First Day Of Fall Sept. 23 Signals Fall Fun In Tampa Bay

TAMPA BAY, FL — The fall equinox on Monday, Sept. 23 officially ushers in the new season in Tampa Bay and signals the start of fall events.

While residents won't be able to view show-stopping displays of leaves turning to red and gold or enjoy immediate relief from the heat and humidity they've experienced all summer, there are still a few harbingers of autumn in Tampa Bay including football homecomings, roadside pumpkin patches and fall festivals.

Here is a sampling of fall events to check out. If you're having a fall crafts fair, pumpkin patch, Halloween party or Thanksgiving feast, be sure to add it to the Patch calendar. Here's a simple guide on how to post events on Patch.

Hyde Park Village Fall Festival

Hyde Park Village will host its fall festival to benefit the Humane Society of Tampa Bay on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the village, 804 S. Village Circle, Tampa. There will be activities, a pumpkin patch, live music, food ad craft brews by J.J. Taylor.

Fall Family Fest

Hunter Law, P.A., will present a Fall Family Fest Sunday, Sept. 29 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Water Works Park, 1710 W. Highland Ave., Tampa.
The free fest will feature food trucks, vendors, games, character visits, a splash pad, dog park, free children's books and free laser tag.

Northpointe Village Oktoberfest

Northpointe Village will present its third annual Oktoberfest at the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa, 2155 Northpointe Parkway, Friday, Oct. 4 from 4 to 9 p.m.

The free community event will feature beer, food, games and prizes.

Tampa Bay's Tailgate Taste Fest

Tampa Bay's Tailgate Taste Fest will take place Saturday, Oct. 5 from 3 to 10:30 p.m. at Curtis Hixon Park, 600 N. Ashley Drive, Tampa.

A free, family-friendly event, entertainment consists of a food competition with local restaurants serving up tailgate foods, live music from local and national bands, a competitive corn hole tournament and live action from the day’s college football games shown on huge LED video screens.

Fox Squirrel Corn Maze

Fox Squirrel Farm, 3002 Charlie Taylor Road, Plant City, will host its annual corn maze on Saturday and Sundays from Oct. 5-27, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to the maze, there will be a hay ride, games, a corn slide, a butterfly garden, horse and pony rides, dummy steer roping, cornhole games, food and a pumpkin patch.

Fall Wildflower Festival

Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, will host a Fall Wildflower Festival Saturday, Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will feature a wildflower quest, a butterfly experience and a native wildflower sale.

Oktoberfest Tampa

The 10th annual Oktoberfest Tampa will take place Friday, Oct. 11 from 4 to 11 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 13 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For three days, Tampa’s downtown Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park will be transformed into the city’s largest beer garden, featuring live music, dancing, food and, of course, beer.

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest Tampa will once again offer its signature beer, the Oktoberfest Tampa Dunkel. A variety of other German beers will be available along with wine, fresh-squeezed lemonade and other refreshments. Festival goers are encouraged to participate in the wide range of custom-crafted Outrageous Bavarian Games to win prizes and bragging rights including the Beard and Mustache competition, Mr. & Mrs. Oktoberfest, stein hoisting, keg stacking, tug-o-war, brat toss and carry the wench.

Halloween Spooktacular

The Land O' Lakes Recreation Center, 3032 Collier Parkway, will host its Halloween Spooktacular with carnival games, candy, games and bounce houses Monday, Oct. 14 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $1.

Pumpkin Patch

St. Paul United Methodist Church, 1199 S. Highland Ave., Largo, will host a Pumpkin Patch Friday, Oct. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m., featuring bounce houses, games, snacks and trunk-or-treating.

Macaroni & Cheese Fall Festival

Tampa Bay's annual Macaroni & Cheese Fall Festival will take place Saturday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Sunwest Park, 17362 Old Dixie Highway, Hudson. The event will feature gourmet food trucks competing for the title of best Mac n' Cheese, live music, inflatables and other activities.

Night At The Museum

As the museum winds down, the exhibits at the Tampa Bay History Center come alive. Families will find pirates, Florida pioneers, soldiers from Fort Brooke and other ghosts from Florida’s past sneaking around the museum galleries during A Night at the Museum Sunday, Oct. 20 at the Tampa Bay History Center, 801 Old Water St. in downtown Tampa.

Families are invited to haunt the History Center while they trick or treat their way through the galleries – including the traveling exhibit Brick History, which features recreations of historical events in LEGO® bricks – and collect candy from historical figures from Florida’s past come to life.

The Tampa Bay Ghost Busters and Star Wars characters from the 501st Legion will also join the fun.

There are two sessions to choose from. Trick-or-treaters can haunt the History Center from either 2-3:30 p.m. or 4:30-6 p.m.

A Night at the Museum is open to children of all ages with an adult companion. The cost is $10/child and $12/adult, with discounted admission for History Center members.

Tickets to A Night at the Museum are available in advance. A limited quantity may be available at the door, but A Night at the Museum often sells out prior to the event day.

Warehouse Of Horrors

STAR Center Forensic Technology will host its third annual Warehouse of Horrors haunted house at 7975 114th Ave. N. Suite 2500, Largo, behind Raytheon on the corner of Belcher and Bryan Dairy roads.

This year, proceeds benefit The Mason Dixon Christmas Wish Fund and the Homeless Empowerment Program. The haunted house will be open Friday, Oct. 25 to Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 6 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $8 per person.

Spooktacular Trunk Or Treat

The Learning Experience Wesley Chapel, 5440 Post Oak Blvd., Wesley Chapel, will host a grand opening Spooktacular Trunk or Treat Friday, Oct. 25 from 6 to 8 p.m.

This free family event invites children of all ages to enjoy trick-or-treating around decorated vehicles.

Dave & Buster's Halloween Party

Dave & Buster's Tampa, 10209 Estuary Lakes Drive, Tampa, will host a Halloween party Saturday, Oct. 26 from 5 to 9 p.m.

The $24.99 event will include a buffet with bar burgers, fries, four-cheese pizza bits and baked mac & cheese, power cards and trick-or-treat stations.

Lakeview Church Fall Festival

Lakeview Church, 475 East Lake Road N., Tarpon Springs, will host a free fall festival Saturday, Oct. 26 from 5 to 8 p.m. with truck or treats, hay rides, a petting zoo, bounce houses, a photo booth and face painting.

Bert's Fall Festival

Bert's Barracuda Harley Davidson, 10525 49th St. N., Clearwater, will host Bert's Fall Fest Saturday, Oct. 26 through Tuesday, Oct. 29.

It will include live music, a bloody Mary and mimosa bar, swag bags for everyone who preregisters, bobbing for apples, a frozen T-shirt contest, pumpkin decorating and more.

8th Annual Fantasma Fest

The eight annual Fantasma Fest and Little Monster's Promenade and Pumpkin Patch will take place Saturday, Oct. 26 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Centro Ybor, 1600 8th Ave., in Ybor City.

Kids will choose from more than 3,000 pumpkins to decorate and show off their costumes while trick-or-treating with Ybor City merchants down 7th Avenue. There will be volunteers on hand to help the kids crafting their Halloween items.

From 3:30 to 6 p.m. will be the Big Monster's Bed Race down 7th Avenue. This fun-spirited, family-friendly race has grown over the years. Spectators are encouraged to come out to cheer on their favorite team as they race at breakneck speeds and dress to impress.

Big Monster's Bed Race

Adults can stick around for the arrival of the legendary Pumpkin King for the second annual costumed march down 7th Avenue from 7 to 9 p.m.

Fall Festival 2019

Celebration Church at 16235 Lake Magdalene Blvd., Carrollwood, will host its Fall Festival 2019, Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 7 to 9 p.m.

It will include hay rides, pumpkin decorating, food, trunk-or-treating, face painting, candy, a costume contest, caramel apple bar, carnival games and a raffle for Disney tickets.

Trunk Or Treat In St. Pete

First Unity Spiritual Campus, 460 46th Ave. N., St. Petersburg, will host a Trunk or Treat event Thursday, Oct. 31 from 5 to 8 p.m.

The free event for kids of all ages includes pumpkin painting, a costume contest, apple bobbing and hay rides.

Knot So Scary Halloween

Knotted Roots on the Lake, 3310 Land O' Lakes Blvd., Land O' Lakes, will host a Knot So Scary Halloween on the Lake Thursday, Oct. 31 from 6 to 9 p.m.

There will be pumpkin patch photos, crafts, candy, a walk through the haunted bridal house, costume contests with prizes, snacks and nonalcoholic beverages.

Tampa Riverwalk Fall Food & Art Festival

The Tampa Riverwalk Fall Food & Art Festival will take place Saturday, Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Water Works Park, 1710 N. Highland Ave., Tampa. The festival will showcase 75 to 80 artisan craft exhibitors, live music and food from Tampa Bay food trucks and restaurants.

SEE ALSO: Fall Foliage Map 2019: When Fall Colors Peak Around The U.S.