Halloween in Tampa 2023: 20+ Spooky Halloween Events – Tampa Bay Date Night Guide

We promise not to bug you!
Halloween is here – in fact, the season is wrapping up pretty soon! Put on your couples’ costumes and do date night at one of these fantastic Halloween events in Tampa Bay. We’ve been updating this list of Halloween events in Tampa Bay throughout the season, so read on for all the spooky fun.
Read on for plenty of Halloween date ideas, including a few new ones!
Check out these fall date night ideas:
 
Plus, Halloween in Orlando date ideas
 
October 18-31, 2023
Tampa Theatre
Tampa’s most historic–and most haunted–movie palace is proud to present 16 nights of fright with its most sinister series, A Nightmare on Franklin Street. The hair-raising historic landmark goes 100% Halloween with classic horror movies, guest stars, ghost tours, spine-chilling stage shows, spooky storytelling, family-friendly frights, and the return of SpiritsFest!
 
Open Now till Nov 4th, every Friday & Saturday

 
For a memorable date night that combines adventure and the spirit of Halloween, look no further than Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo’s newest event, “The Haunting of River Ranch.” This seasonal extravaganza promises an unforgettable evening for couples.
Begin your thrilling night by hopping onto a haunted hayride that will take you through uncharted territory at the ranch, unveiling a spine-tingling tale that will send shivers down your spine. Hold hands with your partner as you navigate twists, turns, and eerie encounters.
For those seeking even more excitement, dare to enter the haunted house, where bravery becomes a shared experience. Make this Halloween season unforgettable with your special someone at Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo’s “The Haunting of River Ranch.”
It’s a date night adventure that will leave you both with lasting memories and a shared love for the spooky season.

 
Thursday through Sunday October 5 – October 29, 2023, 6:30pm – 9:30pm
SHIMMERING LIGHTS HALLOWEEN WALK the LIGHTS event open Thursday-Sunday nights in October. A fall activity for the whole family! Activities include 1/3-mile walking trail with hundreds of themed lighted displays, outdoor movies, maze of lights, scavenger hunt, games, face painting and FOAM play nights. They won’t make you landlubbers scrub the deck, but you may have to walk the plank.
 
M.Bird
October 31, 2023 from 4:00 pm-12:00 am
Head up to the rooftop to enjoy specialty-themed cocktails, a crowd-judged costume contest with a $500 grand prize and house music by DJ Da Magician. Guests must be 21 and up after 6:00 pm. There will no cover charge. Table are available via the “tickets” link. Enjoy drink specials such as the Warp Pipe Cocktail and food items like the Pizza Me Mario! and Power Up Hummus.
 
Tampa Wine Room
October 31, 2023 at 7:00 pm
There will be Halloween trivia and a costume contest. First place for each will win a $25 gift certificate. Costumes are optional but recommended!
 
 
Gaudin Kitchen & Bar
October 31, 2023 from 8:00 pm-1:00 am
Elevate your Halloween night at Gaudin Kitchen & Bar for an evening of sophistication with a touch of spooky allure. Enjoy half-off select drinks priced at $20 and under. Come dressed for a good time – don your finest costume and receive an exclusive 50% off meals.  Don’t miss this chance to partake in a night of exciting Halloween revelry!
 
 
SpookEasy Lounge
October 31, 2023 at 8:00 pm
SpookEasy is turning 4 and are celebrating with free drinks throughout the night and a Challenge Coin giveaway for the best costume. Come dressed in your best Halloween costume and celebrate with them for a memorable and spooky night.
 
 
Historic Spanish Point campus
October 13 – 31, 2023 two entry times nightly: 6:30 and 7:45 p.m.
The inaugural year of what’s sure to become a fall family tradition at Selby Gardens. This new, Halloween-themed light show will transform our Historic Spanish Point campus into “Spooky Point,” where visitors will discover fantastic (but not too scary) creations around every turn.
Guests will follow an eerily lit path through the woods, encountering flying “ghost orchids,” giant “bat orchids,” dangling “spider orchids,” vine-twisted skeletons, and other surprises along the way. There also will be plenty of pumpkins and a hay maze to test your wits after a nighttime walk through the woods.
Food and beverages available for purchase, including fall favorites like candy apples, popcorn, and hot cocoa.
Tickets must be purchased in advance.
Also check out the Set Sail to Spooky Point experience.
 
 
Through October 31
The Living Room
Webs, bats, cauldrons and hats have been left behind by fictitious witches who were brewing some potions – or seasonal cocktails – with house-made flavorings for the Living Room in anticipation of their favorite holiday! Whether you have a sweet tooth or prefer your beverage served on fire (literally), there is something for everyone this spooky season at The Living Room. Experience their holiday decor and sip on their seasonal beverages: 
 
 
October 13-31, 2023
Tampa Theatre
Tampa’s most historic–and most haunted–movie palace is proud to present 16 nights of fright with its most sinister series, A Nightmare on Franklin Street. The hair-raising historic landmark goes 100% Halloween with classic horror movies, guest stars, ghost tours, spine-chilling stage shows, spooky storytelling, family-friendly frights, and the return of SpiritsFest!
Remaining showings…
 
READ MORE: Where to See Halloween Movies in Tampa Bay
 
October 13-31, 2023
$15/non-members, Free/members
Round up a few of your friends or family members for a private ghost tour through Tampa Theatre. This is your ticket to experience one of Tampa’s most haunted buildings in a new light. During the 90-minute tour, your guide will take you through all three levels of the historic movie palace while sharing haunted tales sure to get you in the spooky spirit.
 
Related: Experience Tampa’s Haunted History on These Chilling Ghost Tours
 
 
United Skates Tampa
October 30 from 8:30 pm-11:00 pm
Adults – celebrate the night before Halloween at a Masquerade Costume Skate! Enter to win their $100 costume contest. Recommended for beginner and intermediate skaters. $10 per person (includes skate rental). 18 and up only.
 
 
October 26 – October 29, 2023
Mike Piper, owner and founder of Pied Piper Productions says, “We’ll have live music from some of the top entertainers in the business, as well as everything a traditional carnival has to offer. Plus, I can’t think of a better way to spend Halloween weekend than dancing, enjoying food and rides, and taking in the beautiful Tampa skyline.”
The Haunted Carnival will host a costume contest, where the winner will be awarded $10,000 in cash and prizes. Participants can enter to win on Friday and Saturday from 4-10 p.m. or Sunday from 4-8 p.m. And a dog costume contest on Thursday at 4 p.m.
Those 18 and older in attendance can purchase a VIP pass that will grant them access to the Killer Beats Stage. VIP pass holders will have an exclusive view of world-renowned DJ performances, including DJ Pauly D, Gordo, Steve Aoki, and Shaquille O’Neal performing under his moniker DJ Diesel.
Gordo, formerly known as DJ Carnage, is also scheduled to perform on Saturday. Gordo has experienced critical acclaim this year after producing five tracks on Drake’s latest album “Honestly, Nevermind,” which was surprise-released in June and debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200.
 
October 29, 2023 from noon-5pm
22 blocks in St. Pete will be closed to traffic for a chance for families to trick or treat in the street! There will also be costume contests and festival activities. This is a partnership between Car-Free St Pete, The EDGE District, Grand Central District and Open Streets St Pete.
 
 
October 27-28, 2023 from 5:30pm-10pm
Sparkman Wharf
FREE
Sparkman Wharf will transform into a haunted pirate shipwreck with sinister surprises at every corner. Haunted Wharf is a free community event for all ages that will offer silly spooks for the kids and scary fun for the adults as the evening progresses. Guests will enjoy two nights of roaming entertainment, photo-ops and festive food and drinks.
The free event will kick off on Friday with a Halloween-themed performance by DJ Matt Dodge, and on Saturday, DJ Ali V will take the shipwrecked stage to perform family-friendly Halloween hits. Performances begin at 5:30 pm. Parents are invited to grab a scary-good cocktail and watch the kiddos hit the dance floor.
A Siren swing, jail cell, drop-down scare window, decorated TAMPA sign are just a few of the numerous Halloween photo opportunities. Take part in transformative fun with face painting and commemorate the occasion with a caricature. All entertainment and activities are complimentary.
Other Halloween events at Sparkman Wharf include:
 
 
October 27-29, 2023
$25/members, $35/non-members
The Henry Plant Museum is hosting a special nighttime experience inside the former Tampa Bay Hotel. Visitors will find themselves transported back to the early 1900s, shortly after a terrible crime has been committed. Evidence and clues are scattered throughout the rooms and guests must strive to put the pieces together in time to prevent the next attack. Don’t miss it, as this is a rare opportunity to visit the Museum after dark.
 
 
October 27, 2023; $10
Kick off Halloween weekend with a silent dance party. This unique Halloween weekend bash features 3 live DJs, but the only way to hear the beats is to put on a pair of headphones! Headphone rental is included with your ticket.
 
 
Weekends September 8 – October 31, 2023; $37.99/person and up (prices vary by date)
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s annual Halloween production is so awesome. Make your way through new and revamped haunted houses, uniquely themed scare zones, and hop on your favorite roller coasters after dark. This is a separately ticketed event that is not included with general park admission.
2023 Houses include:
Important tips can be found in our guide to The Perfect Date Night at Howl-O-Scream Busch Gardens 
 
Select weekend nights September 29 – November 4, 2023; $27 and up
Make your way to Plant City to visit this outdoor haunt comprised of three separate haunted trails. Each trail has its own backstory, plus you can test your skills in an escape room and haunted laser tag. Tickets must be purchased in advance for the 2023 season.
 
Friday and Saturday nights from September 22-October 28, 2023
Hop aboard a WWII ship for this haunted attraction on the water. Immerse yourself in the action aboard the ship, where few surviving members of the crew talk of a haunting female ghost aboard the ship. Also new this year is the location, which has moved to Sparkman Wharf. This is truly one of Tampa Bay’s most unique Halloween experiences.
 
 
October 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, and 26-29, 2023; $35 and up
The Pirate Water Taxi is one of our favorite ways to get around downtown Tampa. But during the Halloween season, the water taxi gets a haunted twist! Pirate Water Taxi will again offer Haunted River Tours on select evenings this year, serving up spooky tales of Tampa hauntings and ghost stories. Tours last 45-50 minutes.
 
Select nights September 2 – October 31, 2023; $79.99 and up

Step into some of Hollywood’s most notorious horror films and TV shows. Enjoy themed scare zones, select rides open during the event, live entertainment, and specialty food and drinks. Admission to Halloween Horror Nights is NOT included in theme park admission and must be purchased separately.
2023 Haunted Houses include:
Our guide to Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights – Orlando includes the full lineup, tips to save time, and date ideas.
 
Related: The Best Halloween Events in Orlando
 
 
Select Nights September 29-October 29, 2023
In search of an attraction that’s a little less scary and also works for the whole family? Couples and kiddos alike will enjoy ZooTampa’s family-friendly Halloween event, Creatures of the Night. Couples can also indulge in themed cocktails and specialty food items for a complete date night.
 
 
October 6-November 6, 2023
The former Oyster Bar in St. Pete is reopening as Sleepy Hollow, an immersive experience. The goal is to transport guests to the sleepy hollows with state of the art sound, lighting, and live trees. Spooky themed cocktails with names like  Distinguised Horseman, The Zodiac, Fog and Storm, and Poison Ivy will grace the drink menu while you nosh on bites like Pumpkin Hummus, Street Corn Ribs, and Cinnamon-Chili Butter Churro Rings. 21+. Located at 249 Central Ave. in St. Pete.
 
 
Thursday, October 19 and Saturday, October 28, 2023, 6:30pm or 9:00pm
Tickets $35-$55, select your timeslot when booking
Halloween inspired music at Centro Asturiano de Tampa under the gentle glow of candlelight.
 
 
 
 
This themed bar is the perfect place to sip non-alcoholic beverages while taking in the spooky atmosphere. The menu features kava, botanical teas and coffee. This much-loved lounge is now reopened in a new location.
 
Put on your calendar for next year…
 
October 20-21, 2023 from 6pm-10pm
Cost: $10 for ages 13 and older
Hillsborough River State Park
The Hillsborough River State Park Preservation Society is hosting a haunted trail at the park along with a costume contest, live music and treats as an alternative to trick-or-treating! Learn more about the Haunted Woods at Hillsborough River State Park here.
 
Visit Our Partners

source