-or-treat booths around the lake, costume contests, live music, games and photo opportunities. Admission is free, while food and beverages are sold separately. The city does not allow coolers or glass at the event.
4. Watch City Hall change after dark
Winter Garden’s Halloween Light Show turns City Hall into a backdrop for animated projections synchronized with spooky music. The city describes the show as family-friendly, with ghosts, goblins, witches and other Halloween images.
The free outdoor display runs from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31, at 300 W. Plant St. It is an option for families who would rather watch a Halloween spectacle than collect another bag of sweets.
5. Turn a neighborhood walk into a hunt
A neighborhood scavenger hunt offers an outing without a scheduled event. A family’s list might include a skeleton, a smiling pumpkin, purple lights, a spiderweb and a ghost. Children can check off decorations as they spot them or draw what they find afterward.
A shared tally can make the hunt cooperative. The idea is to spot decorations from public areas, with families staying on sidewalks where available and crossing streets together. Entering yards, touching decorations or ringing doorbells is not part of the game. A short route works fine; finding every item is optional.
6. Give a pumpkin a new face
Pumpkin decorating offers a kitchen-table project with washable markers, stickers, paper shapes and other age-appropriate craft supplies. A clean, dry pumpkin can become a face, a pattern or a favorite character, with no carving tools required.
A covered work surface keeps the mess contained, while paint or glue needs time to dry before the pumpkins are moved. Paper pumpkins work, too, if there is no real one on hand. You can finish with a family display and let each artist name their creation. This project can fit before an outing or become the afternoon’s main event.
