Previously, we published a list of up-and-coming Halloween and fall festival events designed to provide plenty of treats (and a few scares) in October.
Those events were fun, but there are others that also deserve attention. So prepare for more games, rides, costumes and maybe a couple of frights over the next couple of weeks.
Trinity Fest
Generations Christian Church, 1540 Little Road in Trinity, will host its “Trinity Fest” Oct. 29 through Nov. 1. The event will include a variety of activities across four days.
On Thursday, the midway carnival will be open from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. Rides are $1 each.
On Friday, from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m., there will be a food truck rally, a disc jockey, line dancing, a mechanical bull, a rock-climbing wall and free hay rides. There also will be pumpkin decorating and cornhole tournaments. The rides will be open with a $20 wristband allowing unlimited access.
On Saturday, there will be a Generations on the Go 5K and fun run from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m., and a business and craft expo from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. From 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., there will be dancers, music, a petting zoo and a dominoes tournament. Trunk-or-treating will take place from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., and midway rides with $20 unlimited access will be available from noon until 5 p.m., and again from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m.
On Sunday, an unlimited wristband will cost $15, and the carnival will be open from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.
For more information, call (727) 375-8801 or visit TrinityFest.info. To register for the 5K, visit GenerationsontheGo.org.
A Hillbilly Halloween
Hillbilly Farms, 10325 US Highway 98 in Dade City, will host its fourth annual “Harvest Festival” on Oct. 24. More than 400 people attended last year, and they’re expecting another good turnout.
Children’s activities include bounce houses, mini-train rides and games. There will also be horse riding, face painting and a pumpkin patch.
The Harvest Festival includes an annual pumpkin-painting event, and guests can either purchase a pumpkin on site or bring their own.
The event itself is free and parking is free, but individual activities may incur a separate charge. For $10, parents can purchase a wristband that allows their children to participate in various activities. Food and drinks will also be available for purchase.
The Harvest Festival runs from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. For more information, call (352) 567-7475 or visit the Hillbilly Farms Facebook page.
Macabre Mall on 41
The Haunted House on 41, an annual tradition at Land O’ Lakes Community Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd, is back with a shopping mall theme.
Visitors will walk through the room to visit several creepy “shops” full of monsters, blood and assorted Halloween-themed gore. It only takes a couple of minutes to walk through it, but local students put a lot of time into its construction. In the end, they create a creepy attraction that brings in nearly 1,000 visitors each year. And, at a suggested donation of just $1, it’s an affordable fright.
The mall has a sneak preview evening Oct. 22 from 7:30 p.m. until 9 p.m., and is open Oct. 23 and Oc. 24 from 7:30 p.m. until around 10 p.m.
For more information, call (813) 929-1229.
Spooky Tails means treats for K-9 unit
The ninth annual “Spooky Tails” Halloween party and pet costume contest will be on Oct. 24 at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The annual event benefits the Pasco Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit.
Previous fundraisers have assisted in the purchase of a bite suit to help train the dogs, and contributed to the K-9 dog retirement fund. The goal for this year’s event is to contribute to the retirement fund and make other purchases the unit needs during the year.
For Gail Cooper, owner of Parwick Kennels and the founder of Spooky Tails, taking care of canines that serve the community is the right thing to do.
“These dogs are these men’s partners. They have each other’s backs, if you will,” she said. “They’re part of the family.”
Ben Pumo, owner of Benedetto’s Ristorante Italiano and a supporter of Spooky Tails since its inception, agrees.
“They’re our officers without a voice,” Pumo said. “I think it’s important that the dogs get taken care of after their retirement.”
Pumo expects 40 to 50 dogs in costumes at the event.
Spooky Tails runs from noon until 4 p.m. The pet costume contests will be at 2:30 p.m. There will be more than a dozen vendors at the event, as well as games, music, food, and a special demonstration from the K-9 unit.
For more information, call (813) 480-0811, or visit Pasco-K9-Fundraiser.com.
Published October 21, 2015
