It’s that time of the year again, spooky season and the beginning of fall. Halloween is right around the corner, and if you’re like me (broke), then finding a way to have fun for the night can be a bit of a struggle. So, I decided to go on a mission to create the ultimate list of fall and Halloween activities in the USFSP area under $30. Â
If you’re most interested in a casual haunted expedition, then this candlelight walking tour around the downtown area is for you! For only $22, you can learn the true ghost stories and tales about the streets and waterfront of St. Pete. The tour takes place year-round, so you don’t have to stress about missing it before Halloween, and it departs from Sweet Diva Chocolates!Â
Gallaghers Pumpkins & Christmas TreesÂ
Open all season from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Gallaghers’ features a pumpkin patch, a petting zoo, and fall food, like kettle corn, apple cider donuts, and hot or cold cider. It’s free to enter, but you can support the small business by buying a pumpkin or trying out their food!Â
On Oct. 21 from 12 to 5 p.m. at 3 Daughters Brewing, you can support a good cause through pumpkin painting, live music, and food trucks. Tickets are only $25 and include a pumpkin, paint, and a drink of your choice, all while supporting 3 Daughters’ Pop-Up Pantry initiative!Â
On Oct. 21 from 4 to 10 p.m., Unlimited Video Games in Pinellas Park is hosting a free Halloween party with a $1 haunted house! There will also be food trucks, a costume contest, and their entire arcade room will be free to play! They also have the option to buy tiered VIP passes for extra arcade passes to use later, extra haunted house trips, and raffle tickets! Not to mention, it’s only a 15-minute drive from campus!Â
Happening right on the USFSP campus, the Gaming Club is hosting a Halloween Party in the USC Ballrooms from 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 23. Costumes are encouraged and Halloween candy will be provided! And most importantly, it’s free for all students!Â
Halloween with Her CampusÂ
On Oct. 25 at 5:30 p.m. in The Reef, Her Campus is celebrating the spooky season with pumpkin painting and a scary movie. They’re encouraging everyone to wear a costume as they watch Get Out (Rated R). The event is first-come, first-serve, so head over early to secure a pumpkin, as supplies are limited!Â
On Oct. 27, 28, 29, and 31, from 7 p.m. to Midnight, St. Petersburg Parks and Recreation is hosting the 16th annual Field of Screams. It’s located at the Pinellas Pioneer Settlement at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and is only $10 (if you buy ahead of time)! This haunted expedition is full of scares and screams and it’s only a 10-minute drive from campus!Â
On Oct. 27, starting at 7 p.m., Green Light Cinema is showing a double feature of Jordan Peele’s award-winning horror movies, Nope and Get Out. Tickets are $9 each, and you’re supporting a local, independent, movie theater in the process! Â
Haunted Hammock Hangout at the St. Pete PierÂ
On Oct. 28 at 6 p.m., the St. Pete Pier is hosting a movie night, complete with a costume contest and food trucks. This event has free admission and a chance to win a free hammock! Costumes are encouraged and you can bring your own blanket (or rent a hammock) to enjoy the movie. Plus, it’s only a short walk from the USFSP campus!Â
On Oct. 28, from 8 to 11 p.m., 3 Daughters Brewing is hosting a silent disco party, with a free drink (for those 21+) and a headset to listen to music. There will be three DJs playing on separate channels that you can switch between, and your headphones will light up to the corresponding color of that station. Tickets are $15, but they do sell out, so act fast!Â
The annual two-mile Halloween celebration is back, and free to all on Oct. 29 from 12 to 5 p.m.! Two miles of Central Avenue shut down to host the massive event. Throughout the streets you’ll encounter food trucks, performers, artists, restaurants, and shops. Costumes are encouraged!Â
Library Halloween Costume Contest Â
On Oct. 31, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library is hosting a Halloween Costume Contest. You can run for five different categories: Scariest, Book/Comic Character, Movie/TV Show Character, and Group, and there will be prizes for each category! Voting will take place throughout the day and the winners will be announced on Nov. 2.Â
This History of Witches & WitchcraftÂ
On Oct. 31 at 12 p.m., Dr. Mauldin, USFSP professor and author, is giving a 45-minute lecture on the history of witches and witchcraft in Early America, with a 15-minute Q&A afterward. It will be located in the USC Reef and free to all students!Â
While there may be some events that I missed or others that cost a bit more, there are plenty of things to do this Halloween season when you’re on a budget! And if you’re looking to splurge a bit more, then be sure to check out some of the bigger events, like Busch Garden’s Howl-O-Scream, which is around $45 for USF Students. So now you have no excuses not to have a fun night out this fall!Â