Halloween Carnival at Mike Chappell Park

Don't miss this Pleasure Island Halloween tradition for children 12 and under (must be accompanied by a parent.) The ghoulish good time kicks off at 3:00 pm Saturday, October 27th in Mike Chappell Park in Carolina Beach, NC.

Pumpkin Carving Contest & Walk at Island Montessori School

The newest addition to the Pleasure Island fall festivities is the Pumpkin Carving Contest & Walk put on by Island Montessori School. Enter your own carved work of art ($5 entry fee) or simply stop by to see them in all their glowing glory. All proceeds benefit Island Montessori, a nonprofit preschool serving children ages 1 - 6.

Fort Fisher Fall Festival - Saturday, October 27th

Head to the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area for some spooky fall fun Saturday, October 27th, 2012 from 10 am - 5 pm. In the evening take a stroll down the Haunted Trail...if you dare!

Trick or Treat Under The Sea - October 24th & 25th, 2012

Bring the kids to the aquarium for early Halloween trick-or-treating! Candy stations, special programs and decorations provide a fun and safe Halloween building for this event.

This popular event is held on two dates from 5:00-8:30pm - either Wednesday, October 24 or Thursday, October 25. Children must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Admission is $8.00 for children and adults. NC Aquarium
Members receive a 10% discount. Kids 2 and under are admitted free.

ATTENTION PARENTS: Only umbrella strollers will be permitted in the building for this event. No refunds or exchanges.

More info: https://reservations.ncaquariums.com/fortfisher/Info.aspx?EventID=22

Recycle Those Halloween Costumes at the NC Aquarium at Ft Fisher

Costumes and candy make for a sweet Halloween. Afterward, however, the clutter and litter haunt closets and landfills for years.

Wrap up this spooky season with the help of the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher. Pass along the fun of a special outfit, remove unwanted items from your home and recycle. Donate gently-used costumes and empty candy wrappers to the Aquarium as part of our Green Halloween initiative.

The Aquarium will collect those ninja suits, princess dresses and all other spooky get-ups Nov. 1-30. Next fall, families can select new costumes from the donated items as part of a free costume exchange.

This initiative continues the Aquarium's work with Green Halloween, a community initiative focused on creating child- and Earth-friendly holiday traditions.

Another Halloween tradition, candy consumption, produces a scary amount of waste, with the potential to litter our waterways and oceans. Instead of trashing the empty wrappers, save them and drop them off at the Aquarium.

The Aquarium collects empty wrappers throughout the year and sends them to a recycling partner, TerraCycle, as part of our focus on conservation. TerraCycle creates recycling systems for hard-to-recycle waste, turning trash to treasure in the form of new products like park benches and backpacks. This partnership raises money for conservation efforts at the Aquarium.

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.

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

Sharks, Clownfish (aka "Nemo" to anyone under 12), and lots of candy - what more could a kid ask for? In its 8th year, "Trick or Treat Under the Sea" will take place Wednesday, October 27th and Thursday, October 28th at the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher. Area businesses and organizations sponsor booths where they hand out treats to the children who attend.

In addition to all the aquatic wonders always on display (don't miss Luna - the rare albino alligator, or the adorable baby box turtles) this event will include special Halloween decorations and activities.

Admission is $6.00 for children and adults and includes treats! Kids 2 and under are admitted free. Only umbrella strollers will be permitted in the building for this event.Call 910-458-7468 for more information.