Here’s how to have fun in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.
In 60 seconds, TCPalm sports reporter Jon Santucci tells you everything you need to know before the Week 9 high school football games Friday.Hannah Schwab
It’s time to get into the spirit of fall on the Treasure Coast — based on many of this weekend’s events.
But there’s plenty of non-autumnal-themed things to do, too.
Watch cowboys and cowgirls rope and ride at the rodeo. Check in to a haunted hotel with or without the kids. Get lost in a sunflower maze at a fall festival. See local marching bands compete and collaborate. Make paper crafts at a brewery. Pull a fire truck for charity.
Have fun Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.
The Indiantown Rodeo is Friday and Saturday at Timer Powers Park at 14100 S.W. Citrus Blvd. Gates open at 5 p.m. each day, and the shows begin at 7:30 p.m.
The rodeo, in its 71st year, features bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping and barrel racing. The event is sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and Women’s Professional Rodeo Association.
Tickets are $18 in advance or $25 at the gate. They’re sold online and at Seacoast Bank locations. For more information, call 772-597-2184 or go to www.indiantownchamber.com.
MORE: Indiantown Rodeo: A ropin’, wrestlin’, ridin’ good time
Check in to a haunted hotel
The Haunted Hotel is Thursday, Friday and Saturday at The Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast at 1707 N.E. Indian River Drive in Jensen Beach.
For those ready to be scared, the haunted hotel is open from 8-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It’s for adults, not young children. Parental discretion is advised.
Before the weekend, the not-so-scary twilight time with lights on and music lowered is 6:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday. It also isn’t for young children, so parental discretion still is advised.
Admission is $8, but kids ages 16 and younger are $5 each. Get a $1 discount with one canned food donation and a $2 discount with two canned food donations. Proceeds benefit House of Hope. The museum is closed for the hotel from Thursday through Sunday, and it reopens Monday back to normal hours. For more information, call 772-225-7575 or go to www.childrensmuseumtc.org.
MORE: Spooky, fun Halloween events across the Treasure Coast
Decorate pumpkins at a fall festival
Redeemer Lutheran’s Fall Festival is 4-6 p.m. Sunday at Indian RiverSide Park at 1707 N.E. Indian River Drive in Jensen Beach.
The free event includes fall family photo opportunities, trunk or treat, games, food, pumpkin decorating and music. Bring an unwrapped gift for a boy or girl of any age to donate to Guardian ad Litem’s collection of toys for children in foster care. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/rlcsrams.
Peruse crafts downtown
The 19th annual Downtown Stuart Craft Festival is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 26 S.W. Osceola St.
Nearly 100 craft artisans from across the state and the nation will line Osceola Street both days. Peruse thousands of handcrafted items, including pet products, folk art, pottery, jewelry, paintings, personalized gifts, handmade clothing, scented soaps and body products. There’s also a green market.
Admission and parking are free. Friendly pets on leashes are welcome. For more information, call 561-746-6615 or go to www.artfestival.com.
MORE: Season kicks off with 19th Annual Downtown Stuart Craft Festival weekend of Oct. 20-21
Horse around at a country festival
The third annual Country Festival is noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Equine Rescue and Adoption Foundation at 6400 S.W. Martin Highway in Palm City. The event happened in 2015 and 2016 but not 2017.
The festival includes a miniature horse kissing booth, guided barn tours, $5 pony rides, a haystack filled with trinkets, $2 miniature pumpkins for decorating, live music, dance demonstrations, food and drinks for sale, raffles, games and a scavenger hunt.
Admission is a $3 donation, but kids ages 6 and younger are free. Proceeds benefit the care, feeding and health needs of about 50 rescued horses. Kids are encouraged to wear costumes and collect candy from vendors, so bring a bag for treats. For more information, go to www.eraf.org.
MORE: Country Festival returns to Palm City’s Equine Rescue and Adoption Foundation Oct. 21
Get gardening supplies
The 31st annual Fall Garden Festival is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Heathcote Botanical Gardens at 210 Savannah Road in Fort Pierce.
The festival includes a variety of plant and flower vendors, garden supplies, garden arts and crafts, children’s activities, refreshments, demonstrations and entertainment. Admission is free. For more information, call 772-464-4672 go to www.heathcotebotanicalgardens.org.
MORE: Kids get hands dirty at community garden in Fort Pierce at Heathcote Botanical Gardens
Get lost in a sunflower maze
The Fall Festival and Pumpkin Sale is Saturday and Sunday at Hideaway Hammock at 7111 Carlton Road, 2.1 miles south of State Road 70, west of Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce.
The festival, which celebrates 150 years since the Carlton family made St. Lucie County home, includes a sunflower maze, hay rides, a petting zoo, pony rides, a pumpkin patch, a pumpkin slingshot, a corn kernel pit, contests to win prizes and food trucks.
Gates open at 11 a.m. Saturday, which includes a greatest race competition. Gates open at 1 p.m. Sunday, which includes a pumpkin painting contest.
The festival also continues the following weekend. Gates open at 11 a.m. Oct. 27, which includes a tug-of-war competition. Gates open at 1 p.m. Oct. 28, which includes a Halloween costume contest.
LAURIE’S STORIES: Find your way through the only corn maze on the Treasure Coast
Make Halloween crafts
The Great Pumpkin Celebration is noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Bass Pro Shops at 2250 Gatlin Blvd., in Port St. Lucie.
On both days, you can get a free photo with the “Peanuts” gang, make a Frankenstein head craft and play the pumpkin toss game for a chance to win a prize. The first 75 kids to get photos walk away with a trick-or-treat bag.
The celebration continues the following weekend from 5-7 p.m. Oct. 26 and noon to 5 p.m. Oct 27-28. All activities are free. For more information, call 772-785-7600 or go to www.facebook.com/bassproshopsportstluciefl.
Watch local marching bands
The second annual Marching Band Showcase is Saturday at Lawnwood Stadium at 1302 Virginia Ave., in Fort Pierce. Gates open at 6 p.m.
Middle and high school bands take the field to perform musical selections spanning Broadway hits to toe-tapping oldies. All the bands will unite for the grand finale in a collaborative performance under the direction of special guest conductor St. Lucie Public Schools Superintendent E. Wayne Gent. For more information, go to www.stlucieschools.org.
Here are the participating schools: Forest Grove Middle, St. Lucie West K-8, Allapattah Flats K-8, Manatee Academy K-8, Oak Hammock K-8, Southern Oaks Middle, Southport Middle, Westgate K-8, Lincoln Park Academy, Fort Pierce Westwood High, Fort Pierce Central High, Treasure Coast High, St. Lucie West Centennial High and Port St. Lucie High.
MORE: Sebastian River High band tops field in Crown Jewel finals
Flash back to the ‘80s
The ‘80s Party at Shindig Irish Restaurant & Pub in Port St. Lucie begins at 9:30 p.m. Friday and lasts until 2 a.m. Saturday at 464 S.W. Port St. Lucie Blvd., Suite 115.
Dress up in your best ‘80s attire for the party that includes live music from an ‘80s tribute band, On the Roxx, food and drink specials. For more information, call 772-785-6202 or go to www.shindigpub.com.
Pick a pumpkin at a patch
The Pumpkin Patch at The Landing at Tradition and Tradition Village Center is 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at 10824 S.W. Village Parkway in Port St. Lucie. If it rains, the event will be moved to Sunday.
The pumpkin patch, which is geared toward parents and kids ages 12 and younger, includes a petting farm, bounce houses, face painting, photo opportunity and 1,800 free pumpkins.
Ages 2 and younger pick pumpkins at 10:15 a.m., ages 3-5 pick at 10:45 a.m., ages 6-9 pick at 11:15 a.m. and ages 10-12 pick at 11:45 a.m. For more information, go to www.shopattraditions.com.
Cruise into classic cars
The Fall Cruise-In Car Show is noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at Summer Crush Vineyard & Winery at 4200 Johnston Road west of Fort Pierce. The event is rain or shine.
The car show, open to all collectables and classics, also has food trucks and live ‘50s and ‘60s music from The Doo Wop Guys.
Car show registration is $10, but admission is free. Proceeds benefit St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity. For more information, call 772-460-0500 or go to www.summercrushwine.com.
Pull a fire truck for charity
The third annual Fire Truck Pull & Family Water Day is noon to 7 p.m. Saturday at Walking Tree Brewery at 3209 Dodger Road in Vero Beach. The fire truck pull is at 4 p.m.
The afternoon includes a bounce house, two giant water slides, face painting, a dunk tank, food trucks and a fire truck pull where teams compete to pull a fire truck a certain distance the fastest.
Activities are free for kids, and the fire truck pull is free to spectators. Registration is $10 per team of up to 10 people. Proceeds benefit childhood cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. To register, go to www.truckpull.eventbrite.com.
Say his name three times
Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Tim Burton’s classic, “Beetlejuice,” which is reopening for a week at The Majestic 11 at 940 14th Lane in Vero Beach. It’s rated PG.
Movie showtimes are 1:15 p.m. and 7 p.m. every day from Friday through Thursday. Reserve a spot early with a $2 concession voucher online or at the theater’s box office. Tickets are available without a reservation starting Friday at the box office. To register, go to www.cwtheaters.com/vero.
In the movie, which lasts 1 hour and 42 minutes, a recently-deceased husband and wife (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) commission a bizarre demon (Michael Keaton) to drive an obnoxious family out of their home.
Make paper crafts at a brewery
Papercraft at the Pub is 1-3 p.m. Saturday at Pareidolia Brewing Company at 712 Cleveland St., in Sebastian. It happens again Nov. 17.
Use inks and stamps to make two cards through paper crafting. The class is $10, and all supplies are included. Participants get $1 off any beverage. For more information, call 772-571-5693 or go to www.facebook.com/pareidoliabrewing.
Bowl for ballerinas
The Bowl-Erina is 1-2:30 p.m. Sunday at Vero Bowl at 929 14th Lane in Vero Beach. Plus, the bowling alley has NFL games playing on TVs.
Tickets, which include shoe rentals, are $20 each plus fees for adults and $15 each plus fees for children. Proceeds benefit Vero Classical Ballet. Ticket sales end 6 p.m. Saturday. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/veroclassicalballet.
Listen to live music
The Night Sounds Concert Series is 7-9 p.m. Saturday at Sebastian Inlet State Park. The concert is at the pavilion on Coconut Point on the south side of the Sebastian Inlet Bridge.
The featured band is Free Range Strange. The quartet plays string band music, focusing on original material while infusing traditional folk, modern bluegrass, old time blues and country.
Food and non-alcoholic drinks will be for sale. Bring chairs. The concerts continue monthly through May and fall on the Saturday night closest to a full moon. Admission is the park entrance fee of $8 per vehicle. For more information, go to www.friendsofsebastianinletstatepark.org.
Drink beer for Anniversary
Celebrate American Icon Brewery’s anniversary all weekend at 1133 19th Place in Vero Beach. Live music starts at 6 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday.
The celebration also has beer releases, food and children’s activities, including a bounce house and dunk tank. For more information, call 772-934-4266 or go to www.americaniconbrewery.com.
MORE DETAILS:Vero Beach’s American Icon celebrates anniversary with weekend of activities
Next weekend’s preview
- Indian River Lagoon Science Festival and Procession of the Species in Fort Pierce
- Fall Fun Fest at Port St. Lucie Civic Center
- Family Fall Festival at Savannas Preserve State Park in Port St. Lucie
- Nightmare on 2nd Street at Sailfish Brewing Company in Fort Pierce
- “A Plastic Ocean” at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce
- Spooktacular 4-H Farm Festival at St. Lucie County 4H in Fort Pierce
- Garden Club of Fort Pierce’s Mega Indoor Yard and Outdoor Plant Sale at Glidden Park in Fort Pierce
- Zombie Prom: Class of 1985 at HopCat in Port St. Lucie
- Hobgoblins on Main Street at Riverwalk Stage in downtown Stuart
- Night at the Museum Creepy Creature Feature at Hobe Sound Nature Center
- Jeep or Treat at 76 Golf World in Stuart
- Mapping the Middle: A Guide to All Things Tween at IRSC Chastain Campus in Stuart
- Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Sunny Creek Ranch in Indiantown
- Tricks and Treats at The Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast in Jensen Beach
- Halloween Bash at The Twisted Tuna in Port Salerno
- Southern Tier Tap Spotlight and Halloween Bash at Castaways Gastropub in Jensen Beach
- Charity Costume Contest and Party at Conchy Joe’s Seafood Restaurant in Jensen Beach
- Halloween Parade and Costume Contest in downtown Vero Beach
- Half-Haunted Halloween at Environmental Learning Center in Vero Beach
- Terror on Main Street Haunted House in Sebastian
- Halloween Party at Walking Tree Brewery in Vero Beach
- Costume Paddle Party at Paddles By The Sea in Vero Beach
Laurie K. Blandford is TCPalm’s entertainment reporter and columnist dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast. Read her weekly column, Laurie’s Stories, on TCPalm.com. Follow her on Twitter at @TCPalmLaurie or Facebook at faceboook.com/TCPalmLaurie.
Source: Indiantown Rodeo, Haunted Hotel, sunflower maze, Fire Truck Pull top this weekend
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