Halloween celebrations kick off in late September, lasting till the wee hours of October 31. Outside Tampa Bay, there’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Party at Disney to SeaWorld and Orlando’s spooktaculars, south in Key West is Fantasy Week’s X-rated costume party and Tampa Bay’s Halloween parties, haunted houses, costume contests and film fests are frightfully attractive. Don’t forget to visit Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens and Lowry Park’s ZooBoo. Check out your local malls for more family-friendly events, especially Westfield.

And Tampa’s ultimate bash where you can unleash your fantasy? Guavaween 2010

All Month
Ghost Tour Of Tampa, 514 N. Franklin St. Downtown
8 p.m. nightly
Candlelight walking tour of Hell’s little acre, full of eery stories about Tampa’s ghosts, phantom ships, eerie cemeteries, haunted houses and supernatural oddities. $15/person. Tours depart Indigo Café. (727) 894-4678 www.ghosttour.net

Halloween Runs
In costume and so much fun, the best in the region are Bill’s Beer Run in Sarasota, Halloween Halfathon and 5K at Ft. Desoto, Boo Run 5k at Lakewood Ranch and Creaky Bones 5k at St. Pete Pier Oct. 28 includes a Kids’ Monster Dash.

Oct. 19 Humane Society of Tampa's Howl-O-Ween
2-5 p.m. Taqueria Cantina & Burrito Joint, South Tampa.
Be one of the first 25 to dress Fido or Spot in their Halloween costume and you may win a doggie bag! Come out for fun and enjoy the relaxing outdoor setting at this local cantina. Entry- $5 donation.

Oct. 22 Rocky Horror Picture Show & Party, Ritz Ybor
10 p.m.
Rock out in costume with the live cast featuring Cheap Little Punks and do the time warp again. Sponsored by Creative Loafing.

Oct. 23. Halloween Howl, Main St. Zephyrhills
4-9 p.m.
Hair-raising hayrides, haunted house, carnival games, inflatable slides, face painting, cake walk, live entertainment and Peter Pan characters perfect for families.

Oct. 23 Harbour Island Athletic Club and Spa's Annual Halloween Bash
Complimentary Wine, Soda and Music - Venus Swimwear Poolside Fashion Show -Prize for Best Costume (Gift Certificate for up to $300) -$1 of every ticket sold Moffitt Cancer Center

Oct. 23 Reel Terror Film Fest
noon-midnight
Horror films and their stars scare up some fun, including Linnea Quigley (Return of the Living Dead, Nightmare on Elm Street 4, Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers); Mike Christopher (Hare Krishna Zombie, Dawn of the Dead) and Rhnoda Shear (Spaceballs).

Oct. 24 Guppyween, Florida Aquarium
4-8 p.m.
For a safe and spooktacular Halloween, take your kids trick-or-treating with us. We’ll be packed to the gills with goodies and Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine will be here with a variety of children’s activities and carnival treats. $2 for children under 12; adults age 12+ are only $12.

Oct. 28-Oct. 30 Hall-O-Boo
6 to 9 p.m.
Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) 4801 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa
This 5th Annual event is kid friendly and filled with fun fright zones inspired by Hollywood classics, including children’s activities, trick or treat stations and fun science demonstrations.Each night of Hall-O-Boo there were will be Jack and The Beanstalk shows, by Bits N Pieces Puppet Theatre: shows at 6:30 and 8:00 p.m.; Marionettes, big and small, perform in this classic adventure tale where everyone lives happily ever after. See the show and make a puppet to take home! Workshop from 7:15-7:45 p.m. MOSI members $10 (advance), $12 (event day). General admission $12 (advance), $15 (event day).
(813) 987-6000

Oct. 28 -29 Hotel Cypress Haunted House
6 to 9 p.m.
Cypress Forest Recreation Center, 650 Pine Ave. N., Oldsmar
Participants will stroll through a haunted hotel where the guests are dying to check out. The attraction may not be suitable for small children. On the 29th there also will be a Halloween carnival featuring free games, prizes and candy as well as a children’s costume contest. Registration for the contest begins at 6 p.m. and the contest kicks off at 6:30. Hayrides will run 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Pine Avenue. (813) 749-1260

Oct. 29 Halloween Costume Ball Brandon
Win prizes for scariest, funniest, sexiest and most original costume as well as you can dance with the stars. Potluck supper, $10 in advance; $15 at the door. (813) 966-4788

Oct. 29 Halloween Ghost Ship RAW, S.S. American Victory
7:30 p.m.
In 1952, this ship returned from the Korean Ward with 134 deceased soldiers. Ghost hungers have confirmed paranormal activity here. Will you? (813) 228-8766.

Oct. 29 Nightclub Costume Parties & Contests
Jackson’s, Tampa : Helloween VII: Zombie Island mixes up music and sexy costumes in this Pied Piper Production sure to reek of sin.

Oct. 30 Nightclub Costume Parties & Contests
Be ready to rock at 8 p.m. and strut your stuff till 2 a.m. at these wild Halloween parties. You can win up to $2,500 in cash at some places, and the drink specials will haunt you the next morning.
AJA, Channelside
MacDinton’s, Tampa
Club Prana, Ybor City
Seminole Hard Rock Casino
Studio Inc. Nightclub, Tampa
Wings Gone Wild, Tampa
13 Ugly Men Halloween, Downtown Tampa

Oct. 31 Boo Bash 2010
5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Bright House Field, 601 Old Coachman Rd., Clearwater
Hosted by the Clearwater Threshers and the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, the free event will feature inflatable games, hayrides, candy and a haunted house. (727) 467-4457

Check out more from the Guide to Halloween Tampa