Don't have $125 to go a haunted house? Fear not. Here's a list of North Pinellas community Halloween carnivals, fall festivals and similar events:
The Tarpon Springs Community Center, 400 S Walton Ave., will have a haunted house starting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday and at 10 a.m. Saturday. Cost is $2. Call (727) 942-5628.
The Oldsmar Parks and Recreation Department presents a Halloween carnival from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Bicentennial Park, 423 Lafayette Blvd. A costume contest starts at 6:30 p.m. Age groups in the contest are 2 and younger, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. The carnival also features free games, prizes and candy and a haunted trail. Call (813) 749-1260.
The annual Monster Mash fall fun and safety fair is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Tarpon Springs Community Center, 400 S Walton Ave. The event will include spooky crafts, face painting, story telling, games, a haunted house, costume contest with prizes, petting zoo, pony rides and health information. Refreshments will be offered for purchase. The event is sponsored by the Tarpon Springs parks and recreation, fire and police departments, Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital and St. Petersburg College. Call (727) 942-5628.
Palm Harbor Community Church, 455 Riviere Road, will hold a fall festival from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday with games, prizes, moonwalk, live music, dunk tank and an archery challenge. Admission is free. There is a fee for some games. Call (727) 789-6764.
The Palm Harbor Community Activity Center - formerly known as the Palm Harbor Senior Activity Center - puts on a free kids Halloween party from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at 1500 16th St. Activities include a haunted hayride, haunted house, trick or treating and costume contest. Call (727) 771-6000.
First United Methodist Church of Tarpon Springs, 501 E Tarpon Ave., will hold a free hallelujah party for children through the fifth grade from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday. The event features games, fellowship and candy. Organizers ask that children do not wear scary costumes. Call (727) 937-3271.
These events are scheduled for mid-Pinellas:
The "Halloween Enchanted Forest" will be held 7 p.m. Friday at Moccasin Lake Nature Park, 2750 Park Trail Lane, Clearwater. The event includes trick-or-treating, a night hike along the nature trail. Local author and storyteller Michael Stern will narrate his book Kokopelli and the Butterfly. A campfire, marshmallow treats and entertainment are included. Admission is $6 for children age 13 and older, $4 for ages 3-12 and $1 for children age 2 and younger. Register at (727) 462-6024.
A "Halloween Spooktacular" for children age 10 and younger is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at Countryside Recreation Center, 2640 Sabal Springs Drive, Clearwater. Children can make art and crafts, trick or treat in the offices, compete in a haunted egg hunt and costume contest. From 8:30 to 9:30 p.m., youths age 10 and older can visit the "Trail of Terror 2: Insanity" for an interactive experience. Admission is $1. For more information, call (727) 669-1914.
A family fall festival is scheduled from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday at the Long Center, 1501 N Belcher Ave., Clearwater. Festivities include a costume contest, crafts, games, moonwalk, face painting, cakewalk, music and trick-or-treating. Tickets are $2 before Saturday and $4 the day of the festival. Children age 2 and younger are free. For more information, call (727) 793-2320.
A "Haunting Halloween" will be held from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at the Dunedin Community Center, 1141 Michigan Blvd. Activities include a Halloween carnival, a haunted hayride and a haunted house. There is a special Halloween Village for preschool children, a free costume contest for all ages, a moonwalk, petting zoo, pony rides and music. Concession food will be on sale. For more information, call (727) 298-3286.
The "Boo Bash" Halloween carnival is from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Bright House Networks Field, 601 Old Coachman Road, Clearwater. The event, sponsored by the Clearwater Threshers and the city of Clearwater, is free to the public. Activities include more than 30 candy stations for trick-or-treating, carnival games for children, hayrides around the field, a moonwalk, a semi-scary haunted house and costume parade. For more information, call (727) 712-4300 or (727) 562-4800.
