Celebrate Fall in Martin County Florida

Autumn is the perfect time of year to visit Martin County, Florida! Escape the crowds and enjoy cooler temperatures while soaking in all the fun of fall festivals and events, perfect for the whole family. Here are a few upcoming happenings that we’re looking forward to this season. From not-so-scary to truly spooktacular, be sure to add these seasonal events to your fall bucket list!

Family Fun and Fall Festivals: Martin County’s fall festivals attract families from near and far. At Pumpkin Towne in Stuart, visitors can pick out gorgeous gourds and perfect pumpkins while exploring kid zones and making memories at the fun photo spots (open October 5 - 31). On October 10, MartinArts is hosting a Halloween Spooktacular as part of their Sunset Concerts Series (including a costume event for the little ones). Brush up on fire safety skills and learn about the importance of prescribed burns during FireFest 2023, held on October 21 at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. This fall festival is filled with live fire demos, haunted hay rides, pumpkin patches, ghost tours, and so much more. On October 28, capture all the fun of the season at the 3rd Annual Fall Festival Extravaganza, presented by Rockin H Ranch in Palm City. The family fun will include a petting zoo, a car show, tug of war games, pony rides, pig racing, and hayrides, as well as a scarecrow decorating contest. The Annual Hobgoblins on Main Street, presented by Stuart Main Street and The Historic Downtown Business Association of Stuart, will also take place on October 28. Expect merchant trick-or-treating, pumpkin decorating, face painting, a costume contest, and the beloved Hobgoblin Parade. And don’t miss the annual Trunk or Treat, organized by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office on October 31.

Paranormal Ghost Tours: Port Salerno began as a humble fishing village before becoming a hub for the South Florida fishing industry. Today, it’s a bustling waterfront district known for its artistic flair, and its rich fishing heritage. But to learn more about the region’s spooky history and local lore, join a fun-filled night with Port Salerno Ghost Tours. During these year-round, nighttime excursions through historic downtown Port Salerno, participants hear hair-raising ghost stories and ancient legends. The search for lingering spirits uses instruments often seen on popular paranormal shows like Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures. Tours are conducted by professional paranormal researchers, who also conduct separate investigations and events at additional haunted locations, such as the House of Refuge at Gilbert’s Bar. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Martin County’s oldest surviving building (ca. 1876) is the last of ten original safe havens for travelers who shipwrecked along Florida’s treacherous shores. Take guided tours through the building and learn about its fascinating and haunted past, which includes visions of apparitions and the aroma of beef stew wafting from the kitchen (which hasn’t been operational since the 1940s).

Martin County is served by the Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and Orlando airports. Martin County offers many lodging options, including quaint inns, one-of-a-kind bed and breakfasts, chic oceanfront resorts, quirky fish camps, rustic campgrounds and favorite national and global hotel brands. www.DiscoverMartin.com