Trick or Treat Under The Sea at the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher

The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher will host its popular pre-Halloween "Trick-or-Treat Under the Sea" on two evenings again this year. The aquatically-themed festival will be held at the Aquarium from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wed., Oct. 26, and Thurs., Oct. 27.

Now in its 10^th year, Trick-or-Treat Under the Sea offers fun for the whole family.  Dress up in costume (no masks for adults, please) and check out what all the other goblins are wearing. Scoop up candy and prizes, play Halloween-themed games, and treat yourself to face-painting and fortune-telling. Two magic shows are offered each night by No Sleeves Magic Camp. There will be spooky divers in the big tank again this year, and two sets of haunted gardens - one for the very brave, and another for the more cautious.

The Aquarium's classrooms will be rigged for games and prizes, with "scary" deep-sea creatures to hand out treats.

Local merchants, costumed for the event, will distribute prizes and coupons to trick-or-treaters. At the start of each evening, judges will award prizes to the merchant BOOth crews with the most imaginative costumes and eco-friendly booth décor. UNCW's Sammy the Seahawk, the Chic-Fil-A Cow and the Wilmington Sharks mascot will strut their stuff and greet the little ones.

The fun begins early for visitors on the plaza, with fencing demonstrations and live animal encounters around the Spadefish Fountain. The Shark Bites snack bar will be open on the outdoor deck both nights. And throughout the evening, two radio-controlled "Air Swimmers" - a shark and a clownfish - will cruise above visitors' heads.

Tickets are $6 each, and children 2 and younger are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.ncaquariums.com or at the door the night of the event. Please note:  Umbrella strollers only. Children 16 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Be green and bring your own trick-or-treat bag.