Safe Ways to Celebrate Halloween

Is Halloween cancelled? I don’t think so. Many places are still offering a safe way to celebrate. Sophomore Allyson Smith is excited to “dress up and show off the costumes [she] and [her] friends made” and Sabrina Grayson (’24) is looking forward to “watching Halloween movies and going to the daddy daughter dance.”

Here are some fun ways to celebrate around Tampa.

1. The Father Daughter Trivia Night will be hosted on Oct. 29 at the Academy by Student Council. Tickets are $20 per person and sold through Veracross. The event will start at 6:30 p.m. Don’t forget to wear a costume and possibly win a prize at the costume contest. Click here to register before tickets sell out.

2. Go to a drive in movie.

Armature works is collabing with RoofTop Cinema Club to bring to life a drive in movie theater. According to Armature Works, “Beginning Oct. 15 audiences can enjoy a mix of modern and classic films every day of the week, two showings per night, including a full week of Halloween and Horror favorites.” Tickets are $22 per vehicle and seating is first-come, first-serve. On Oct. 17, they will be playing the popular Halloween movie “Hocus Pocus” as well as the 21 and 24.

3. Busch Gardens is still hosting their HollowScream event from Sep. 25 to Nov. 1. Lillie Holman (‘24), who had recently visited Busch Gardens, said, “I had to get my temperature checked before walking in, had to wear a proper fitting mask, had to stay 6 feet apart from other parties, had to spread out in every other row on roller coasters, and hand sanitize.” 

4. Sparkman Wharf is hosting Tampa Bay’s first Halloween Boat Parade. On Oct. 24 from 6:30-9 p.m. you can register your boat to be in the parade or reserve seating to watch. The show will begin at 5:30.

5. Ybor City is providing a ghost tour where you can discover paranormal activities in the area. “[Past Tampainans] arrived from all over the globe, and some have never left, despite slipping the bounds of their worldly forms. Tampa’s famous ‘Latin District’ has had no lack of strange and creepy happenings,” according to Ybor Ghost Tour. The tour is available every Oct. night at 8 p.m. Click here to make reservations.

6. Sparkman Wharf is hosting “Howl-O-Ween,” a fun event for your dog to participate in. It will be hosted on Oct. 22 from 6 to 9 p.m. Registration opens at 5 p.m. that day, and you can enter your dog in three different contests. Best trick, Best Duo Costume (meaning you and your dog), and best costume (only dogs); there are 50 participants max per category.

7. The Downtown Tampa Water Taxi is offering a Haunted River Tour. You can ride weekends in Oct. and enjoy the Hillsborough River while listening to spooky stories from Tampa Bay’s past. The seating is at 50% capacity and masks are mandatory. If interested, tickets are $25 and the tour lasts 45-50 mins. Get tickets here.