The Lakes Park Fall Festival runs Oct. 9-31 with a pumpkin patch, hayrides and "Scarecrows at Work." Plus county fall nights and Fort Myers' Halloween walks.

Last checked Oct. 8, 2026. This page is updated each year. Sources: Lee County Parks and Recreation’s Fall Festival events release (PDF) of Sept. 23, 2026, its Scarecrows in the Park release (PDF) of July 16, 2026, and the City of Fort Myers event calendar.

Fall in Fort Myers is a Lee County parks affair. The biggest event is the Lakes Park Fall Festival, which runs every evening and weekend through October with a pumpkin patch, hayrides and a scarecrow contest. The county adds free family nights across Lee County, and the city’s own calendar is full of Halloween walks.

Who to call

  • Lakes Park Fall Festival: 239-533-7578, Lakes Park page
  • Lee County Parks and Recreation: 239-533-7275, leeparks@leegov.com
  • Scarecrows in the Park: Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation, scarecrows@lakespark.org, LakesPark.org

Lakes Park Fall Festival: Oct. 9-31

  • When: Friday, Oct. 9 through Saturday, Oct. 31. 6 to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
  • Where: Lakes Park, 7330 Gladiolus Drive, Fort Myers.
  • What: a pumpkin patch, inflatables, hayrides, the Halloween Express train ride presented by the Southwest Florida Train Museum, concessions and Scarecrows in the Park.
  • Cost: activity prices vary. Parking is $3 per vehicle Thursday to Sunday; regular park parking rates apply Monday to Wednesday.

Scarecrows in the Park is in the Children’s Garden for the whole festival. The 2026 theme is “Scarecrows at Work,” with each scarecrow showing a job, trade or hobby. Businesses, families and groups sponsor the entries, and awards go to the VIP and People’s Choice winners. The Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation has organized it for 16 years.

The park’s regular attractions, including the splash pad and walking paths, are in our parks and trails guide. Lakes Park’s Wednesday farmers market is also back for the season; see farmers markets.

More fall nights from Lee County Parks

  • Family Fall Festival, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, North Fort Myers Park, 2000 North Recreation Park Way. Free. A costume contest, candy, games, music, prizes and community booths. 239-533-7200.
  • Sloughwitched, 6:30 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 and Saturday, Oct. 24, Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, 7751 Penzance Blvd., Fort Myers. A nighttime walking play on the boardwalk by the Friends of Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, about 90 minutes, with groups leaving every 15 minutes. Ages 10 and up; limited to 200 guests. Register at sloughpreserve.org.
  • Trunk or Treat, 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, Wa-Ke Hatchee Park, 16760 Bass Road, Fort Myers. Free, with food trucks. 239-533-6850.
  • Spooktacular Night, 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, Estero Park, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd., Estero. Free trunk-or-treating and food trucks, then a movie in the park at 7:15 p.m.
  • Monster Mash Bash, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, Veterans Park, 55 Homestead Road S., Lehigh Acres. Free, with a haunted trick-or-treat trail.

In the city this month

From the City of Fort Myers calendar, covered in more detail on our things to do this month page:

  • Haunted Walk at the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium, 3450 Ortiz Ave., on weekend nights Oct. 9-31.
  • Palm City Cinema: Reels on the River, a free movie at Centennial Park, 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9.
  • Trunk or Treat at First Christian Church, 2061 McGregor Blvd., 5 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17.
  • Wicked Walk at the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center, Oct. 22-23.

Trick-or-treat guidance and more trunk-or-treats are on our trick-or-treat hours page.

What this means for you

  • For a pumpkin patch, go to Lakes Park; weekends open at 10 a.m.
  • Parking at Lakes Park costs $3 Thursday to Sunday during the festival.
  • The county’s free events on Oct. 23 and 24 are the budget choice.

Related: Halloween events in Fort Myers, things to do this month, trick-or-treat hours and parks and trails.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a pumpkin patch in Fort Myers in 2026?

Yes. The Lakes Park Fall Festival, 7330 Gladiolus Drive, has a pumpkin patch from Friday, Oct. 9 through Saturday, Oct. 31, open 6 to 9 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends, Lee County Parks and Recreation says.

What is at the Lakes Park Fall Festival?

A pumpkin patch, inflatables, hayrides, the Halloween Express train, concessions and Scarecrows in the Park, whose 2026 theme is “Scarecrows at Work.” Activity prices vary, and parking for the festival is $3 per vehicle Thursday to Sunday.

What free fall events are there near Fort Myers?

Lee County lists a free Trunk or Treat at Wa-Ke Hatchee Park, 16760 Bass Road, 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, and a free Family Fall Festival at North Fort Myers Park, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23.

When are the scarecrows on display at Lakes Park?

Oct. 9-31, 2026, in the Children’s Garden at Lakes Park. The Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation has run Scarecrows in the Park for 16 years.