PANAMA CITY BEACH — Dressing up to go out on the town is a whole lot more fun in character. Add in bags of candy and you have a Halloween recipe for family fun.
From trunk or treats to festivals, fall is filled with plenty of non-scary events for even the youngest superheroes, princesses or ninjas. Pier Park, which hosted Boo at the Beach on Oct. 25 with painting of 250 pumpkins, is getting ready for Friday’s Mall-O-Ween.
Grab some dinner in Pier Park before taking children to trick or treat from 6-8 p.m., when they can go from store to store stocking up on candy from Pier Park retailers during the mall-wide event.
--- CHOCOLATE PRICES SET TO RISE ---
“As Panama City Beach’s premier open-air, beachfront shopping destination, Pier Park is the perfect place for families to celebrate the frightfully fun holiday,” said Michael Kerrigan, director of marketing and business development at Pier Park. “Pier Park hosts a variety of family-focused events throughout the year, and our Halloween festivities are always a popular draw with hundreds of local families coming out to enjoy the holiday in a fun, safe environment.”
Children of all ages are welcome to participate in Mall-O-Ween, though costume masks only are allowed on ages 12 and younger. No toy weapons are permitted, and costumes only should be worn during the event hours.
The Panama City Mall invites parents to bring their children ages 12 and younger to Trick or Treat on Our Street from 6-8 p.m. Friday at participating retailers in the mall.
“It’s a nice family community event. You can come here and not worry about cars and crossing the street, and we have plenty of parking,” said Kim Wise, marketing manager at the Panama City Mall. “Come out and get a bit to eat before and the older ones can go to a movie afterwards. The little ones really enjoy getting the candy, and it’s a nice safe environment with climate control.”
In keeping with mall security policy, full-face masks may not be worn by anyone over the age of 10.
“Security gets everybody lined up, like a big ole train or a parade of costumes. The employees stand at the storefronts and pass out candy and goodies. Chick-fil-A will pass out goodies to use in the future. It will not just be candy,” Wise said.
--- CHOCOLATE PRICES SET TO RISE ---
“Typically all the stores participate, though sometimes they run out of candy by the time it’s over. I tell them 1,500, but on years the weather is bad, we typically have more. And ZooBoo was early again this year. It can be anywhere between 1,500 and 2,000 trick-or-treating.”
CANDY BUY-BACK
- After you enjoy some of your Halloween candy, you can share the treats overseas by trading in candy for cash during the sixth annual Halloween Candy Buyback from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Monday at Panhandle Pediatric Dentistry, 2406 St. Andrews Blvd., Panama City. Panhandle Pediatric is offering $1 per pound for up to 5 pounds of candy. Each pound of candy also gives you a chance to win a stand-up paddle board in the raffle. All of the collected candy will be included in Operation Gratitude care packages for U.S. soldiers. Details: 850-481-1969 or PanhandlePediatricDentistry.com
HALLOWEEN HAPPENINGS
Oct. 31
- FREAKY FRIDAY BLOOD DRIVE AND COSTUME PARTY: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at One Blood Donor Centers located at 2696 State 77, Panama City and 615 N. Bonita Ave., Panama City. Dress up in your best costume and donate to receive a limited edition Halloween T-shirt, a movie ticket, free lunch and wellness check. Details: OneBlood.org or 473-3853
- PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Sharky’s Beachfront Restaurant, 15201 Front Beach Road, Panama City Beach. Prizes awarded for best pumpkin carvings. Details: 235-2420
- PUMPKIN PATCH: Noon to 7 p.m. at the Lynn Haven United Methodist Church’s Transmitter Campus and on Hwy 77 across from Dairy Queen.
- TRICK-OR-TREATING: 4-5:30 p.m. at Gulf Place, Santa Rosa Beach. Merchants will host a safe and fun trick-or-treating event, handing out treats to children dressed in costumes and accompanied by adults. Details: (850) 267-8458 or GulfPlaceFL.com
- FALL FESTIVAL: 5-8 p.m. at Hiland Park Baptist Church, 2611 U.S. 231, Panama City. Non-scary fun for the family, with games, cupcake walk, candy, bounce houses, pony rides, costume parade and more. Admission: 1 canned food item per person to support local food banks. Free sno-cones, popcorn, funnel cakes, hot dogs and more. Details: HilandPark.org, Facebook.com/HilandParkBaptist, or 785-6530
- HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL: 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Sheffield Park in Lynn Haven (rain location: Lynn Haven Community Center). All ages invited for games, candy, costume contest and "Despicable Me 2" showing at 7:30 p.m. Details: CityOfLynnHaven.com
- TRICK OR TREAT ON OUR STREET: 6-8 p.m. at the Panama City Mall, 2150 Martin Luther King Junior Blvd., Panama City. Details: PanamaCity-Mall.com
- MALL-O-WEEN: 6-8 p.m. at Pier Park, 600 Pier Park Drive, Panama City Beach. Children may trick-or-treat from store to store at Pier Park retailers. Details: 236-9974
- ANNUAL FALL FESTIVAL: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31 at the First Baptist Church of Callaway with bounce houses, food, games and door prizes. Details: 871-2772
- FALL FESTIVAL: 6-8:30 p.m. at Carlisle Baptist Church, 835 S. Berthe Ave., Panama City. Games, candy, hayride, hot dogs, chili cook-off, cake walk, face painting. Details: 871-2811 or CarlisleBaptist.com
Nov. 1
- FALL FESTIVAL: at the Council on Aging Senior Center, 1116 Frankford Ave., Panama City. Activities throughout the day, starting with a Kiwanis Club pancake breakfast at 7 a.m. The Knights of Columbus assist with a chicken dinner at 11 a.m. and entertainment groups perform throughout the day while displays of goods and services for the elderly are available until 1:30 p.m. Silent auction, general store, trash and treasures and more arts and craft vendors. 2001 Cadillac Deville raffled for $1 tickets. Details: 769-3468
Nov. 2
- FALL FEST 2014: 2-4 p.m. at the Lynn Haven United Methodist Church’s Transmitter Campus, 4501 Transmitter Road, Panama City with bounce houses, games, hay rides, pony rides and food; all are invited. Details: 265-5231