North Central Florida celebrates Halloween

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - Is your costume ready? Halloween events are popping up across North Central Florida. TV20 has a list of events happening across our region, some family-friendly and free. If you have a suggestion for an event we don't have on this list, please email us the information, including date, time, and location to .

Alachua CountyThursday, Oct. 31 at 6 p.m.: Costume Contest hosted by Trey Tucker. The party will include a costume contest, drink and dinner specials. Location: 14841 Main St., Alachua, FL

Weekends from Oct. 5 to Nov. 3: Fall festival hosted by Crossroads Farm and Apiary. This festival will have a pumpkin patch, a crop maze, a bounce pad, hay rides, and train and moo rides. There will be photo ops and games, and the event will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. Location: 3831 Northwest 156th Avenue, Gainesville

Weekends until Oct. 26: Halloween Festival hosted by Peanut Patch and Corn Maze. This festival will have a haunted corn maze, house, and hayrides. This event will run every Friday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and every Saturday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Location: 8656 Southwest 75th Street, Gainesville

Sunday, Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.:Messy Playdate hosted by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville. Ghost mud, spider web slime, and a potion-making station will be available. Organizers ask you to bring a change of clothes in case things get, messy. Location: 4255 Northwest 34th Street, Gainesville

Sunday, Oct. 6 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.:Gainesville Oddities Market hosted by DJ Matt Gray. More than 80 vendors will be selling taxidermy, bug art, bone art, crystals, fashion, makeup, and jewelry, as well as a candy distribution. The costume contest, with prizes, begins at 3 p.m. Location: Bo Diddley Plaza, 111 East University Avenue, Gainesville

Saturday, Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Family Halloween Festival hosted by UF's Alpha Epsilon Delta and the Gainesville Fear Garden. This fall festival is dedicated to raising funds for The Florida Diabetes Camp . Stop by to visit the haunted house, or play some carnival games, including mini-golf, corn-hole, and even pumpkin bowling. Location: 622 Southeast 2nd Street, Gainesville

Saturday, Oct. 12 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.:Trunk-or-Treat hosted by Star Martial Arts. A costume contest with prizes will be held, as well as a contest for the best-decorated car. Over 500lbs of candy will be handed out and kids can enjoy carnival games. Registration is free.

Monday, Oct. 14 at 10:30 a.m.: Fun 4 Kids Gator Playgroup trick-or-treating hosted by Charter Senior Living. Join F4GK's playgroup for trick-or-treating. Children will also make cards for the residents. This event is free, but space is limited. The registration link is here . Location: 1001 Southwest 62nd Boulevard, Gainesville

Friday, Oct. 25 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Squishmallow Bash hosted by Pinspiration Gainesville. For $40, this event includes a mini mystery squishmallow, which visitors can take home, a painting session, a squishmallow adoption certificate, friendship bracelets, Z-O-M-B-I-E-S (2018) movie night, candy and more. Location: 1132 NW 76th Blv., Gainesville, FL, 32606

Saturday, October 26 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.:Cookie decorating hosted by Pinspiration Gainesville. This is a beginner-level class and everything will be provided. No experience is necessary. Ages 10 and older are welcome but all attendees must purchase a seat. Each person will leave with beautifully decorated cookies and a personalized one made especially for you. Event organizers ask you to provide the first name of all attendees when you register by emailing . Tickets are $55 and can be purchased here .

Tuesday, Oct. 29 and Wed., Oct. 30: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics presented by Fever. This event will hold a candlelight classical concert featuring Halloween classics. Location: Hippodrome Theatre, 25 Southeast 2nd Place, Gainesville

Thursday, Oct. 31 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Boo at the Zoo hosted by Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo. Watch as the zoo transforms into a spooky but safe trick-or-treating event for the whole family. Fun4GatorKids will host a KidsZone in front of the zoo with community organizations offering crafts, activities, and more candy. Live entertainment and animal encounters will be provided. Admission costs one canned good or non-perishable food item per person. Canned goods will be donated to local food banks including Catholic Charities Gainesville and Saints Food Share at Santa Fe College. The zoo will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on this day to prepare the space. Parking will be across the street from the zoo in Lot 9 with overflow in Lots 11 and 12.

Thursday, Oct. 31 at 6 p.m. Halloween Ride hosted by Gainesville OneWheel. Weather permitting, this all-day event will have costumes and fun with a ride around the duck pond at the Thomas Center. Location: 302 Northeast 6th Avenue, Gainesville

Thursday, Oct. 31 to Nov. 2: Halloween walk-and-drive hosted by Carson Springs Wildlife Conservation Foundation. Over 100 wild animals will be on-site, along with candy and an optional house of horrors. Participants can choose between driving or walking tours. The hours for walking tours are Thursday, Oct. 31 and Friday, Nov. 1 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The drive-thru tours will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and noon. Prices are $10 per child over 10 years old for walking tours. For the drive-thru tours, it will cost $15 for adults and $10 for children 10 years or older. Location: 8528 East County Road 225, Gainesville

Select dates from September to October: AI House of Horrors hosted by Gainesville Fear Garden. This experimental haunted house attraction includes sensory deprivation, including blindfolds and headphones. Tickets are $20 and available for purchase here . Location: 622 Southeast 2nd Street, Gainesville

Friday, Oct. 25, and Sat., Oct. 26 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.: Halloween Howl hosted by the city of Hawthorne's Parks and Rec. This event will feature a dunk tank, where attendees will get a chance to dunk Cornelius Ingram of the Hawthorne Hornets and Shell Elementary School Principal Ed Haukland. Miniature ponies, hay rides and a haunted house will be available with pumpkin painting and a trunk-or-treat. An all-ages costume contest as well as a hotdog eating competition will take place. Location: 6000 Southeast 205th Street, Hawthorne

High SpringsSaturday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: High Springs Fall Festival hosted by the High Springs Chamber of Commerce. The event will have a craft fair, food trucks, kid's corral prizes, vendors, and activities. Location: 23718 West US Highway 27, High Springs

Thursday, Oct. 31 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Trunk-or-treat hosted by First Baptist of Newberry. Creatively decorated trunks filled with candy for safe trick-or-treating as well as inflatables and yard games will be available at this event, as well as kettlecorn, hot dogs, and nachos. Location: 25220 West Newberry Road, Newberry

Saturday, Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Halloween-themed market hosted by Grumpa Curtis. This market will include multiple vendors selling Halloween-based items. Location: Mossman Hall

Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 6 p.m.: Halloween Party hosted by First Baptist Church of Micanopy. This event will have trick or treating, cake walks, games and costume contests. Location: 709 NE Cholokka Blv., Micanopy, FL, 32667

Weekends from Oct. 4 to Nov. 3: Coon Hollo Fall Fest hosted by Coon Hollo. This festival will include pumpkins galore, delicious concessions, Nana's Country Store, a crop maze, pony rides and Karson's Wild West Show. Location: 22480 Highway 441 N, Micanopy, FL, 32667

Marion CountySaturday, Oct. 26 from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.: Halloween Cookie Class hosted by Sugar by Steph. This intermediate-level Halloween Cookie class will allow attendees to learn how to decorate cookies with all materials, boxes and snacks provided. Location: Hammer & Stain Ocala

Sunday, Oct. 27 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Halloween Celebration 2024 hosted by Ocala's World Equestrian Center. This spooktacular celebration will include a trick-or-treating adventure through WEC Grand Plaza, pumpkin and cookie decorating, a photo booth and entertainment from balloon artists. Location: World Equestrian Center Ocala

Thursday, Oct. 31 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.: Halloween Gourmet Tasting hosted by Sandy's Shack Imported Wine & Beer. This tasting includes a personal charcuterie and cheese boat and four 2oz. pours of high-end wines. Location: 4901 E Silver Springs Blvd., Units 306-308, Ocala, FL, 34470

Saturday, Oct. 26 at 4 p.m.: Halloween Party hosted by Thirsty Turtle Pub. This party will have karaoke at 8 p.m., a costume contest and spooky dishes. Location: 19487 SW Rainbow Lakes Blvd., Dunnellon, FL

Sunday, Oct. 27 at 8:30 a.m.: Halloween River Paddle hosted by Citrus SUP Adventures Tribe, Rachel Pendleton and Jennifer Knox. This event will be down the Rainbow River and attendees, who are encouraged to come in their best costumes, will paddle from the KP Hole to the Blue Run exit. After the paddle, attendees are encouraged to go across the river for lunch at Swampy's. Disclaimer: All events are self-guided and if attending, individuals acknowledge they can swim, are confident in their ability on a paddleboard or kayak and are aware of any inherent risks that could result in accident and serious injury. Location: Rainbow River KP Hole Park

Keystone HeightsFriday, Oct. 18 to Oct. 20: Halloween Camp hosted by YMCA Camp Immokalee. This weekend will include a mix of traditional camping activities like archery and zip-lining with Halloween-themed activities like spooky crafts and a costume dance. Open to ages 6-17. Location: 6765 Immokalee Rd., Keystone Heights, FL, 32656

Saturday, Oct. 26 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Trunk or Treat hosted by the City of Belleview. This event will include trunks with free candy, DJ Wolverine, free hayrides and more. For $3 attendees can also go through the haunted house and zombie maze provided by the Art District. Location: Lake Lillian

Columbia County Lake CitySaturday, Oct. 26 at 6 p.m.: Downtown Trunk or Treat hosted by the city of Lake City. The city encourages all attendees to come in their best costumes and visit all the trunks for special treats. Location: Downtown Lake City

Thursday, Oct. 31 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Kids Safe Halloween Haunted House hosted by The American Legion Auxiliary and the American Legion Family. This event will have games, cake walks and candy. Free for ages 0-12 and kids eat free. Location: 2602 SW Main Blvd., Lake City, FL, 32025