By Dawn Krebs
dkrebs@hometownnewsol.com
PORT ST. LUCIE — With the days getting shorter and the nights getting cooler, more people are taking part in all the fun festivals and happenings taking place in the county.
Local businesses, cities and nonprofits have been planning events for months that will keep residents of all ages busy in the coming days.
In Port St. Lucie, the city will hold its annual fall festival. Now in its 11th year, it will be held from Oct. 26 through Oct. 28 at the Port St. Lucie Civic Center.
The festival will feature a haunted house, carnival rides, live entertainment and more. Tickets for the rides are $1 each or $20 for a wrist band for unlimited rides.
On Saturday, Oct. 27, local businesses and groups will hand out candy to the children starting at 5:30 p.m. and continue until the candy runs out. A free costume contest will take place from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. There will be winners for cutest and scariest plus a special prize for all families who enter the costume contest with a theme.
On Friday, the festival will be held from 5 p.m. to midnight. On Saturday, it will take place from 11 a.m. to midnight and on Sunday, it will run from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
A haunted house, run by the city’s Police Athletic League and Explorer’s Post 411, will be located on the second flood of the parking garage. Cost is $5 per person. It will be open until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
For the very little ones, Oxbow Eco-Center is having a little tyke Halloween hike at 11 a.m. on Oct. 27. Cost is $2 per child, ages 2 to 6. Dressed in costumes, the children will take a stroll through the woods to wish all the animals a happy Halloween. Reservations are required, as space is limited.
Over at the Savannas Preserve, a Halloween haunted trail will take families outside from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 27 and through the preserve, while inside there will be games, crafts and a costume contest at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $2 per person, or $10 per family.
The Port St. Lucie Civic Center is located at 9221 S.E. Civic Center Place on the southeast corner of U.S. 1 and Walton Road. For more information, call (772) 828-4488.
The Oxbow Eco-Center is located at 5400 N.E. St. James Drive in Port St. Lucie. For more information, call (772) 785-5833.
The Savannas Preserve State Park is located at 2541 Walton Road in Port St. Lucie. For more information, call (772) 398-2779.