12 Things To Do With Your Kids This Fall In The Tampa Bay Area

Busy back-to-school schedules in the fall make it harder for Tampa Bay-area parents to spend meaningful time with their children.

It’s a matter of intentionally scheduling time. From seasonal harvest festivals to arts and crafts workshops to kid-friendly concerts and national tours, several upcoming events in the greater Tampa Bay area are perfect for creating fall traditions and lasting memories with the kiddos from Halloween events to Gulfcoast Pride to Island Fest on Honeymoon Island.

Are you planning an event this fall? Feature it, so nearby readers see it all across Patch — including in roundups like this!

Here are 12 upcoming kid-friendly events you shouldn’t miss:

Harvest Festival

• When: Every Saturday and Sunday in October, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Where: Dakin Dairy Farms, Myakka City
• What: This second annual Harvest Festival features “u-pick” sunflowers, a corn maze, lawn mower racing, food trucks, vendors, live music, calf cuddles, a pumpkin cannon, bounce houses and slides, and more.

Island Fest

• When: Oct. 11, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Oct. 12, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Where: Honeymoon Island State Park, Dunedin
• What: This event celebrating the beauty and wonder of Honeymoon Island offers guided beach walks, family fun activities, interactive exhibits, an arts and crafts market, and food trucks.

Howl-O-Ween

• When: Oct. 19, noon registration
• Where: Sparkman Wharf, Tampa
• What: This popular dog costume contest is back with categories for best dressed pup and best human-dog duo. The contest starts at 1 p.m. on the lawn.

Pied Piper’s Haunted Carnival

• When: Oct. 23-26
• Where: Armature Works, Tampa
• What: This all-ages carnival and 18-and-older music festival features carnival rides and games, classic eats and fall treats, live music and other entertainment, a Kids Zone with pumpkin pumpkin, face painting, and other activities.

Wesley Chapel Festival & Carnival

• When: Oct. 23-26
• Where: The Grove at Wesley Chapel
• What: This family-friendly festival features carnival rides and games, live entertainment and community performances, food trucks, costume contests, a trick-or-treat stroll, a business expo, and a Kids Zone with bounce houses, face painting, pony rides, and pumpkin photo stops.

Clearwater Greek Festival

• When: Oct. 24 and 25, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Oct. 26, noon to 6 p.m.
• Where: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Clearwater
• What: Stop by this festival for delicious Greek food, pastries, food demonstrations, music, Hellas Dancers, vendors, church tours and more.

Guppyween

• When: Oct. 25 and 26, regular operating hours
• Where: The Florida Aquarium
• What: Get in the (un)spooky spirit at The Florida Aquarium. Dress up in your favorite costumes for this family-friendly event perfect for the littlest monsters and merfolk, pirates and princesses, and everything in between. Children in costume get free admission with a paid adult. Activities include trick or treating, animal encounters with creepy critters, costumed divers, underwater pumpkin carving, and Rock and Tango character appearances.

Pack the Park for Pack a Sack

• When: Oct. 25, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Where: Sims Park, New Port Richey
• What: This family-friendly day features a dog costume contest, pumpkin and face painting, bounce houses and inflatables, live entertainment, a car show with a trunk-or-treat, food trucks, and local vendors.

Gulfcoast Pride Festival

• When: Oct. 25, noon to 5 p.m.
• Where: Downtown Sarasota’s Rosemary District
• What: Local LGBTQ+ advocacy nonprofit Project Pride SRQ invites the community out to this free, all-ages festival, which will feature a street fair more than 100 local vendors, a drag show featuring Pork Chop from “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” food from local restaurants, a kids’ zone, an arts zone, a pet zone and pet pageant, and live music and performances.

Sarasota Lantern Festival

• When: Oct. 25, 4 p.m.
• Where: Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota
• What: This unforgettable evening brings people together for a celebration of light and community filled with tasty food trucks, fun music, activities, and thousands of lanterns lighting up the night with love, hope, and happiness.

Halloween on Central

• When: Oct. 26, noon to 5 p.m.
• Where: Central Avenue in St. Petersburg’s Grand Central and Edge districts.
• What: This fifth annual event transforms 22 blocks of Central Avenue into a vibrant, family-friendly, car-free celebration with vendors, live music, business advocacy, immersive experiences and candy.

Shopapalooza Festival

• When: Nov. 29-30, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Where: Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg
• What: This festival features more than 350 local makers and small businesses, as well as live music and other entertainment, food trucks, kids zones and activities, and more.