Halloween in St. Johns County 2026
Trick-or-treat neighborhoods, festivals, trunk-or-treats, pumpkin patches, church alternatives, teen scares, ghost tours and grown-up Halloween fun β organized by area so you can actually plan your October.
One County. Several Very Different Ways to Celebrate.
Halloween in St. Johns County isn't one giant event. What you do depends heavily on where you live, how old your kids are and whether you want candy, costumes, a church harvest celebration, a genuinely scary trail or a night out in the Ancient City.
In the northern part of the county, Halloween tends to revolve around neighborhoods, master-planned communities, school-age families, trunk-or-treats and community festivals.
Head toward historic St. Augustine and the mood changes. Ghost tours, paranormal investigations, costumed pub crawls, haunted history and nighttime events become a much bigger part of October.
And because St. Johns County includes many families who prefer a church-hosted or harvest-style alternative to traditional Halloween, we've included those separately rather than treating them as an afterthought.
Candy Without the Chaos
Trunk-or-treats, daytime festivals and the Alligator Farm are easier choices for younger children.
More Than Door-to-Door
Haunted trails, crop mazes and spooky historic experiences give older kids something that actually feels different.
Harvest + Church Events
Several local churches host free community celebrations, games, food and trunk-or-treating.
St. Augustine After Dark
Costume balls, pub crawls, improv, ghost tours and paranormal experiences give adults their own Halloween calendar.
St. Johns County Halloween Calendar 2026
These are the major confirmed events to know about now. More neighborhood and business events tend to appear as October gets closer.
| Date | Event | Area | Who It's For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 26βNov. 1 | Pumpkin patches around St. Johns / St. Augustine | Countywide | Families |
| Oct. 3βNov. 1 | Sykes Family Farms Crop Maze β Fri., Sat. & Sun. | Elkton | Families Teens |
| Fridays + Saturdays in Oct. | Beetlejuice Pub Crawl | Historic St. Augustine | 21+ |
| Oct. 10 | Mad Monster Halloween Market | St. Augustine | Teens+ |
| Oct. 10 | Drag Queen-a-Palooza: Halloween Edition | St. Augustine | 18+ |
| Oct. 11 | St. Augustine Ballet: Dracula | St. Augustine | Older Kids + Adults |
| Oct. 14 | Dark & Stormy Night | St. Augustine | Older Audiences |
| Oct. 17 | Baptist HealthPlace Halloween CARnival | Nocatee | Families |
| Oct. 17, 24, 30 & 31 | Improv Spooktacular | St. Augustine | Older Teens + Adults |
| Oct. 18 | Good News Church Hello Fall | St. Augustine South | Church / Family |
| Oct. 23 | Kiddie Academy St. Johns Trunk-or-Treat | North St. Johns | Young Families |
| Oct. 23β24 | Creatures of the Night β St. Augustine Alligator Farm | Anastasia Island | Families |
| Oct. 24 | Halloween Trick-or-Treat Festival β Ximenez-Fatio House | Historic St. Augustine | Families |
| Oct. 24 | Frightivities & Gouloring | Hastings | Families |
| Oct. 24 | Hastings Trunk or Treat + Movie in the Park | Hastings | Families |
| Oct. 24 | 365 Church Harvest Fest & Trunk or Treat | St. Augustine | Church / Family |
| Oct. 24 | Headless Bangers Costume Ball | World Golf Village | 18+ |
| Oct. 25 | Saint Mark Mission Council Trunk or Treat | SR 16 / WGV Area | Church / Family |
| Oct. 28 | First Baptist Nocatee Trunk of Treats | Nocatee | Church / Family |
| Oct. 29 | St. Johns Monster Bash & Trunk or Treat | CR 210 / Fountains | Families |
| Oct. 29β31 | EstuSCARY Haunted Trail | Ponte Vedra / GTM | 10+ / Teens |
| Oct. 30β31 | A Night Among Ghosts Overnight Investigation | Historic St. Augustine | Paranormal Fans |
| Oct. 31 | Halloween Night Neighborhood Trick-or-Treating | Countywide | Families |
IMPORTANT: Halloween falls on a Saturday in 2026. Community, HOA and church schedules can still change. Always confirm an event before leaving home, especially outdoor events affected by weather.
Halloween Happenings by Area
St. Johns County is geographically huge. Here's the easiest way to decide what's worth driving to.
Neighborhood Halloween Central
North St. Johns is strongest for traditional family Halloween: big subdivisions, sidewalks, decorated houses and organized community events.
- Oct. 23: Kiddie Academy St. Johns Trunk-or-Treat, 5:30β7:30 p.m.
- Oct. 29: St. Johns Monster Bash at The Fountains, 4β7 p.m.
- Oct. 31: Neighborhood trick-or-treating throughout Durbin, SilverLeaf, Julington Creek and surrounding communities.
Family Events + A Real Haunted Trail
Nocatee is strong for younger families, while nearby GTM adds one of the best choices for older kids and teens.
- Oct. 17: Baptist HealthPlace Halloween CARnival, 9 a.m.βnoon.
- Oct. 28: First Baptist Nocatee Trunk of Treats, 5:30β7:30 p.m.
- Oct. 29β31: EstuSCARY Haunted Trail at GTM South Beach.
The County's Grown-Up Halloween Capital
St. Augustine doesn't need fake haunted history. The historic district already has cemeteries, centuries-old buildings, ghost tours and enough legends to make October feel different here.
- Halloween Trick-or-Treat Festival at Ximenez-Fatio House.
- Ghost and paranormal tours throughout October.
- Beetlejuice Pub Crawl on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Improv Spooktacular.
- A Night Among Ghosts overnight paranormal investigation.
Alligators After Dark
The biggest Halloween-specific attraction here is Creatures of the Night at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm.
- Oct. 23β24: Creatures of the Night, 5:30β9 p.m.
- Costumes, trick-or-treating and zoo experiences after hours.
- Pair it with dinner on the island rather than fighting downtown traffic.
Family by Day, Costume Ball by Night
- Oct. 24: Headless Bangers Costume Ball at Legends Ballroom β 18+.
- Oct. 25: Saint Mark Mission Council Trunk or Treat after Mass.
- Neighborhood trick-or-treating throughout nearby master-planned communities on Oct. 31.
Fall Farm Country
If your idea of October involves pumpkins, corn mazes and actual farmland, this is the part of St. Johns County to explore.
- Oct. 3βNov. 1: Sykes Family Farms Crop Maze.
- Oct. 24: Frightivities & Gouloring at the nature preserve.
- Oct. 24: Hastings Trunk or Treat + Movie in the Park, 5β9 p.m.
Best St. Johns Neighborhoods for Trick-or-Treating
We have a separate full neighborhood guide, but if Halloween night is your priority, these are the places that deserve special attention.
Durbin Crossing
Durbin Crossing remains our top overall pick because Halloween feels like a real neighborhood event here. There are lots of families, sidewalks, decorated homes and strong participation.
One of the area's annual highlights is an elaborate family-run haunted house that has become part neighborhood attraction, part Halloween block party β including a more grown-up social scene for parents later in the evening.
SilverLeaf
SilverLeaf's newer neighborhoods, dense family population, sidewalks and rapidly growing number of homes make it one of the county's strongest Halloween environments.
Because the community is enormous, choose a neighborhood within SilverLeaf rather than assuming you can cover the entire development.
Nocatee
Nocatee has plenty of families, golf-cart traffic and heavily decorated neighborhoods. It can be excellent for trick-or-treating, although the experience varies considerably from village to village.
Also Worth Considering
Julington Creek, RiverTown, Shearwater, Beacon Lake, TrailMark and other family-heavy communities can all have active Halloween nights. Participation often changes from street to street, so residents usually know which pockets are busiest.
π Want the Full Neighborhood Breakdown?
Our separate StJohnsFL.org guide goes deeper into individual neighborhoods, trick-or-treating atmosphere, timing and the areas where Halloween really becomes a community event.
Best Neighborhoods for Trick-or-Treating βBest Halloween Events for Kids
Creatures of the Night β St. Augustine Alligator Farm
One of the county's signature Halloween family events. Kids can wear costumes and trick-or-treat around the zoo during special evening hours.
Time: 5:30β9 p.m.
Best for: Families that want a destination event rather than neighborhood door-to-door trick-or-treating.
Ximenez-Fatio Halloween Trick-or-Treat Festival
A free afternoon event on the grounds of the historic Ximenez-Fatio House with costumes, games, prizes and trick-or-treating.
Time: 1β4 p.m.
Best for: Families who want Halloween downtown without waiting until dark.
St. Johns Monster Bash & Trunk or Treat
Held at The Fountains at St. Johns with vendor trick-or-treating, decorated trunks, food, local vendors, a bounce house and face painting.
Time: 4β7 p.m.
Cost: Free event and parking.
A daytime festival or trunk-or-treat is often easier than Halloween night in a huge neighborhood. You get the costume and candy experience without dark streets, long walks and older kids moving quickly between houses.
Halloween for Tweens & Teens
Older kids often outgrow trunk-or-treat before they outgrow Halloween. St. Johns County actually has several good in-between options.
EstuSCARY Haunted Trail
The South Beach Hammock Trail at GTM Research Reserve becomes a nighttime haunted experience on Oct. 29, 30 and 31.
The event is recommended for ages 10 and older. Closed-toed shoes are a good idea.
Sykes Family Farms Crop Maze
A better pick for teens who want fall atmosphere but aren't looking for a traditional haunted-house scare.
The crop maze runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Oct. 3 through Nov. 1.
Ghost Tour Night
St. Augustine's ghost tours are a great teen alternative because they combine spooky storytelling with actual city history.
Some tours are family-friendly while others are closer to PG-13. Check the individual operator before booking.
Prefer an Alternative to Traditional Halloween?
St. Johns County has a large church community, and several congregations host fall celebrations that focus more on family, community and harvest activities than scary Halloween themes.
Good News Church β Hello Fall
Trunk-or-treat, chili cook-off and an obstacle course at the Wildwood campus.
Time: 5β7 p.m.
Location: 1357 Wildwood Drive, St. Augustine.
Cost: Free.
365 Church β Harvest Fest
Food, treats, family games, trunk-or-treating and a hayride.
Starts: 5 p.m.
Location: 3605 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine.
Cost: Free.
Saint Mark Mission Council β Trunk or Treat
Church-hosted trunk-or-treat following the 10:30 a.m. Mass.
Location: 5950 State Road 16, St. Augustine.
Cost: Free.
First Baptist Church at Nocatee β Trunk of Treats
Nearly 40 themed trunks, candy, costumes and treats. Food trucks are available for meal purchases.
Time: 5:30β7:30 p.m.
Location: 1770 Valley Ridge Blvd., Ponte Vedra.
Cost: Free.
Some families love Halloween. Others prefer a harvest celebration, church event or less spooky evening. St. Johns County has enough of both that there is no reason every family has to celebrate the same way.
Halloween for Adults in St. Augustine
If the kids aren't coming with you, go south. Historic St. Augustine has by far the county's strongest grown-up Halloween scene.
Beetlejuice Pub Crawl
A costumed host leads guests through four downtown drinking spots with themed cocktails, pranks and Beetlejuice-inspired chaos.
The official tour is 21+ only, runs Fridays and Saturdays in October and lasts roughly 2Β½ hours.
Headless Bangers Costume Ball
Live rock music, costume prizes, psychics, fortune tellers, tarot, Halloween sweets and a bar at the Legends Ballroom in World Golf Village.
Time: 8 p.m.βmidnight.
Drag Queen-a-Palooza: Halloween Edition
Third Space Improv hosts a Halloween edition of its drag and comedy show from 8β10 p.m.
Improv Spooktacular
Halloween-themed improv performances take over Third Space on select Saturdays plus Friday, Oct. 30.
A fun choice for adults who want Halloween without committing to a haunted attraction or bar crawl.
A Night Among Ghosts
This one is for the committed paranormal crowd: a 12-hour overnight investigation inside the historic Ximenez-Fatio House.
Time: 9 p.m.β9 a.m.
Ghost Tours
October is peak season for St. Augustine's walking ghost tours, paranormal investigations, trolley tours and lighthouse experiences.
The Dark of the Moon experience at the St. Augustine Lighthouse is especially popular and normally includes Halloween availability.
LOCAL STRATEGY: If you're doing Halloween in historic St. Augustine on a Friday or Saturday night, don't build your plan around driving from bar to bar. Park once and walk.
Why St. Augustine Does Halloween Differently
There may be no better place in Northeast Florida for people who prefer their Halloween with actual history.
The historic district's narrow streets, old cemeteries, Spanish colonial history and centuries-old buildings make ghost tourism a year-round business β October simply turns everything up.
Historic Ghost Walk
Start around the Old City Gates and explore downtown on foot with a lantern-lit guide.
Ghosts & Gravestones
A nighttime trolley option for people who want the spooky stories without walking the entire historic district.
Dark of the Moon
Explore the St. Augustine Lighthouse grounds after dark and climb the tower as guides tell stories tied to the property's history.
Pumpkin Patches, Farms & Corn Mazes
Not everything in October has to be Halloween night. These work well for fall photos, younger kids and families who simply want pumpkins and cooler weather.
Sykes Family Farms
The county's best-known full farm experience includes the seasonal crop maze and other fall activities.
2026: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 3βNov. 1.
First United Methodist Church
A traditional downtown church pumpkin patch on King Street makes an easy seasonal stop during a St. Augustine day.
Shores United Methodist Church
Another convenient local pumpkin-patch option, particularly for families in southern St. Augustine.
River of Life
A north-county option for families who don't want to drive all the way to St. Augustine for pumpkins.
What Should We Actually Do on Halloween Night?
Family With Younger Kids
Stay close to home. Pick one active neighborhood, start around early evening and avoid turning Halloween into a countywide driving tour.
If your own street is quiet, use our neighborhood guide before deciding where to go.
Tweens + Teens
Consider EstuSCARY in Ponte Vedra, Sykes Family Farms or a St. Augustine ghost experience instead of trying to recreate elementary-school trick-or-treating.
Adults
St. Augustine is the obvious choice. Make dinner reservations early, park once and combine a ghost tour, pub crawl, improv show or live music.
Prefer Not to Celebrate Halloween?
Many church-hosted alternatives happen earlier in the month, which makes it easy to enjoy a community fall event without participating in Halloween night itself.
Halloween Safety in St. Johns County
Expect Golf Carts
Nocatee, Durbin-area communities and several master-planned neighborhoods can have substantial golf-cart traffic on Halloween.
Use Reflective Gear
Black costumes look great and disappear on a dark residential street. Add a light, glow bracelet or reflective element.
Don't Block Neighborhood Streets
Popular trick-or-treating streets can become congested quickly. Never block driveways or emergency access.
Watch E-Bikes
Older kids increasingly travel neighborhoods by bike and e-bike. Drivers should assume children may enter crosswalks quickly after dark.
Bring Water
Halloween in Northeast Florida can still be warm. Long costumes and a mile of walking add up quickly.
Check the Weather
Outdoor events, haunted trails and farm attractions can change operating plans after heavy rain or storms.
Where to Find Halloween Costumes in St. Johns County
Keep this part simple. Start with a dedicated Halloween store if you need a complete costume; thrift if you want something original; use craft and big-box stores for the finishing pieces.
Spirit Halloween β St. Augustine
440 West Geoffrey Street
In the former Party City location.
Best for complete costumes, masks, makeup, accessories and large Halloween dΓ©cor.
Goodwill
St. Johns County has numerous Goodwill locations, including Durbin Creek, Racetrack Road, Aberdeen, Murabella, Palencia, Ponte Vedra and the newer Epic Village store in St. Augustine.
Best for creating a costume that doesn't look exactly like everyone else's.
Michaels β St. Augustine
310 CBL Drive
Best for face paint, craft supplies, DIY accessories and Halloween dΓ©cor.
Target β St. Augustine
1440 U.S. Highway 1 South
Good for children's costumes, simple adult costumes, candy, makeup and last-minute accessories.
Five Below β Durbin Park
675 Durbin Pavilion Drive
Useful for inexpensive accessories, candy, dΓ©cor and pieces for simple tween and teen costumes.
For adults, start at Goodwill before buying a packaged costume. A thrifted base outfit plus one or two good accessories from Spirit or Michaels usually looks better β and costs less.
St. Johns County Halloween 2026 FAQ
When is Halloween in 2026?
What are the best St. Johns neighborhoods for trick-or-treating?
Does St. Johns County have official trick-or-treat hours?
What is the best Halloween event for younger kids?
What can teenagers do for Halloween in St. Johns County?
Are there church alternatives to Halloween?
Where is the best Halloween nightlife?
Is the Beetlejuice Pub Crawl kid-friendly?
Is EstuSCARY appropriate for little kids?
Where can we go pumpkin picking?
Where can I buy a Halloween costume in St. Augustine?
Are there Halloween events before October 31?
There's More Happening Close to Home
Find neighborhoods, local events, parks, family guides, businesses and things to do throughout St. Johns County on StJohnsFL.org.