Local businesses and organizations being sought for Fright Night
The 29th annual Fright Night is gearing up to be another fantastic Fort Myers Beach event, incorporating local businesses and organizations into the Halloween fun.
The annual Fright Night will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, at Bay Oaks Recreation Center, 2731 Oak St. Tickets are $4 for an individual and $10 for a family of four.
“Last year was the best year yet because we did it so well,” Bay Oaks Recreation Center Director Sean De Palma said. “We had amazing turnout. We did a survey during it and people loved it, the creativity.”
One of the new features of the event includes inviting local businesses and organizations to participate in decorating a chamber for the Haunted House. There is a $25 registration fee for those who would like to participate.
The businesses and organizations will be working the Fright Night event, which he hopes will affect them in a positive way. They will have the opportunity to design the chamber a week before the event. The chambers are various shapes and are approximately 15 by 10 feet variations.
“We are inviting local businesses and organizations to participate in basically obtaining a chamber and decorating it to the theme of their choice,” De Palma said. “We think that will really help incorporate the community in another dimension.”
As of Sept. 18, five chambers remained to be occupied by the community businesses, and/or organizations.
“We want them to become a grain and fiber within our community, a mutual benefit to everybody,” De Palma said.
The event will also include a Costume Contest with four or five different age groups.
“The Costume Contest is to die for. Everyone loves it. It’s tremendous,” he said. “Last year we had a young lady, fourth or fifth grader, decorate herself as an inflatable hot air balloon. It was gorgeous. It was amazing.”
A Haunted Trail will be offered outside of the Bay Oaks Recreation Center. Last year, De Palma said they developed a partnership with Florida Gulf Coast University, which resulted in more than 30 volunteers from the school. Another 25 volunteers from the comunity also helped with the Haunted Trail.
There will also be approximately eight to 11 games inside the center, with little prizes. New this year, attendees will have the opportunity to sing karaoke. Another addition this year, a bounce house and play area for children up to 2 years old. He said parents can allow their young children to participate in that area and not worry about the larger kids being too active around their smaller children.
Fright Night also provides a tremendous amount of candy to the attendees. De Palma said they are currently holding a candy drive and welcome more for the event.
Love Boat will be selling ice cream during the event. There will also be food for sale.
De Palma said he enjoys the event because of how excited his staff becomes in preparing and getting involved in the event.
“There is so much energy. I really enjoy the fact that the community comes out. There is so much energy behind it. It is a really amazing night,” he said.
For more information, or to register for a chamber, call (239) 765-4422.