10/16/2026
WHATS HAPPENING IN TOWN THIS WEEKEND!!
👨👩👧👦 FAMILY FRIENDLY
🎃 Avalon Park Wesley Chapel Fall Fest / Spooktacular — Saturday, Oct. 17, 10 AM–9 PM. This is probably my #1 local pick. It’s FREE and has trick-or-treating, a pumpkin patch, kids zone, bounce houses, costume contest, performances, vendors, food trucks and live music.
🧪 Spooktacular Science at MOSI — Saturday, Oct. 17, 6–9 PM. Halloween + hands-on science activities and spooky fun. Great evening event with kids.
🚂 Florida Railroad Museum Pumpkin Patch Express — Saturday & Sunday, Oct. 17–18. Train ride to the pumpkin patch, hayrides, crafts, games and a pumpkin for the kids. This one is in Parrish, so it’s farther, but super cute for Emmanuel.
🏃 Withlacoochee River 5K/1-Mile Walk — Saturday, Oct. 17 at 9 AM in Dade City. There’s a 1-mile option as well as the 5K, so you could make it a family morning outdoors.
🏍️ Dade City MX Saturday Night Championship — Saturday, Oct. 17, 2–10 PM. Gates at 2, practice at 3 and racing starts at 5. Spectator admission is listed at $15, with kids under 5 free if they aren't racing.
🎨 Tampa Art Convention — Oct. 16–18. A huge art event at the Tampa Convention Center featuring around 300 artists.
🎃 HarvestMoon Fun Farm — corn maze, pumpkin patch and fall-festival activities. Another good choice if you want the classic October pumpkin-patch day.
🍷 ADULTS / DATE NIGHT/ FRIENDS
Friday, October 16 has some really good choices. Dan + Shay are at MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre at 7 PM. There’s also Rhythm & Hues, a free alleyway art show in Tampa Heights from 6–9 PM. If you want comedy, Earthquake and Lavell Crawford both have shows that weekend.
Saturday, Oct. 17, the big one is Tampa Pig Jig at Julian B. Lane Park, running roughly 1–10 PM with live music, BBQ and b**r. This would be one of my top adult/group picks. There’s also Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Vancouver Canucks at 4 PM, which could make a great Tampa date day/night.
Don't overlook downtown Dade City. You could brewery/bar hop between The ABL, Dade City Brew House, The W**e Library Dade City and The Twisted Oak. The Twisted Oak is especially music-focused, so that could be a really nice local adults-only night without driving into Tampa.
And if you want SCARY scary 👻, Scream-A-Geddon Horror Park in Dade City is open that weekend. Multiple haunted attractions, food, drinks and the midway — definitely more of an adult/older-teen Halloween night.
