Looking for community events in Southwest Florida this week? Between Monday, October 26 and Sunday, November 1 the calendar is all about Halloween and Day of the Dead: Halloween lands on Saturday the 31st, Fifth Avenue South in Naples fills Cambier Park with its free Spooktacular, the Naples Botanical Garden opens its two-day Dia de los Muertos Celebration, Miromar Outlets hosts Mall-O-Ween in Estero, and downtown Bonita Springs stays decorated nightly through Halloween. Here are seven picks I verified from each organizer's official page, with the date, time, venue, cost, and a link for every one.
Key Takeaways
- The Halloween Spooktacular fills Cambier Park Saturday, October 31, 3 to 5 PM, with trick-or-treating, live music, games, and a costume contest, followed by Evening on Fifth along the avenue until 8 PM. Free.
- Mall-O-Ween at Miromar Outlets in Estero is Friday, October 30, 5 to 7 PM, with mall-wide trick-or-treating, a DJ, and costume contests for pets and kids. Free.
- Fall Fest at Paradise Coast Sports Complex is Saturday, October 31, 1 to 4 PM, with a costume parade, a haunted bus walk, crafts, bounce houses, face painting, and treat tents. Free entry.
- The Dia de los Muertos Celebration at Naples Botanical Garden runs Saturday and Sunday, October 31-November 1, 10 AM to 4 PM, with community altars, music, dance, and family activities included with admission.
- Happy Haunts in downtown Bonita Springs lights up nightly through Halloween, about 5:30 to 10 PM along Old 41, free and open to everyone.
- On Marco Island, the Arte Viva Day of the Dead Grass Wall at the Center for the Arts is a free outdoor installation on view through Friday, November 13.
- Saturday, October 31 is farmers market day: Third Street South in Old Naples, Vanderbilt in North Naples, Bonita Springs at the Promenade at Bonita Bay, Estero at Miromar Outlets, and Fort Myers on First Street.
The Week's Picks
Happy Haunts: Final Nights in Downtown Bonita Springs
The City of Bonita Springs' free immersive Halloween walk runs its final nights this week. Storefronts and walkways along Old 41 stay decorated and lit each evening through Halloween, with lights, music, projections, and photo spots from Riverside Park through downtown. It is a low-key, stroller-friendly way to enjoy the season, and it is free. Downtown Bonita Springs is covered in our Bonita Springs area guide.
Venue: Riverside Park, 10450 Reynolds Street, and downtown Bonita Springs along Old 41
Dates: Nightly through Saturday, October 31
Time: Décor lit from about 5:30 to 10 PM
Cost: Free
Official page: City of Bonita Springs Halloween page
Mall-O-Ween at Miromar Outlets, Estero
Miromar Outlets in Estero hosts its annual family trick-or-treat evening Friday: collect candy along the outlet walkways from participating stores, listen to a DJ, and join costume contests for pets and kids. It is free to attend; stores and restaurants are open as usual. The outlets anchor the Estero shopping district, introduced in our Estero area guide.
Venue: Miromar Outlets, 10801 Corkscrew Road, Estero
Date: Friday, October 30
Time: 5 to 7 PM; pet costume contest around 5:30 PM, kids' costume contests for ages 5 and under and 6 to 12 later in the evening
Cost: Free
Official page: Miromar Outlets events directory
Halloween Spooktacular and Evening on Fifth, Naples
Halloween afternoon belongs to the family-friendly Spooktacular at Cambier Park: trick-or-treating, live music, games, and a costume contest, all free. When it winds down at 5 PM, Evening on Fifth takes over the avenue with live music, dining, and extended shopping along Fifth Avenue South until 8 PM. Fifth Avenue South runs through the heart of Old Naples, an area covered in our Naples area guide.
Venue: Cambier Park, 755 8th Avenue South, Naples, and along Fifth Avenue South
Date: Saturday, October 31
Time: Spooktacular 3 to 5 PM; Evening on Fifth 5 to 8 PM
Cost: Free; dining and shopping are pay-as-you-go
Official page: Fifth Avenue South Halloween page
Fall Fest at Paradise Coast Sports Complex, North Naples
Paradise Coast Sports Complex holds its annual Fall Fest on Halloween afternoon: a costume parade, a haunted bus walk, arts and crafts, bounce houses, face painting, and treat tents across the complex grounds near City Gate Boulevard. Entry is free. The complex is in North Naples, where our North Naples versus downtown Naples comparison helps you picture both ends of the city.
Venue: Paradise Coast Sports Complex, 3940 City Gate Boulevard South, Naples
Date: Saturday, October 31
Time: 1 to 4 PM
Cost: Free entry
Official page: Paradise Coast Sports Complex
Dia de los Muertos Celebration at Naples Botanical Garden
The garden holds its signature two-day Day of the Dead celebration this weekend: community ofrenda altars, live music and dance, arts and crafts, La Catrina figures, and a memory wall set among the tropical gardens on Bayshore Drive. The celebration is included with regular admission and free for members, and it welcomes people of every background to learn about and take part in the tradition. The garden sits in East Naples, an area covered in our Naples area guide.
Venue: Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Drive, Naples
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, October 31-November 1
Time: 10 AM to 4 PM
Cost: Included with admission; free for members
Official page: Naples Botanical Garden Dia de los Muertos page
Arte Viva Day of the Dead Grass Wall, Marco Island
The Marco Island Center for the Arts' annual Day of the Dead grass wall is on view in the courtyard through November 13. The outdoor installation honors Dia de los Muertos with artwork created with area students, and it is part of Arte Viva, a yearlong celebration of Hispanic arts and culture presented by the local visitors bureau. It is free to view during Art Center hours and makes a thoughtful stop on the island, an area covered in our Marco Island area guide.
Venue: Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island
Dates: On view now through Friday, November 13
Time: During Art Center hours; the courtyard installation is outdoors
Cost: Free to view
Official page: Marco Island Center for the Arts exhibition calendar
Saturday Farmers Markets Across the Region
The last Saturday of October is a full market morning across all five areas, and the markets are free to browse. In Old Naples, the Third Street South Farmers Market runs 7:30 to 11:30 AM year-round, with produce, flowers, and baked goods along the street. In North Naples, the Vanderbilt Farmers Market at the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt runs 8 AM to 1 PM. In Bonita Springs, the Bonita Springs Farmers Market at the Promenade at Bonita Bay runs 8 AM to noon. In Estero, the Farmers Market at Miromar Outlets runs 9 AM to 1 PM at the Corkscrew Road entrance. And in Fort Myers, the Fort Myers Farmers Market takes over the Downtown Culinary District on First Street from 9 AM to 1 PM. For a look at the neighborhoods behind each market, our Naples area guide and this comparison of North Naples versus downtown Naples cover both ends of town.
Venue: Five markets across the region
Date: Saturday, October 31
Time: Third Street South 7:30 to 11:30 AM; Vanderbilt 8 AM to 1 PM; Bonita Springs 8 AM to noon; Miromar Estero and Fort Myers 9 AM to 1 PM
Cost: Free to browse
Official pages: Third Street South market, Vanderbilt Farmers Market, Bonita Springs market, Miromar Estero market, and the Fort Myers market
How I Put This List Together
I keep this roundup to community events I can confirm from the organizer's or municipality's own pages, and I link to the official source for every pick. Festivals, farmers markets, fundraisers, and cultural events all make the list when the listing is current and dated. Times and prices can shift, so it always pays to check the official page before you head out.
A note on fair housing: every event, neighborhood, and home in Southwest Florida is open to everyone, and I am glad to help you find the community that fits you, whatever your story. These events are a good way to meet neighbors and get a feel for an area you might call home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Halloween on Fifth Avenue South in Naples free?
Yes. The Halloween Spooktacular at Cambier Park from 3 to 5 PM and Evening on Fifth along the avenue from 5 to 8 PM on Saturday, October 31 are both free. Dining and shopping are pay-as-you-go.
Do the Dia de los Muertos celebrations at Naples Botanical Garden cost extra?
No. The Dia de los Muertos Celebration on Saturday and Sunday, October 31-November 1, 10 AM to 4 PM, is included with regular garden admission and is free for members.
What free family Halloween events are happening on October 30-31?
Mall-O-Ween at Miromar Outlets in Estero runs Friday, October 30, 5 to 7 PM. On Saturday, October 31, Fall Fest at Paradise Coast Sports Complex runs 1 to 4 PM, the Halloween Spooktacular at Cambier Park runs 3 to 5 PM, and Happy Haunts in downtown Bonita Springs is free nightly through Halloween.
Which farmers markets run Saturday, October 31?
Third Street South in Old Naples runs 7:30 to 11:30 AM, the Vanderbilt Farmers Market in North Naples runs 8 AM to 1 PM, the Bonita Springs Farmers Market at the Promenade at Bonita Bay runs 8 AM to noon, and the Farmers Market at Miromar Outlets in Estero and the Fort Myers Farmers Market on First Street both run 9 AM to 1 PM.
A note from the author: I'm Catalina Quintero, a bilingual REALTOR with The Miranda Group at Premiere Plus Realty, Co., serving Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Fort Myers, and Marco Island. I put this community events roundup together each week from current, published listings so you can find something nearby. If you're exploring Southwest Florida with a move in mind, email or text me any time.
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Contact Catalina Quintero at (239) 206-6909 or use the contact page to schedule a consultation.