Boo Is Back In Boca

District parks are about to get much spookier.

Of the 14 Boca Boo Days events celebrating the Halloween season, 10 will occur at parks either owned or funded by the District.

Sugar Sand Park will serve as the site for four such events – Pumpkin Pals Make and Take, Ghostly Glows and Ghoulish Gases, Little Boos Storytime, and Creepy Crawlies at the Chickee Lab.

At the Oct. 17 Pumpkin Pals Make and Take held in Sugar Sand Park's community center, children ages 5-10 will create spine-chilling Halloween crafts. It runs from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. An hour-and-a-half later on that same Saturday more Halloween fun occurs just across the hall with the Ghostly Glows and Ghoulish Gases science demo at the Science Explorium. The free event, which begins at 3:30, promises a “spook-tacular science demonstration.”

Sugar Sand Park's community center then offers a midweek event for the littlest ones. On Wednesday, Oct. 21 children from 18 months to 4 years old will be treated to Halloween-themed stories during Little Boos Storytime.

Sugar Sand Park concludes its Boca Boo Days programming on Friday, Oct. 30 with Creepy Crawlies at the Chickee Lab. At this family-friendly event attendees will meet creepy-crawly creatures and other spooky animals, and create Halloween crafts. Two hour-long programs are planned, the first beginning at 4:30 p.m., the second starting at 6 p.m.

The District-funded Gumbo Limbo Nature Center hosts two Boca Boo Days events. Halloween By The Sea on Sunday, Oct. 18, features games and crafts for children ages 2-6. The hour-long program begins at 4:30 p.m., with a second session starting at 5:45 p.m.

Boca Boo Days concludes with Night Explorers Nocturnal Hike at Gumbo Limbo, where the bravest of the Boca brave will enjoy the thrills of a guided tour through the hammock, observation tower and aquariums. There will also be hands-on nocturnal activities for children ages 7 and older. 

The Boca Raton Swim and Racquet Center also will host two events. Monster Mash, an annual favorite, sees costumed children invade the Swim Center for face painting, games and a pumpkin dive featuring cool prizes. The Sunday, Oct. 25 free event runs from noon until 2 p.m.

That same day Patch Reef Park's covered pickleball complex will be the site of the PickleBoo tournament. Participants can compete in three divisions, including two open to players with a rating as high as 4.25. Tournament play begins at 1 p.m.

Monsters and mummies return to the Swim and Racquet Center on Oct. 30 for Spooky Tennis. Beginning at 6 p.m., children ages 7-12 will don their costumes for a round-robin tennis tournament.

This year Halloween isn't just for the children. Dress up your dogs and head to District-funded Spanish River Athletic Complex on Oct. 24 for Howl-O-Ween. The free family-friendly event promises a tail-wagging good time from 9 a.m. until noon.

To learn more about all the events and for links to register, visit the city's Boca Boo Days page.