Downtown Winter Garden offers plenty of Halloween hoopla

If you’re looking for some scary sights and family frights, look no further than downtown Winter Garden.

The Winter Garden Halloween Experience offers a plethora of fall fun for the whole family. Best of all: Almost everything is free!

The experience, which runs through Oct. 31, includes an outdoor animated Halloween Light Show on City Hall; a hay maze; fall- and spooky-themed photo locations; decorations and light displays throughout downtown; a Spooky Caboose at the Winter Garden Heritage Museum; a Halloween Celebration at the fall-themed Farmers Market, and more! 

AVAILABLE DAILY
• Hay Maze at City Hall: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Halloween- and fall-themed photo stations 

• Seasonal decorations and light displays

• Unique stores and restaurants surrounded by historic charm and spooky and fall ambiance

• Expanded outdoor patios 

CITY-HOSTED EVENTS
HALLOWEEN LIGHT SHOW
7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 and 31 at City Hall. A Halloween animated light show synchronized to music projected onto the front façade of City Hall.

STREET PERFORMANCES & SURPRISES
6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 and 31 variety of outdoor street performers will delight audiences as visitors stroll, shop, and dine. You just never know what pop-up surprises await from 6 to 9 p.m.

HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION AT WINTER GARDEN FARMERS MARKET
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (free event activities from 9 a.m. to noon) Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Downtown Pavilion, 104. S. Lakeview Ave. Come out to the market for some Halloween fun! Children can make a special Halloween craft to take home at the KidZone tent. Pumpkin, pumpkin  and more pumpkins — of all shapes and sizes — can be found at the Farmers Market. Get your gourds, fresh fall harvest produce, seasonal décor, and lots of treats to make your Halloween and fall holidays special. 

DOWNTOWN PARTNER EVENTS
SPOOKY CABOOSE AT THE WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE MUSEUM
3 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31, at the Winter Garden Heritage Museum, 1 N. Main St. Enter the Spooky Caboose — if you dare — stationed outside the Winter Garden Heritage Museum. The spooky-decorated caboose has fun frights for all ages. 

CREATE A HAUNTED HOUSE FAMILY EVENT AT SOBO ART GALLERY
3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, at SOBO Art Gallery, 127 S. Boyd St. You will be amazed as you work together to transfer a prepared cereal box on a base into an awesome “haunted house.” All materials and step-by-step guidance are provided. This popular family event fills up quickly. Cost is $38 for one adult/one child. Fee and reservation required. Call (407) 347-7996.

FRIGHTFULLY FUN LEGO NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
5 to 8 p.m Friday, Oct. 25, at the Central Florida Railroad Museum, 101 S. Boyd St. Enter the holiday-decorated Central Florida Railroad for this ticketed fundraiser event and come see up-close the custom-built Lego train layout with Halloween- and Holiday-themed sections and a replica of the Orlando Train Station. In addition, guests will enjoy a Lego block fun table, a photo booth, coloring table, music, History Hunt map, and treats. The Lego train layout is provided by the Greater Florida Lego Users Group. Tickets: $5 for children under 18 and $10 for 18 and older. Under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Proceeds benefit the museum. Tickets available online at at cfrhs.org.

LEGO DAY AT THE RAILROAD MUSEUM
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Central Florida Railroad Museum, 101 S. Boyd St. Stop by the Central Florida Railroad Museum as it hosts the Greater Florida Lego User Group and their large Lego display loaded with buildings, people, trains and a Halloween surprise. The Lego train layout is provided by the Greater Florida Lego Users Group and features both Halloween- and holiday-themed sections, plus a replica of the Orlando Train Station. A kids' coloring table and sweet treats will be available for the visiting little ghouls.

DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS' HALLOWEEN EVENTS
TRICK-OR-TREATING
3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31. Select downtown merchants will host a trick-or-treating for kids to stop in wearing their costume. Immediately following, a "Ghosts & Ghouls Spooky Sip 'n Stroll" is a fun treat for adults from 5 to 8 p.m. Participation in both events is at the discretion of the businesses and these are merchant-hosted events.