Halloween weekend entertainment

St. Augustine Visitors and Convention Bureau Communications Director Jay Humphreys reported some great entertainment ideas for Historic City News readers to enjoy during Halloween weekend.

Friday: October 29
WOMAN’S EXCHANGE FALL GARDEN LUNCHEON
Enjoy a beautiful garden setting while savoring a delectable luncheon meal prepared by the St. Augustine Woman’s Exchange. After lunch shop in the Exchanges’ famous Christmas in October Shop! Tickets are $20 per person and include the full lunch with coffee or tea and a $5 gift certificate for the Woman’s Exchange Gift Shop. The luncheon takes place from noon to 1:30 p.m. Guided tours of the Pena Peck House, located at 143 St. George Street in St. Augustine, are available at regular admission. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 904.829.5064 or visit http://www.staugustinewomans-exchange.com.

ST. AUGUSTINE COMMUNITY CONCERT ORCHESTRA WITH ANCIENT CITY BRASS
St. Augustine Community Orchestra performs with Ancient City Brass offering a mix of classical and pop selections amongst the historical and artistic beauty of the Lightner Museum. The performance takes place at 8 p.m. at Lightner Museum, 75 King Street in St. Augustine. Admission is $10 for adults and children are free. For more information, call 904.825.1766 or visit www.staugustineorchestra.com.

Friday, Saturday & Sunday: October 29-31
CITY WALKS
This weekend, each tour honors the historical origins of Halloween and Samhain, The Celtic New Year. Plus, explanations of modern day Halloween customs such as bonfires, jack-o-lanterns, costumes and trick-or-treating are woven into each fascinating tour. Choose from walking tours such as the St. Augustine Pub Crawl ($34 all inclusive); St. Augustine Creepy Crawl ($17); History, Mystery, Mayhem and Murder! ($14) and Savory Fairs-A Food Tour with Taste ($45). For reservations, call 904.540.3476 or purchase tickets online at www.StAugustineCityWalks.com.

RIPLEY’S HALLOWEEN GHOST TRAIN ADVENTURE
Hop aboard Ripley’s Safety -in -Number special Halloween Ghost Tours. This 75-minute ghost tour departs form Ripley’s Castle Warden, 19 San Marco Avenue, for a tour of a haunted Bed & Breakfast and an ancient Indian burial ground. Tickets are $23 for adults and $11 for children 6 -12. A 90-minute tour that includes the Spanish Military Hospital, Old Drugstore and Castle Warden is priced at $26 for adults and $11 for children ages 6-12. Participants get to use and EMF Ghost Meter and camera to find the spirits. Oculto the DJ will be cranking out creepy and spooky tunes and tossing candy from the roof of Ripley’s. Train tours will run well after midnight on those haunted nights. For more information, visit www.ghosttrainadventure.com or call 904.824.1606.

CREATURES OF THE NIGHT
There’s no better place to encounter Creatures of the Night than the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. Each evening from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., children ages 2-11 and the entire family can enjoy Halloween in an unforgettable setting. Young ghosts and goblins can wander the wild walkways and encounter costumed animal keepers with creepy creatures and candy! There will be an alligator feeding show and drawings for annual passes. Tickets are available at the door — $8 adults; $6 for children ages 2-11. Discounts are available for members. For more information, go to www.alligatorfarm.us or call 904.824.3337.
Friday and Saturday: October 29 & 30

WHAT WOULD EINSTEIN SAY?
A Classic Theater presents a staged reading of a new play written by St. Augustine’s own Bob Feldheim. “What Would Einstein Say?” takes the audience on a trip to the near and distant future – “prepare to have your brain cells stretched,” says Feldheim. The performances are at 7:30 p.m. each evening at the St. Johns Cultural Council, 370 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach. Tickets are $10. For reservations, email anne_wiegand@hotmail.com .

NEW WORKS BY BRIAN DAVIS
Barbara Streisand, Quincy Jones and Cher are among the notable collectors of the artistic creations Brian Davis. Meet the artist and see some his latest originals at Loves’ Art Emporium, 8 Cathedral Place in St. Augustine from 7-10 p.m. on Friday and 1-7 p.m. on Saturday. Free admission. For more information, call 904.824.0844.

FIRST COAST OPERA – CABARET AMERICANA
Enjoy this delightful operatic performance by some of the most talented vocalists on Florida’s Historic Coast. The cabaret format features works by American composers including John Philip Sousa, Leonard Bernstein, Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, and Richard Rodgers. Performances of Cabaret Americana take place each evening at 7:30 p.m. at the St. Johns County Agricultural Center Auditorium, located at 3125 Agricultural Center Drive (Exit 318 off I-95). Advance tickets to all performances are $20 each and $25 at the door. For tickets and more information, call 904.417.5555 or visit http://www.firstcoastopera.com.

Saturday: October 30
HOOTS AND HOWLS
HootsnHowls gets Halloween started at 9 a.m. on Saturday, October 30, at the St. Augustine Pier in the City of St. Augustine Beach with a special pet contest. Lots of fun and prizes, including awards for the best pet costume, best howl and many others, will be featured. The $5 per category entry fees will support local animal rescue organizations like S.A.F.E., WAGS and WHISPERS, H.A.W.K.E., Diamonds in the Rough Farm, and HootsNHowls. For more information, call 904.461.9066.

NIGHT OWL DOUBLE FEATURE AT ST. AUGUSTINE AMPITHEATRE
Enjoy a spine-chilling good time at special Halloween double-feature showing of Addams Family (rated PG) and Carrie (Rated R). Come dressed for the special costume contest. Gates open at 6 p.m. Costume contest is at 7 p.m. and the double feature begins at 8 p.m. Admission is Free! For more information, call 904.471.1965 or visit www.StAugAmphitheatre.com.

UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT
A favorite end-of-the-month event, Uptown Saturday Night takes place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. the last Saturday of every month in the Uptown San Marco Shopping District, St. Augustine. Galleries, antique stores and unique shops between Ripley’s Museum and the Mission of Nombre de Dios remain open during this special time. Meet the artists, book signings, live music, refreshments and other events contribute to the party-like atmosphere. The Mission of Nombre de Dios provides FREE PARKING for Uptown Saturday Night. Appetizers are provided by the Saint Augustine Independent Restaurant Association (SAiRA). The event is sponsored by the San Marco Avenue Merchants Association. Please call 904.823.9263 for more information.

HIGH SEAS HALLOWEEN
How about spending Halloween sailing the Seven Seas aboard an actual pirate ship? You can if you sign up to be part of the piratical crew of the Pirate Ship Black Raven. On Saturday, October 30, the black ship will cast off from the St. Augustine City Marina for three spine-chilling adventures. The 6:15 p.m. Family Friendly Cruise will showcase a treasure hunt, magic and mystery. At 8:15 p.m., the Adults-Only Cruise will leave the dock for a voyage of mature jokes and festive fun. Finally, at 11 p.m. the Black Raven will depart on a two-hour tour that frankly, is so frightening and thrilling that the details can only be learned by calling 1.877.578.5050.
Sunday: October 31

ST. AUGUSTINE COMMUNITY CONCERT ORCHESTRA WITH ANCIENT CITY BRASS
St. Augustine Community Orchestra performs with Ancient City Brass offering a mix of classical and pop selections. The performance takes place at 3 p.m. at Switzerland Community Church, 2179 State Road 13, Switzerland, FL. Admission is $10 for adults and children are free. For more information, call 904.825.1766 or visit www.staugustineorchestra.com.

PREMIUM TRICK-OR-TREATING
For those who want to combine great bargains with some trick-or-treating, the St. Augustine Premium Outlets will be the place to be from 3-5 p.m.. A list of the many participating merchants will be available for goblins to pick up at the Information Center. The Premium Outlets are located at I-95 and SR 16 (exit 318).

LAST WEEKEND FOR FLAVORS!
FLAVORS OF FLORIDA’S HISTORIC COAST: Throughout the month of October, more than 20 outstanding restaurants in St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach and Ponte Vedra will be offering special Prix Fixe (fixed-priced) menus featuring luncheon and dinner specials that showcase their special culinary flair. For details on participating restaurants, as well as their Prix Fixe menus, go to www.HistoricCoastFlavors.com .