Halloween 2026 in Tampa: Riverwalk Trick-or-Treat Oct. 24, Creatures of the Night at ZooTampa, Guppyween, Howl-O-Scream and a Cuban Club party Oct. 31.

Last checked Oct. 14, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Sources: the City of Tampa calendar, Friends of the Riverwalk’s Trick-or-Treat page, ZooTampa, The Florida Aquarium, MOSI and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Friends of the Riverwalk: 813-221-1539.

Updated Oct. 14: added the J.C. Newman Haunted Factory (Oct. 15-17), A Night at the Museum and the West River Fall Festival (both Oct. 24), and corrected Creatures of the Night prices.

Halloween is Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. The biggest free night in Tampa comes a week early: the Riverwalk Trick-or-Treat on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Cotanchobee Park downtown. Through the month, ZooTampa, The Florida Aquarium and MOSI run family Halloween events, and Busch Gardens runs its adults-oriented Howl-O-Scream on select nights.

Trick-or-treat hours and safety numbers are on our separate trick-or-treat hours page, which also lists the Hillsborough County parks trunk-or-treats. Pumpkin patches and harvest events are on our fall festivals and pumpkin patches guide.

Who to call

  • Friends of the Riverwalk (Riverwalk Trick-or-Treat): 813-221-1539
  • ZooTampa at Lowry Park: 813-935-8552, 1101 W. Sligh Ave.
  • The Florida Aquarium: 813-273-4000, 701 Channelside Drive
  • Tampa Police non-emergency: 813-231-6130

October at a glance

Date Event Where Cost
Select nights through Sat., Oct. 31 Howl-O-Scream Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Separate ticket
Select nights through Sat., Oct. 31 Creatures of the Night ZooTampa at Lowry Park $34.95 Fri. and Sun., $39.95 Sat. after 4 p.m.; members free
Thu., Oct. 15, to Sat., Oct. 17, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. J.C. Newman Haunted Factory El Reloj, 2701 N. 16th St. $25
Sat., Oct. 17, 6 to 9 p.m. Spooktacular Science MOSI Ticketed
Sat., Oct. 24, 10 a.m. to noon Hyde Park Pet Parade Hyde Park streets Free
Sat., Oct. 24, 2 to 6:30 p.m. A Night at the Museum Tampa Bay History Center, 801 Water St. $20
Sat., Oct. 24, 3 to 7 p.m. West River Fall Festival 1502 W. Union St. Free
Sat., Oct. 24, 4 to 9 p.m. Riverwalk Trick-or-Treat Cotanchobee Park, 601 Water St. Free
Sat., Oct. 24, to Sat., Oct. 31 Guppyween The Florida Aquarium Kids in costume free with a paying adult
Sat., Oct. 31, 8 p.m. The Halloween Party Cuban Club, Ybor City Ticketed

Riverwalk Trick-or-Treat: Saturday, Oct. 24

4 to 9 p.m. at Cotanchobee Park, 601 Water St. Free. Friends of the Riverwalk lists more than 50 treat stations along the Riverwalk, a “Thriller” flash mob at 4:30 p.m., costume contests for kids and adults at 5 p.m. and a free outdoor showing of Ghostbusters at 7:15 p.m. (event page).

Another event is booked downtown that day, so the organizers suggest parking in Ybor City at the Palm or Centro garage and riding the TECO Line Streetcar in, or using a rideshare. The Pam Iorio Garage, the Tampa Convention Center Garage and the Selmon Expressway lots sell event parking for the trick-or-treat from 2 to 9 p.m.

Creatures of the Night at ZooTampa

ZooTampa at Lowry Park, 1101 W. Sligh Ave., runs Creatures of the Night on select nights in October: Oct. 2-3, 9-11, 16-18, 23-25 and 30-31, according to the zoo’s event calendar. The Oct. 30 night runs 4 to 10 p.m. Expect characters, entertainment, Halloween food and a walk-through haunted neighborhood. The event is included with a ZooTampa membership or a Zoo Fun ticket, with no reservation needed; the zoo lists Oct. 10, 17 and 24 as Zoo Fun blockout dates. Everyone else pays event admission after 4 p.m.: $34.95 on Fridays and Sundays and $39.95 on Saturdays. The zoo says Fridays and Sundays are the best nights to go.

Guppyween at The Florida Aquarium

Oct. 24-31, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 701 Channelside Drive. Children in costume get in free with a paying parent or guardian, an offer redeemed at the ticket window only. The aquarium lists free trick-or-treating on Oct. 24, 25 and 31, costumed divers, underwater pumpkin carving and animal encounters, plus a sensory-friendly Guppyween before opening at 8 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 25 (Guppyween page).

Spooktacular Science at MOSI

6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at MOSI, 4801 E. Fowler Ave. The museum promises Halloween planetarium shows, liquid nitrogen ice cream, candy stations, a slime “Potions Lab” and drone flying. All ages; tickets on MOSI’s event page.

Hyde Park Pet Parade

10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 24, on Hyde Park streets, free and with no registration, according to the city listing from Tampa Parks and Recreation.

More family Halloween events

  • A Night at the Museum, 2 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Tampa Bay History Center, 801 Water St. $20. The 15th annual afternoon of trick-or-treating, candy and crafts (city calendar listing).
  • West River Fall Festival, 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at 1502 W. Union St. Free, with registration requested; family activities, live entertainment and local food (city calendar listing).

For grown-ups

  • J.C. Newman Haunted Factory, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, to Saturday, Oct. 17, at the El Reloj cigar factory, 2701 N. 16th St. $25; tickets required. Tours leave about every 20 minutes, the last at 10:10 p.m., followed by an after-party with a cash bar (city calendar listing).

  • Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, 10165 N. McKinley Drive, runs on select nights from Sept. 11 to Oct. 31. The event starts at 7 p.m., with gates opening at 5 p.m. It is a separate ticket from day admission, and the park says no costumes are allowed (Howl-O-Scream page).

  • The Halloween Party 2026, 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at the Cuban Club, 2010 N. Avenida Republica de Cuba in Ybor City. The 13 Ugly Men charity party is ticketed with pre-registration, and costumes are encouraged (city calendar listing).
  • Oktoberfest Tampa fills Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park on Halloween weekend, Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 (city listing).

Trunk-or-treats

Churches, schools and civic groups across Tampa hold parking-lot trunk-or-treats. We add one here once the organizer has published the date, time and address. Running one? Send the details through our contact page.

What this means for you

  • Oct. 24 is the busiest day: the pet parade, Riverwalk Trick-or-Treat and the start of Guppyween all fall on it. Plan downtown parking early.
  • Halloween falls on a Saturday, and daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.
  • Howl-O-Scream is not a kids’ event; the zoo and aquarium are the picks for little ones.

More: trick-or-treat hours, fall festivals and pumpkin patches, things to do this month and the Thanksgiving guide.

Frequently asked questions

What Halloween events are in Tampa in 2026?

The free Riverwalk Trick-or-Treat is 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Cotanchobee Park. ZooTampa runs Creatures of the Night on select October nights, The Florida Aquarium holds Guppyween Oct. 24-31, and Busch Gardens runs Howl-O-Scream on select nights through Oct. 31.

When is Riverwalk Trick-or-Treat in Tampa?

Saturday, Oct. 24, from 4 to 9 p.m. at Cotanchobee Park, 601 Water St. Friends of the Riverwalk lists more than 50 treat stations, a costume contest at 5 p.m. and a Ghostbusters movie at 7:15 p.m. It is free.

Is Howl-O-Scream OK for kids?

Busch Gardens describes Howl-O-Scream as a separately ticketed night event with intense content, and no costumes are allowed. For young children, ZooTampa’s Creatures of the Night and the aquarium’s Guppyween are the family events.

What are trick-or-treat hours in Tampa?

The City of Tampa does not set official trick-or-treat hours. See our trick-or-treat hours page for details and safety numbers.