By LOIS KINDLE
lekindle@aol.com
Camp Bayou’s Fall Night Fest returns Saturday, Oct. 3, from 5 to 9 p.m. Organized by board member Noelle Licor, the Halloween-themed annual event features fall nature crafts and games between 5 and 7 p.m., guided walks led and narrated by Camp Bayou director Dolly Cummings, and s’more and ghost stories by the campfire at the end of each walk. Little Manatee River State Park and the SouthShore Regional Library will participate.
“I love fall and Halloween, and Camp Bayou is the perfect place to host this type of event,” Licor said. “We have so much fun putting it together, and the crowd’s response has been very positive.”
The first 30-minute walk is at 6:30 p.m. for younger children and highlights Camp Bayou’s nocturnal wildlife and how to spot them. At 7 p.m., the night hikes start for older kids and adults, featuring spooky stories about Camp Bayou’s history and local lore. Along the trail, participants will see an old graveyard, 400-year-old tree, flickering lights and more — and maybe spot a bat or owl.
Additional hikes are set for 7:30 and 8.
At the end of each guided trail walk during Fright Night at Camp Bayou, visitors will gather around the campfire for some spooky stories and s’mores. Seen here are members of the earliest walk for younger kids at last year’s event.
Admission is $5 per person, and RSVPs are required in advance due to limited space for 20 participants on each guided walk and to ensure adequate supplies.
Tickets are available at https://square.link/u/PBaXyhiv.
A silent raffle auction will feature community donated wreaths, science kits, books, plants and more. Raffle tickets are $1 each.
All proceeds go to Camp Bayou. Last year’s attendance was 60.
Camp Bayou is at 4140 24th St. SE, Ruskin.
For more information, email campbayou@gmail.com.