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Shriek peek: Top haunted events lurking this Halloween season

 
“Thriller” music video featuring Michael Jackson with Vincent Price and Ola Ray. Scary movie comes true on a date, while Michael and zombies dance. ?? 1983 Optimum Productions Songwriter: Rod Temperton Album: Thriller Director: John Landis Production Dates: Late 1983 Primary Production Location: Los Angeles, CA.
“Thriller” music video featuring Michael Jackson with Vincent Price and Ola Ray. Scary movie comes true on a date, while Michael and zombies dance. ?? 1983 Optimum Productions Songwriter: Rod Temperton Album: Thriller Director: John Landis Production Dates: Late 1983 Primary Production Location: Los Angeles, CA.
Published Sept. 26, 2017

Here are some of the top Halloween events and parties that are looming in the coming scary season.

NEW River of Frights: The Pirate Water Taxi that runs along the Tampa Riverwalk promises a new adventure on select nights in October in the waterways of Tampa Bay, "including live, interactive entertainment." Recommended for age 13 and older. Opens for hourly cruises starting Oct. 6. $25 Thursdays and Sundays; $35 Friday-Saturday at taxi stop at 603 Channelside Drive, Tampa. piratewatertaxi.com.

Ominous Descent and Sir Henry's Haunted Trail: Hurricane Irma destroyed what would have been an elaborate new haunt called Ominous Descent in Bartow in Polk County. But scary folks stick together, and fellow horror vendors at Sir Henry's Haunted Trail in Plant City stepped up and offered them space for a scaled down version of their attraction. Ominous Descent will instead be two haunted walking trails added to Sir Henry's for the 2017 season. This will work in conjunction with Sir Henry's, which is one of Central Florida's largest outdoor haunted attractions. With almost a mile of terror set in the middle of the woods, Sir Henry's opens Friday and they both are open weekends starting Oct. 5. Tickets are $12-$30 for combo packages at sirhenryshauntedtrail.com. 2837 S Frontage Road, Plant City.

Thrill St. Pete: The annual flash mob of Thriller dancers returns and you can get free Thriller dance training classes throughout October. The big day, which aims to break the world record for the largest worldwide simultaneous dance to Michael Jackson's Thriller, will be Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. during Fall Festivities at Cody's Original Roadhouse, 4360 Park St. N in St. Petersburg. You can find a schedule of training sessions and on-line videos that teach the dance at thrillstpete.org and at Facebook.com/thrillstpete.

RELATED: Our top 5 mild and wild haunted attractions in Florida

Haunted Angelus Scream Park: The annual charity fundraiser in Hudson bills itself as the world's largest fully handicap accessible haunted attraction. Situated on 25 acres of land, the PG-13 rated haunt features an all-ages haunted house and haunted hay ride. 12413 Hudson Ave., Hudson. Opens Oct 6. See 36haunt.com.

Nightmare on Franklin Street: Tampa Theatre has added a load more treats to its bag of tricks this year. There will be 12 days of scary movies and paranormal tours at the historic venue running Oct. 20 through Halloween. Tickets and the complete Nightmare on Franklin Street lineup are available at tampatheatre.org. Tickets are $10 per movie screening with discounts for children ages 2-10 and Tam pa Theatre members.

Wild and Wicked Nights: Ghoulish mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park present the spooky underwater show along with other Halloween related activities. $6; $4 ages 6-12, 5 and younger free. Oct. 20-21 and Oct. 27-28. 6131 Commercial Way, Weeki Wachee.

13 Ugly Men Halloween Party: All the pretty people show up to the charitable Ugly Men parties. This year's Halloween party is Oct. 27 at theCuban Club in Ybor City with costumes, twisted entertainment and a DJ to benefit Redefining Refuge. $30 women, $40 men at 13uglymen.com.

Zappaween 21: Every year, Skipper's Smokehouse brings in Bogus Pomp for a Halloween themed -tribute to Frank Zappa with a costume contest. Oct. 28 at 910 Skipper Road, Tampa. $20. skipperssmokehouse.com.

NEW Helloween 14: Though this huge Halloween party in South Tampa has been going on for 14 years, this year it moves to Franklin Street where it will be roped off for a block party in front of Franklin Manor. One of the biggest Halloween parties of the year, it has a lucrative costume prize and DJ dancing. Details are still being set but look for this on Oct. 28. piedpiperproductions.com.

MORE FUN: Tampa theatre has 30-plus Halloween movies and haunted ghost tours

Times staff writer Kelly A. Stefani contributed to this report.