Boo! October is upon us! If you’re visiting Orlando’s Most Dynamic Neighborhood during the spookiest season of the year, you’ll find plenty of spooks at annual events happening all month long. Plus, popular convention shows and cant-miss events featuring live entertainment, fine dining opportunities, and magical experiences just for the little one in your family. Check out what’s happening this October on International Drive with these exciting events, and enjoy the start of fall with an unforgettable trip to The City Beautiful!
If you’re looking for a scare
If you’re hoping to enjoy some good scares in honor of the spooky season during your trip to International Drive this month, a trip to these popular events is a must!
Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld Orlando
Watch one of your favorite Orlando parks that has transformed into a park full of frights at every turn. On select nights, guests at SeaWorld’s Howl-O-Scream event will evade roaming haunts, rampaging through scare zones and seek shelter indoors, only to find they have entered a house of horrors. For the bravest of visitors, you can deepen the thrills with a terrifying coaster ride in the dark, quench your thirst for fear at a fiendishly interactive bar and feel the monstrous electricity of live shows! If you’re looking to be terrifying while having a blast in the heart of Orlando – this is a must-attend event this spooky season.
Halloween Horror Nights
Summon your scream squad and head to Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights, The World’s Premier Halloween Event! Muster all your bravery and face 10 haunted houses, 5 scare zones, 2 live shows, and some of Universal Studios Florida’s most exciting attractions. Whether you’re a super fan, just coming for snacks and selfies, you’re scared of everything or skeptical of everyone, the only tip you’ll be given is to never go alone.
See what new houses and scare zones will be at this popular annual event this year, and make plans for a frightful evening in Orlando’s Most Dynamic Neighborhood.
Spooky Fun for The Family
Spooktacular
Traveling with the family and still want to enjoy some spooky experiences? SeaWorld Orlando’s Halloween Spooktacular has also returned to the park, bringing with it spooky fun for everyone! Have your kiddo(s) dress up in their Halloween best and take to the Trick-or-Treat Trail, then head to the new Halloween Maze to twist and turn your way through a silly Halloween maze! Both of these spooktacular experiences are included with park admission. But, you can also upgrade your spooks with special experiences like Cookie Decorating with Cookie Monster, and a Count Von Count Spooktacular character breakfast. Get all the details today!
Fun Spot America’s HUGE Halloween Event
Get your scare on at Fun Spot America’s Huge Halloween event going on all month long! This family-friendly Halloween event is included with park admission and features wicked decor around the park, ghoulishly-good fright bites, themed Foto spots, and trick-or-treating around the park on Saturday and Sunday. Get all the details and be sure to add Fun Spot America to your itinerary during your vacation to I-Drive this October.
Catch A Convention Show
This month three exciting events are taking to the Orange County Convention Center.
The Orlando Home and Garden Expo
Looking to tackle home improvement projects? This convention has everything you need for your projects in one place! This is a free event ($10 for parking if you won’t be taking the I-RideTrolley) and starts on October 5th through the 10th. Here you’ll find builders, remodelers, contractors, building supplies, new gadgets, home tech, the latest in kitchen and bath, interior design ideas, and so much more to help you build the home you’ve always wanted. Plus, there will be plenty of fun activities for everyone in the family. Get more details about the experiences and exhibitors at this show here.
Bridal and Wedding Expo
Are you newly engaged? Congrats! Saying yes was just the beginning, and if you’ve started the wedding planning phase this is a can’t-miss show! All bride-to-be dream about their big day, and this show brings you everything you need to make that dream a reality.
Attendees from previous Bride & Wedding Expo have called this one-of-a-kind event their ‘pre-wedding shower,” “the party before the party,” and “the best decision they ever made!”
Here is a list of just some features of this show:
Face-to-face time with professionals in all aspects of wedding day prep (florals, catering, entertainment, dance lessons, photographers, venues, bakers, decor and lighting, jewelry, videography, accessories, tuxedos, planning, invitations, and more!)
Fashion shows and live music
Cash prizes and giveaways
This show is a unique, interactive event, with food to taste, dresses to see, flowers to enjoy, music to dance to, and tons of fun to be had. Bring your friends and family and enjoy a day filled with laughter, ideas, and inspiration at the Bridal & Wedding Expo! Details
Spooky Empire
This event is fit for even the most diehard aficionados of the spooky season, and has been delivering the best sights, sounds, and scream to Halloween lovers since 2003!
With an enormous room of vendors, a film and tattoo festival, music, celebrity speakers, there is plenty to satiate every lover of spooky stuff. Enjoy celebrity guests offering Q&As, forums, music, meet and greet opportunities, and autographs. An exhibitor room is jam-packed with countless booths of vendors offering art, music, home decor, costumes, and more. Plus costume contests, live entertainment and music, and so much more! It’s a weekend of non-stop horrors. Get all the details about this event here.
Harbor Portofino Nights
If you’re looking to enjoy a special dinner in Orlando during your trip, save the date for the next Harbor Nights La Dolce Vita happening on October 21st! This lively event on the Harbor Piazza at Universal’s Loews Portofino Bay Hotel features wines, chef-inspired food stations, and a live band! It’s a truly authentic Italian evening set beside a picturesque harbour, making the perfect setting for a date night or a fun night out with friends! The glow of twinkling lights, the aroma of Italian cuisine, the sounds of music in the air – it’s not the Mediterranean coast, it is la dolce vita – the sweet life – at its finest right here in the heart of Orlando!
See what’s on the menu and make your reservation in advance for this popular dining experience!
A Magical Mermaid Experience
Have a little one at home who is mermaid-obsessed or simply has a love for sea life? SeaLife Orlando is putting on a special Meet a Mermaid event every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through the month of October that lets you come face to fin with mermaids!
On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11:30 am to 6:30 pm, watch in wonder as real-life mermaids swim amongst sting rays, sea turtles, and topical fish. Meet and snap a photo with a mermaid on land, and create memories with your little one that will last a lifetime at this special limited-time event!
Get the details today and set aside an afternoon during your trip to experience the magic of mermaids at SeaLife Orlando!
Live Entertainment
As always, don’t sleep on catching some amazing live entertainment during your trip!
Popular Orlando event venues will be hosting talented artists this month, see a full line-up of talent taking the stage at Hard Rock Live here, and a schedule of stand-up comedians taking the stage at Orlando Improv here.
If you’re out and about, catch nightly live music and a delicious meal at favorite entertainment destinations along I-Drive like Tin Roof Orlando, Ole Red Orlando, and others!
There’s no shortage of one-of-a-kind events to enjoy on I-Drive this October! Don’t miss a thing during your trip. See a full list of upcoming events happening in the area here, and start planning an epic trip to Orlando’s Most Dynamic Neighborhood during the spookiest time of the year!