TAMPA – The ghosts of Tampa Theatre have been waiting for the past seven months for the newly restored movie palace to reopen just in time for its 100th birthday and Halloween festivities.
The 14th annual A Nightmare on Franklin Street series may be a little shorter this year, as it follows the Centennial Celebration mid-month, but it includes classic horror films, cult favorites, “Mummy & Me” family-friendly films, ghost tours and more Halloween-themed fun.
GHOSTS OF TAMPA THEATRE TOURS
Who was the man in seat 308? Where did Robert Lanier tear his final ticket? And what has led to Tampa Theatre being known as one of the most haunted buildings in town? Hear stories of the theater’s ghostly guests, preternatural patrons and eternal employees in a two-hour tour. Tampa Theatre members get in free. General admission tickets cost $15:
- 3 p.m. Oct. 19, 22, 26 and 29
- 11 a.m. Oct. 23, 24, 30 and 31
“MUMMY & ME” FAMILY FILMS
The family-friendly screenings allow adults to bring children to age-appropriate film for free.
Children 12 and younger are admitted free with a paid adult ticket for the following:
- “Sing-Along KPop Demon Hunters” (2025, Rated PG) at 3 p.m. Oct. 24
- “Hocus Pocus” (1993, rated PG) at 3 p.m. Oct. 31
The first 200 guests to arrive for “KPop Demon Hunters” will receive a foam glow stick, courtesy of series sponsor Bank of America.
STAGE AND SCREAM… ER… SCREEN
Cozy up under the movie palace’s starlit sky for an evening of Campfire Stories at 7 p.m. Oct. 27. The Suncoast Storytellers are back with a program of PG tales appropriate for all ages. General admission tickets cost $10. Tampa Theatre members get in free.
The series includes plenty of specialty screenings for adults:
- On Oct. 23, the theater remembers the late Tim Curry in two of his most iconic roles with screenings of “Legend” (1985) at 7 p.m. and “Clue” at 9:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10 for members or $13 for others.
- The theater welcomes back the “Beyond Any Measure” shadow cast for two screenings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975) at 7 and 11 p.m. Oct. 24. Audience participation is encouraged, but leave sticky/drippy props at home. Tickets cost $14 for members or $17 for others. The show is for adults.
- Tampa Theatre and the Henry B. Plant Museum will co-host a screening of Bela Lugosi’s classic “Dracula” (1931) at 2 p.m. Oct. 25 in celebration of the museum’s new exhibit, “Cigar City Cinema.” The theater will also show the Spanish-language feature “Drácula” (1931) at 4 p.m. in the Taylor Screening Room.
- The theater welcomes actor Chandler Riggs (Carl from “The Walking Dead”) for an evening of conversation and a preview screening of his new short film, “Biohazard,” at 7 p.m. Oct. 29. Then join Tampa horror filmmaker and actor Joe Davison (“Stranger Things”) for the premiere of his new feature, “Demon Queen Pinball Machine.”
The Big Picture series is back as well. The series takes a look at some of the thrillers Tampa Theatre premiered in its earliest days: “Notorious” (1946) at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 and “The Third Man” (1949) at 7 p.m. Oct. 28. There is also a 30th anniversary screening of “Scream” (1996), classic titles like “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984), “Young Frankenstein” (1974) and “Halloween” (1978), cult films like “Gorgo” (1961), “Strait-Jacket” (1964) and “Burnt Offerings” (1976) and modern favorites like “Shadow of the Vampire” (2000), “The Mummy” (1999) and “The Shape of Water” (2017) – a total of 42 showtimes.
Times, titles and tickets are available at the Franklin Street Box Office and online at TampaTheatre.org/NIGHTMARE.
