St. Augustine, Fla. (October 3, 2023) – Stories have been spun about distant figures and events of St. Augustine, Florida for decades. With ancient buildings, hundreds-year-old cemeteries, and 450 years of history, the Ancient city is a perfectly spooky setting for celebrating the Halloween season. Florida's Historic Coast has a full line-up of events celebrating the season of ghosts, ghouls, and scares.

“When people think of this area, their minds immediately go to activities like the Nights of Lights or beach vacations,” says Susan Phillips, President and Chief Executive Officer for St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau. “But out of the sun and behind those lights lie ghostly stirrings and cobwebs! Ask any innkeeper, bartender, or Flagler College student and nine times out of ten, they've got a spooky story about their time in St. Augustine. Visit this October and find your own story on Florida's Historic Coast!”

Storytellers in St. Augustine spin their tales all year long. Nightly ghost tours visit various haunted locations in historic downtown where you can learn the local lore, including the Huguenot Cemetery, the St. Francis Inn, the St. Augustine Lighthouse, and more. There are nearly a dozen special Halloween tours that take place in the old city through October. Check them out at  www.floridashistoriccoast.com/events/holidays/halloween

While tours are a great way to experience the chills and thrills throughout the city, there are a few attractions and other sites that step up the spooks for the season too.

The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum was built in 1798, so it goes without saying this house has seen its fair share of occupants! To celebrate Halloween, the Museum is offering two very spooky experiences. Mortality and Mourning: A Century of Death, a family-friendly tour revealing how St. Augustinians in the 1800s practiced medicine and mourned. Tours are offered twice nightly on Friday and Saturday evenings, through Saturday, October 28. The Para-Normal Overnight that takes place on Friday the 13th is an experience for truly dedicated ghost hunters! Paranormal experts from A Night Among Ghosts will lead the group through an overnight of tours, high-tech investigations, and Victorian spiritualistic techniques.

Get ready for bone-chilling scares with Sheriff Hardwick's Haunted Jail – once the doors lock, there's no escaping! Back for its third year and featuring three new scare zones, this haunted experience is crafted by the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office (SJSO) and raises funds for the SJSO Special Teams Association. The screams start at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20 and 27, and Saturday, Oct. 21 and 28.

For one weekend only, October 20-22, the St. Augustine Alligator Farm keeps the gates open late and welcomes in the Creatures of the Night. Meet all sorts of eerie bugs and beasts that the zookeepers bring out just for the occasion. Dress to impress in a costume!

If fall festivals and celebrations are more up your alley, Florida's Historic Coast is the place to be. Wander through a corn maze, rock on in a costume, or party like a pirate.

• In Elkton at Sykes Family Farms, the Crop Maze and You Pick Sunflowers are in full fall bloom. This year's theme is all about Reba McEntire. The Farm is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from Oct. 7 through Oct. 29.
• The World Golf Village welcomes back the 5th Annual Halloween Bash on Saturday, Oct. 7. This free event has music, games, bounce houses, and a trunk-or-treat.
• The 27th Annual Ancient City Kids Day takes place Saturday, October 28 at Francis Field with a day of fun-filled activities for children and families.
• The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum in downtown St. Augustine welcomes families for their annual Trick-or-Treat & Family Harvest Fest on Saturday, Oct. 28.
• The Full Moon Luau with a special performance by Prince Pele's Polynesian Revue takes place on Saturday, Oct. 28, at St. Johns County Pier Pavilion.
• Rock on with the best '80s and '90s hits at the Headless Bangers Costume Ball on Saturday, Oct. 28, in the Legends Ballroom at the World Golf Village Renaissance Hotel and Conference Center.
• The Colonial Quarter hosts the Halloween Spooktacular, presented by the St. Augustine Swashbucklers. Adventure through haunted grounds Friday, Oct. 27 through Sunday, Oct. 29.
• Get ready to run, and not just from ghosts, ghouls, and goblins! October has two 5ks: the Jailbreak 5k on Saturday, Oct. 21, and the Boos and Brews 5K Race and Halloween Party at Ancient City Brewing on Saturday, Oct. 28.
• Costume contest meets live poetry at The Waterworks with the Ancient City Poets for the October Open Mic – the Ghost in You. The best-dressed guests will receive books penned by local authors. Open mics are free to the public and everyone is encouraged to share their work.

Whether you're looking for spine-tingling scares or a fun family festival, Florida's Historic Coast is the place to be this October.

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Located midway between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Florida's Historic Coast includes historic St. Augustine, the outstanding golf and seaside elegance of Ponte Vedra Beach, and 42 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches. For more information, call 1.800.653.2489 or go to the Visitors and Convention Bureau website at www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com.

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