Witches fly & Pumpkins launch. Here are 12 best fall and Halloween events across South MS

Mary Perez
·6 min read

Sandwiched between the biggest fall events on the Coast — Cruisin’ The Coast the first week in October and Peter Anderson Festival the first week in November — are enticing fall and Halloween happenings.

South Mississippi has pumpkin patches and fall festivals like much of the country, and mixes them up for for those who who prefer a butterfly festival and those who want a haunted house.. The Coast celebrates the season with Trunk-or-Treat, started 18 years ago after Hurricane Katrina, and still a safe way to get candy to the kids. Local folks return during cemetery tours to tell us about their lives.

Here are the best experiences the Coast has to offer this October for families, adults and kids:

Halloween flight

Witches, pumpkins and even fish will fly this October.

Hundreds of witches and Wizards will “fly” through downtown at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Witches Ride of Ocean Springs. Dressed in costume and on bikes, golf cart and maybe a broom, they’ll toss candy to the crowd, many of them in costume, too. It’s fun and a fundraiser for the Animals of Ocean Springs.

Pumpkin Chunkin is something you see on TV. Try it yourself Oct. 26 at Infinity Science Center near Bay St. Louis. First you and your family learn the science of making a pumpkin fly and then you get to launch a pumpkin and see how far it goes. Reservations required. $20 per person. 1-3 p.m.

Yes, fish fly at the Gullet Mullet Festival Oct. 19 at the former site of the Singing River Mall.The Mullet Toss is one of the favorite parts of the festival that also has a pet parade, crafts, music, a car show and fun for the kids. It’s from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and admission is free.

A witch “flies” over downtown Biloxi at Halloween and all year. The weathervane is atop the historic Elzey’s Hardware on Howard Avenue and Lameuse Street. Witches will ride again in Ocean Springs and take part in other Halloween events.
A witch “flies” over downtown Biloxi at Halloween and all year. The weathervane is atop the historic Elzey’s Hardware on Howard Avenue and Lameuse Street. Witches will ride again in Ocean Springs and take part in other Halloween events.

Halloween fright

Goosebumps and screams are the reactions to the mystery and madness events on the Coast.

Terror on the Coast is the largest haunted house in Mississippi and fills the Hollywood Warehouse with frights. Every Friday and Saturday thru Nov. 2, people line up at 3420 Giles Road in Gulfport to be scared silly. Tickets start at $25 per person and the terror reigns from 7-11 p.m.

This sign points the way to Terror on the Coast at the Hollywood Warehouse in Gulfport.
This sign points the way to Terror on the Coast at the Hollywood Warehouse in Gulfport.

What was the place of lots of class memories turns into the Old Ocean Springs High School Ghost Hunt. Now the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural enter at 1600 Government St., the school is said to be haunted and paranormal equipment will be used to explore the most haunted areas. Haunted Rooms America is the guide Oct. 12, 18 and 19. The events is from 8 o.m.-2 a.m. and is $89 per person. — limited to ages 18 and over, or 16-17 with a responsible adult.

Cemetery tours

These experiences fall into the non-scary category. Family members or actors portray the people buried at cemeteries across the Coast, dress in the time period of the person and tell what part they played in the community. Here’s the list:

Oct. 12 — Mississippi City Cemetery Tours at 293 32nd 1/2 St., Gulfport. 10:30 a.m. Free

Oct. 17 — Ocean Springs Cemetery Tour at Bellande Cemetery on Dewey Avenue. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Tours begin at Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Arts Center, 1600 Government St.

Oct. 19 — Griffin Cemetery Tour in Moss Point. Tours start every half hour from 9-11:30 a.m. Rain date Oct. 20 from 2-4:30 p.m.

Oct. 20 and 22 — Old Biloxi Cemetery Tour, 2-5 p.m. Sunday and 5-7 p.m. Tuesday. At Old Biloxi Cemetery, 1166 Irish Hill Drive. Donations encouraged

A bride looking for her dead husband, wanders past the graves before the start of the annual Historic Krebs Cemetery Tour at LaPointe Krebs Home and Cemetery in Pascagoula in this file photo.
A bride looking for her dead husband, wanders past the graves before the start of the annual Historic Krebs Cemetery Tour at LaPointe Krebs Home and Cemetery in Pascagoula in this file photo.

Oct. 24— Krebs Cemetery Tour, 4602 Fort St., Pascagoula.5:30-7:30 p.m. Donations welcome

Oct. 31 — Cedar Rest Cemetery Tour, 200 S. Second St., Bay St. Louis. 4-6 p.m. Free. Refreshments and candy for the kids.

Nov. 8-9 — Live Oak Cemetery Tour, 125 Church Ave., Pass Christian. Guided tours from 5-8 p.m. Admission is $5 cash. 12 and under free.

Fall family festivals

Fall memories are made with pumpkins, candy and hayrides on the farm.

Butterflies in the Pass Monarch Festival is Oct. 5 at War Memorial Park, Pass Christian. 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Experience Fall Frenzy at Pine Hills Nursery, 7434 Cuevas Road, Pass Christian. Admission is $5 and free for ages two and under. A $25 wristband gets kids access to activities like bounce houses, pony rides, petting zoo, fare painting and alpaca kissing booth. Arts and craft booths will be set up along with food vendors. Open 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Boo-Bash is back Oct. 11 at Gulfport Sportsplex soccer fields, 17200 16th St., Gulfport. Games, truck-or-treat, music and entertainment are planned. 6-9 p.m.

Pumpkin patches

Thru Oct. 27 — Southern Promiseland Farm, 1212 Raygan Lane, Kiln. Ten acre corn maze, hayrides, farm animals, play and picnic area, pumpkin patch, grass maze, cow trains. $8, cash only. Open Saturdays 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday Oct. 13, 20, 27 from 1-4 p.m.

The pumpkin patch at Southern Promiseland Farms in Kiln is a draw, along with a 10-acre corn maze and hayrides.
The pumpkin patch at Southern Promiseland Farms in Kiln is a draw, along with a 10-acre corn maze and hayrides.

Thru Nov, 2 — Seward Farm Maze, 10836 Tanner Williams Road, Lucedale. Open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Haunt Hours are Oct. 19 & 26, 6-8:30 p.m. The farm has corn maze, pig races, funny farm golf, hayrides and cow train, tube slide and corn cannon, farm animals. It’s closed on Sundays.

Weekends thru Nov. 3 — Williams Family Farms pumpkin patch and corn maze in Wiggins, with hayride to the pumpkin patch, animal barnyard, playground, cow train. Open Saturdays 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sundays 1-5 p.m. $12 for ages 2 and up.

Oct. 5-6, 12-13, 19-20 — Middleton Farms Pumpkin Patch, 21500 Otis Cooper Road, Moss Point. Hay rides, animals.. $12, ages 2 and under free. Open Saturdays 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sundays 1-5 p.m.

Adult Halloween fun

Halloween isn’t just for kids. Adults like the glow of the season and Oktoberfest drinks.

Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport will be aglow Oct. 24 for the Hancock Whitney Sea of Stars fundraiser. Dress in neon to glow under the black lights while enjoying food and cocktails and dancing with The Chee-Weez party band out of New Orleans. It’s from 6-10 p.m. and the cost is $100 per person and $175 per couple.

All that flying makes a witch and warlock thirsty, and on Oct. 26 the Halloween Pub Crawl will be part of the Witches Ride of Ocean Springs. Drop by participating pubs from 4-10 p.m. and for a $10 entry fee there’s a chance to win cash prizes.

Gulfport is the home of the Navy Seebees, and they will be saluted Oct. 24 at OktoBEEfest at Chandeleur Brewing Company in downtown Gulfport. The event is from 5-8 p.m. and brings together active duty, retired,and former Navy Seabees, Civil Engineer Corps officers, friends and families.

Ghosts in a boat are part of the Halloween decor in D’Iberville. Cities across the Coast are sponsoring Trunk or Treat celebrations and other events in October.
Ghosts in a boat are part of the Halloween decor in D’Iberville. Cities across the Coast are sponsoring Trunk or Treat celebrations and other events in October.
The city of Gautier always is colorful in fall thanks to its decorating contest. South Mississippi celebrates fall and Halloween with pumpkins, hay rides, haunted houses and trunk-or-treat.
The city of Gautier always is colorful in fall thanks to its decorating contest. South Mississippi celebrates fall and Halloween with pumpkins, hay rides, haunted houses and trunk-or-treat.

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