The best October events in Miami

Ever been to one of those Christmas-themed bar pop-ups where it looks like Santa's Workshop exploded all over the walls and the drinks are sparkly enough to hang on your tree? Frankenstein's Mad Scientist Cocktail Lab is like that, except much more spooky. Popping up inside The Deck at Wynwood Marketplace from October 23 to November 3, this Halloween-time bar experience serves up mysterious potions, shimmering elixirs and spine-tingling concoctions in a smoky space filled with spider webs and other creepy decor. Besides the cocktails, guests can partake in mad science experiments, tarot card readings and spooky photo ops. A 90-minute $17 reservation includes one cocktail with additional drinks available for purchase.

Like seafood? If you’re in South Florida, you don’t have much of a choice. And even if your taste buds prefer to stay on land, South Beach Seafood festivities might convert you thanks to four days’ worth of showcases and showdowns highlighting dozens of Miami’s most sought-after seafood restaurants, such as Joe’s Stone Crab, RED South Beach and Pubbelly Sushi, to name a few announced so far. It all culminates with the massive, 12th-annual South Beach Seafood Festival’s main event on Saturday, October 26, featuring live music, 30-plus bars and nearly 60 menu items to try. Bring an appetite and possibly a bib. How much are tickets to South Beach Seafood Festival? General admission tickets for the SoBe Seafood Festival main event on Saturday start at $160. Other SoBe Seafood events include Friday's VIP Chef Showdown ($175) and Thursday's Crabs, Slabs and Cabs Experience at Loews Miami Beach ($250). Multi-day passes and additional VIP options are also available via the SoBe Seafood Festival 2024 Eventbrite ticketing page.

Space is back after summer renovations, and with its reopening comes monster lineups all year long. The legendary Downtown nightclub will celebrate Halloween with four day-to-night parties, from Thursday, October 31 through Sunday, November 3 (and, let’s be real: probably Monday, too.) Gear up for superstar DJ sets from Marco Carola, Paco Osuna, Nicole Moudaber, Dixon, Ame and Adam Ten, among many others. Heads up: tickets will sell out fast.

Lincoln Road is one of the best spots for people-watching in all of Miami Beach, and even more so on Halloween night. The eight-block district is famous for its annual Halloween block party, when Lincoln Road’s promenade transforms into a catwalk for thousands of costumed revelers, kids and pets included. Road closures begin at 4pm. From 4 to 7pm, participating shops and restaurants will welcome trick-or-treaters with scrumptious surprises. When the sun goes down, the district lights up with live DJ sets and late-night debauchery. The annual event is free and open to the public. 

Downtown Miami's iconic InterContinental Hotel will completely transform its Bayside Terrace into a harvest-themed pumpkin paradise to welcome in the autumn season. The three-day, family- and pet-friendly festival on the water will feature pumpkin painting, games like pumpkin bowling and corn hole, and photo ops to adorn your social media feeds. Also on the menu: caramel apples and iced PSLs from Starbucks, plus Angry Orchard hard cider and Sam Adams Octoberfest beer. A general admission ticket ($20) includes one small pumpkin, while an all-inclusive ticket ($40) includes one medium pumpkin and a draft of Sam Adams Octoberfest beer Purchase tickets in advance to reserve your 90-minute time slot.

Legion Park is the place to be on a beautiful Saturday morning, as tents pop up from Biscayne Boulevard all the way to Biscayne Bay. Run by Urban Oasis Project, which oversees some of Miami’s most important farmers markets, you’ll find produce from local favorites like Little River Cooperative and French Farms, artisan-made goods like fresh bread, hummus and empanadas (the Chilean ones are excellent), and even dog treats. (Don’t worry, Fido always gets a free sample.) In the morning, a hundred or so yogis gather under the Spanish oak-draped banyan trees for a donation-based yoga class and then stock up on goods from some of the new-age vendors onsite.

Back for a fourth year, Tinez Farms' Pinterest-perfect pumpkin patch provides the ideal fallscape for all your seasonal photos. Aside from the multi-sized and colored gourds and hay bales, there's an animal barnyard and petting zoo, a garden maze, Tinez yard games, climbing, swings, zip lines, a bounce house and a tubing slide to help get you into the autumnal spirit. You can also opt to add on a train, pony, donkey or horse ride to your experience, or even bottle feed a baby goat. While you're there, peruse the farm's new Home & Garden Market, where you'll find things like indoor and outdoor plants and pots, accessories and seasonal decor.

Come up to the lab and see what's on the slab! The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the epic film that conquered Hollywood, is celebrating its 49th anniversary. Join the original Magenta, Patricia Quinn, for a screening of the original, unedited movie with live shadow cast The Faithful Handymen and plenty of audience participation. The night will feature a costume contest and memorabilia display with artifacts and costumes from the movie. Limited preshow VIP tickets include a meet and greet with Patricia Quinn, a photo opp and an autograph. Secure your tickets, grab your outfit and come celebrate the magic of Rocky Horror!

Perhaps you’ve already ventured over to your favorite European city to take in a multifaceted T. Swift spectacle at a comparatively discounted price. Either way, you’ll have three chances to catch her Eras Tour in Miami, from October 18 through 20 at Hard Rock Stadium. The cheapest resale tickets as of writing are in the $2,000-a-pop range, so godspeed.

This bustling vintage market enters its 32nd season on South Beach's famed Lincoln Road. Approximately every other Sunday (check their calendar for exact dates), 125 vendors convene along the promenade to showcase their wares and barter with discerning shoppers. Find everything from mid-century furniture to Art Deco decor and more. The long-running weekend social presents a solid mix of 19th and 20th-century memorabilia and unique collectibles. While you're there, stock up on locally grown produce, fresh flowers and artisanal goods from the Lincoln Road Farmer's market, which occurs every Sunday from 9am to 6pm.