Artist Pamela Jones’ award-winning assemblages use repurposed objects, including the vintage rubber clown heads in her creepy “Bad Clowns” series.
Provided by DAAS CO-OP
USA TODAY Network, Reuters
Spooky season is almost upon us, and there’s a cauldron full of fun ways to get creeped out and scared stiff in Southwest Florida.
Haunted houses and walks. Spine-tingling concerts. Halloween festivals. All those and more are happening between now and Oct. 31.
Here’s a list of some of the spookiest things to do in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs and the rest of Lee County. We’ll update the story as more 2026 events are announced.
FORT MYERS HALLOWEEN EVENTS
Calusa Haunted Walk
The annual Haunted Walk lets you face your fears on the dark, decorated trails at Calusa Nature Center. 7:30-10:30 p.m. every Friday through Sunday, Oct. 9-31. $20-$25 (or $100 for an Unlimited Fear Pass that gives you unlimited admission all season and lets you skip the line). Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium, 3450 Ortiz Ave., Fort Myers. 275-3435 or calusanature.org
Lakes Park Fall Festival and Scarecrows in the Park
The festival returns with a pumpkin patch, the annual Scarecrows in the Park contest, hayrides, inflatables and the popular Halloween Express train ride. The Scarecrows in the Park display features scarecrows decorated in the theme “Scarecrows at Work.” Oct. 9-25. Free admission, but some activities and rides cost extra. Parking is $1 per hour or $5 all day. Lakes Regional Park, 7330 Gladiolus Drive, south Fort Myers. lakespark.org/scarecrows-in-the-park-2026
Stage Fright Nights at Alliance for the Arts
The Alliance’s Foulds Theatre and surrounding campus transform into a theatrical Halloween experience featuring various spooky events from Oct. 17-31. The terrifying centerpiece is séance-themed haunted house Summoning The Damned (Oct. 22-31), where various restless souls are brought to life by local actors, artists and designers. Stage Fright Nights also includes an Oct. 17 screening of “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” games, storytelling, live entertainment and other haunted attractions and events. Admission to Stage Fright Nights is $15-$20. Tickets for “Rocky Horror” are $30-$50, including a haunted house walk-through. Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. artinlee.org/experience/stage-fright-nights
‘Wicked Walk’ at Davis Art Center
Tour Davis Art Center for a spooky, immersive arts experience featuring music, dancing, art and theatrical performances – all from Lee County students. 6-8 p.m. Thursday, 6:30-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22-23. $15 for adults, $5 for children. Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, 2301 First St., downtown Fort Myers. 333-1933 or sbdac.com/wicked
‘Dark Art’ exhibit at Davis Art Center
The annual “Dark Art” exhibit showcases mysterious and spooky art from Southwest Florida artists. Oct. 2-15. Free with suggested donation at entry. Opening reception 6-10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, during Art Walk (costumes encouraged). Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, 2301 First St., downtown Fort Myers. 333-1933 or sbdac.com
‘Scream Time’ exhibit
This new art show features haunting new works from artists Pamela Jones and Michael V. Santacroce. Jones’ award-winning assemblages use repurposed objects, including the vintage rubber clown heads in her creepy “Bad Clowns” series. Santacroce’s sinister, stream-of-consciousness ink drawings show twisted, unsettling creatures that represent his own personal demons. Opening reception from 5:30-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. The exhibit continues through Nov. 1. Free admission. DAAS CO-OP Art Gallery & Gifts in the Alliance for the Arts campus, 10051 McGregor Blvd., Suite 104, Fort Myers. 955-0422 or daascoop.com
Fort Myers Roller Derby HallowBout tournament
The fourth-annual, Halloween-themed roller-derby tournament features Florida skating teams battling it out, Halloween vendors and costume contests for kids and adults at halftime. 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10. $12-$15 ($5 for ages 5-10, free for younger). The event benefits North Fort Myers nonprofit Holiday 4 Heroes. Fort Myers Skatium, 2250 Broadway, Fort Myers. facebook.com/Fortmyersrollerderby
Southern Fresh Farms Fall Festival
This weekly, kid-friendly event features hayrides, vendors, a pumpkin patch, live music, food trucks and more. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Saturday in October. Free. Southern Fresh Farms, 8500 Penzance Blvd., Fort Myers. Free admission and parking on site ($10 parking for overflow lot). 768-0309 or southernfresh.farm
Gulf Coast Symphony plays ‘Harry Potter’
The full orchestra plays a concert packed with songs from the wizarding world of the Harry Potter movies. 6 and 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. $76-$86. Music & Arts Community Center (The MACC), 13411 Shire Lane, Fort Myers. 277-1700 or gulfcoastsymphony.org
Trunk or Treat at Wa-Ke Hatchee Park
Kids can dress in costume, collect candy and munch goodies from local food trucks at this annual family event. 3-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Free. Wa-Ke Hatchee Park, 16760 Bass Road, Fort Myers. 533-6850 or leeparks.org/wake
‘Sloughwitched,’ a new Halloween adventure at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve
The Six Mile boardwalk transforms into a fun Halloween “walking play” where guests encounter “unimaginable alligators, owls and other creatures of the night.” No chainsaws or scary movie monsters. Just lots of spooky, suspenseful fun. 90-minute walks start between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24. $38 admission includes a non-alcoholic beverage and a “witch-decorated cookie.” Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, 7751 Penzance Blvd., Fort Myers. sloughpreserve.org
CAPE CORAL HALLOWEEN EVENTS
KidsFest in Cape Coral
The annual family festival returns with more games, craft stations, costume contests, stage shows, vendors and food (including free hot dogs and chips for kids 16 and under, while supplies last). 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. Free admission. Cultural Park, 544 Cultural Park Blvd., Cape Coral. capecoralkiwanis.org/kidsfest
‘CandleGlow: Tales of the Haunted Rose Gardens’
A string quartet plays Halloween music and tells spooky stories about the city’s former Cape Coral Gardens – all in a candlelit room for the first show in Cape Coral’s new SoundsCape Concert Series. 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Oct. 17. $45-$100. Weston Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village, 5951 Silver King Blvd., Cape Coral. cutthechord.live
Cape Coral Trunk Or Treat
The city holds its annual trunk-or-treating event at City Hall, including trick-or-treating at decorated vehicles, a spooky train ride, inflatables, a 7 p.m. movie (“Casper”) and an 8:30 p.m. Halloween drone show. 5-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23. Free. Trick-or-treating for ages 5 and younger from 5-6 p.m.; or for all ages from 6-8 p.m. Bring your own treat bags, lawn chairs and blankets. Cape Coral City Hall, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd,, Cape Coral. facebook.com/CapeCoralParks
13th-annual South Cape Spooktacular Pub Crawl
Ride limo buses throughout downtown Cape Coral/South Cape and stop at different bars, restaurants and businesses for Halloween-themed drink samples and candy. Ages 21 and older. Costumes are encouraged. 7-11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. $25-$30 ($20 for designated drivers). Check-in happens from 6-7:30 p.m. at Big John Plaza near Pinch-A-Penny (1221 Cape Coral Parkway E.) and Dolphin Key Resort (1502 Miramar St., Cape Coral, under the front awning). Late check-in until 10 p.m. at Dolphin Key Resort. facebook.com/SouthCapeHospitalityAndEntertainmentAssociation
South Cape Business Trick-or-Treat
South Cape businesses hand out candy, trinkets, gift cards and more to trick-or-treaters at this eighth-annual event. Limo buses will transport children and their families across Cape Coral Parkway and back. Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Free. Downtown Cape Coral/South Cape. facebook.com/SouthCapeHospitalityAndEntertainmentAssociation
Terror on 20th haunted house
A private Cape Coral home transforms into a haunted house with pneumatic props, actors, monsters, chainsaws, smoke machines, music and scares around every corner. Guided tours are 7-10 p.m. Halloween night only (Saturday, Oct. 31). Free admission with the donation of canned food for The Harry Chapin Food Bank. The haunted house takes place at 2812 SW 20th Ave., Cape Coral. facebook.com/TerrorOn20th
BONITA SPRINGS AND ESTERO HALLOWEEN EVENTS
Farmer Mike’s Fall Festival and Corn Mazes
Celebrate the Halloween season with haunted and family-friendly corn mazes, a pumpkin patch, sunflower picking, games, food vendors, crafts and more. This year’s corn mazes have the theme “The Terrifying Strangers” (haunted maze) and “The Journey to The Center of the EARTH” (family-friendly maze). Tickets are available in 30-minute time slots. Sept. 26 through Oct. 31. Hours are 6-9:30 p.m. Fridays (starting Oct. 3), 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays and 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays. $16. Farmer Mike’s U Pick, 26031 Morton Ave., Bonita Springs. farmermikesupick.com
Happy Haunts Immersive Halloween Stroll
The City of Bonita Springs celebrates Halloween with decorations, video projections, photo opps and spooky music and lighting in downtown Bonita Springs. Happy Haunts isn’t a trick-or-treating event, and no candy will be handed out. 7-10 p.m. daily, Oct. 22-31. Free. Riverside Park and surrounding areas, 10450 Reynolds St., Bonita Springs. cityofbonitasprings.org
Boo-tanical Evening at Wonder Gardens
The Bonita attraction gets spooky with Halloween decorations, games, candy, face painting, photo opportunities and other family-friendly fun. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23. Included with regular Wonder Gardens admission of $14-$19 (free for ages 2 and younger). Some activities may cost extra. Wonder Gardens, 27180 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs. 992-2591 or wondergardens.org
Spooktacular Trunk-or-Treat Night
Family-friendly Halloween event with trunk-or-treating, costumes and a free outdoor movie (title to be announced). 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. Free. Bring chairs or blankets. Estero Park, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd., Estero. 533-1470 or leeparks.org/estero
NORTH FORT MYERS HALLOWEEN EVENTS
Legends of Oblivion Haunted Attraction – Chapter 3: Queen of Serpents
Fort Myers native Wayne Anderson – now a special effects artist whose work has been featured in the TV show “Stranger Things” and elsewhere – returns to create another 17,000-square-foot haunted maze at the former Lee Civic Center. The event is billed as the largest haunted attraction in Southwest Florida. Expect lots of movie-quality monsters and special effects. Starts at 8 p.m. every Friday through Sunday, Oct. 9-25. $28 general admission, $45 for VIP express lane, $69 for Queen of Serpents Experience (including front-line priority access, swag bag and access to secret rooms). $14 for ages 12 and younger. Mike Greenwell Regional Park (formerly known as Lee Civic Center), 11831 Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers. hauntedswfl.com
Family Fall Festival at North Fort Myers Park
The annual festival includes a costume contest, candy, games, music, prizes and more. 6-8:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 23. Free. North Fort Myers Park, 2000 North Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers. 533-7200 or leeparks.org/nfm
LEHIGH ACRES HALLOWEEN EVENTS
Monster Mash Bash at Veterans Park
Bring your little “ghouls and goblins” for a night of spooky, free Halloween fun: A Trick or Treat Trail, live entertainment, music, games, food vendors and more. 6:30-8:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 24. Free. Veterans Park, 55 Homestead Road South, Lehigh Acres. 533-7530 or leeparks.org/veterans
SAN CARLOS PARK HALLOWEEN EVENTS
Barktoberfest at Gulf Coast Town Center
Bring your family and pets for this animal-friendly Halloween event with a pet costume contest, a pet photo booth and a deejay spinning Halloween music. Barktoberfest benefits Gulf Coast Humane Society. 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10. Free. $5 suggested donation to enter costume contest. Online registration required for pet costume contest. The courtyard at Gulf Coast Town Center, 9903 Gulf Coast Main St., San Carlos Park. gulfcoasttowncenter.com/events
Ghosts & Ghouls Candy Crawl and Costume Contest at Gulf Coast Town Center
Trick-or-treat at businesses throughout the shopping center using a virtual map. Plus a Halloween party in the courtyard with a costume contest (preregistration required), face painting, a balloon artist and roaming costumed characters. 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Free. Gulf Coast Town Center, 9903 Gulf Coast Main St., San Carlos Park. gulfcoasttowncenter.com/events
Charles Runnells covers arts and entertainment for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 or email crunnells@usatodayco.com. Follow or message him on social media Facebook (@charles.runnells.7), Instagram (@crunnells1) and X (@CharlesRunnells).
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Best Halloween events in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, SW Florida
Reporting by Charles Runnells, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
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Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort in a scene from the motion picture “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.” Provided by Warner Bros. Picture USA TODAY Network, Reuters 
Two actors for the Alliance for the Arts’ 2026 Stage Fright Nights Provided by Alliance for the Art USA TODAY Network, Reuters
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This story was originally published September 28, 2026 at 12:44 PM.