Top Halloween Events and Haunted Houses In Sarasota

Halloween in Sarasota offers plenty of ghoulish options this month, and there's something for everyone.

Whether it's the wee-ones having their first Halloween by visiting celebrations at The Aquarium at Mote Marine Laboratory or the teenagers looking for a good time at a haunted house, Sarasota has this holiday down to the trick-or-treats and spiked punch.

Frightmares Haunted House

• Frightmares boasts itself as Florida's best haunted attraction-pitting itself above those theme parks in Tampa and Orlando. This isn't some amateur hour—horror director John Rusnak has been in the haunted house business for 20 years and produced his own horror film, House of Blood. This year it's doubling the blood and terror with two haunted houses—Tomb of Terror and Psycho Asylum— at one location.
• Where: 7111 S. Tamiaimi Trail 
• When: 7:30-11 p.m. each Friday and Saturday in October plus Oct. 21 and Oct. 28-31. Opens Friday, Oct. 12.
• Tickets: $16 for two houses; $30 for a cut-the-line pass
• For more info:www.frightmareshauntedhouse.com/

24th Annual Fruitville Pumpkin Festival

• Oh yes, there will be pumpkins. Plus a ton of events and activities for the family including pony rides and hayrides, live music, pumpkin painting, hay play area, a 40-foot slip-n-slide, giant human water balloons, craft vendors and more.
• Where: Fruitville Grove Farm Fresh Market, 7410 Fruitville Road
• When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28
• Tickets: Free admission and free parking
• For more info: 941-377-6766 or http://fruitvillegrove.com/pumpkinfestival.html

• Children will enjoy trick-or-treating inside Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, make a Jack-O-Lantern in the shadows of sharks and children 8 or older can go inside the spooky Dr. Frankin-Fish's Lab of Horrors haunted house. 
• Where: The Aquarium at Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway
• When: 6:30-9 p.m. Oct. 19
• Tickets: Register before Oct. 17 for $6 tickets. After Oct. 17 it's $10 per person and $8 for Mote Members. This is a separate ticket from the daytime aquarium admission.
• For more info: 941-388-4441 or http://­www.­mote.­org/­halloween

Cemeterror - A Haunt to Die For

• There's nothing like going to a stranger's house in the neighborhood who knows how to deck out a Halloween house better than some Christmas homes. In this case, it's the Spera Family. Find yourself here at Cemeterror—a PG-13 yard haunt, or haunted house, that promises to be bigger this year with Zelda's Side Show. Get scared for a good cause by donating to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund at the door.
• Where: 5718 Antilles Drive, Sarasota
• When: 7-10 p.m. Oct 26-27
• Tickets: Free but donations are being collected for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund
• For more info: 941-726-9913 or http://cemeterror.com/ 

Crawleyween Halloween

• Crowley Museum & Nature Center offers something for the kids with a "haunted" discovery path, hayrides, a costume contest, trick-or-treating, bobbing for apples and more. Not A Clue Adventures will offer concierge camping, too.
• Where: Crowley Museum & Nature Center, 16405 Myakka Road
• When: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27
• Tickets: Free
• For more info: http://­crowleyfl.­org/­2012/­10/­crawleyween/­

Masque of the Red Death Gala

• The Powel Crosley Estate hosts a special gala based on Edgar Allan Poe's Masque of the Red Death story. It features an interactive haunted carriage house with performances. Features dancing, potions and food. Recommended for 21 and up. Costume attire encouraged.  
• Where: Powel Crosley Estate, 1 Seagate Drive
• When: 6 p.m. Oct. 31
• Tickets: $75 per person; $90 at the iron gates. Reservations recommended. (Portion of proceeds will benefit the preservation of the Powel Crosley Estate.)
• For more info: 941-312-0000 or www.crosleysupperclub.com/Galas_htlm.html