Florida Events in September: Experience the Unforgettable – A Thrilling Lineup of 18 Spectacular Festivals, including a Balloon Festival, BBQ Delights, and More!

Fall is the best season of all, and these amazing Florida events in September prove it. With summer winding down and the spooky season right around the corner, this month is all about the best of both worlds: BBQ and Halloween candy!

(You know we’re all about the food festivals by now, right?)

With local delights and theme park-hosted parties alike, September in Florida is brimming with festivals and fun, making it a great month to visit the Sunshine State!

Florida Events in September

You’ll notice our list of festivals in September is almost double that of the summer months. With the weather finally starting to cool down, everyone’s ready to get out and enjoy those nicer temperatures. Some of the festivals are also months long, so you’ll see some overlap from summer into October. However, with so much going on, we’re glad there’s some wiggle room that gives us a better chance to visit more festivals!

1. Halloween Horror Nights Orlando

Universal Orlando, Select Nights September 1 – October 31, 2023

Prepare to be scared at Halloween Horror Nights Orlando! An annual event at Universal Studios Florida, this spooky season celebration is genuinely frightening, especially as it integrates elements from well-known horror films/franchises. With ten haunted houses and five scare zones, this eerie after-hours event might provide as much of an adrenaline rush as the park’s roller coasters! Definitely a grown-ups-only experience, Halloween Horror Nights is a separately ticketed event that takes place on select nights throughout the month of September and October (generally Wednesday through Sunday).

2. EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival

Walt Disney World, July 27 – November 18, 2023. Ongoing

One of the most classic Florida festivals, the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival is continuing to dish up culinary delights all month long. (Yay!) Known for creative flavors and international fare, this is definitely the most delicious way to explore EPCOT. In addition to several kitchen kiosks throughout the park, there are also limited-time scavenger hunts, cooking demonstrations, and live music. Many Disney fans agree the best time to visit EPCOT is during this iconic celebration of global cuisine!

3. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Walt Disney World, August 11 – November 1, 2023. Ongoing

Get into the spooky spirit – Disney style! Believe it or not, this Halloween party started last month, but now that we’re creeping into fall, it feels even more fitting to be surrounded by pumpkin decor, pumpkin drinks, and pumpkin-dressed Donald Duck.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a separately ticketed event that takes place in the late evening with special seasonal shows, snacks, parades, and character meet-and-greets. Certain rides even get an exclusive Halloween makeover for the party!

4. SeaWorld Howl-O-Scream Orlando

SeaWorld Orlando, September 8 – October 31, 2023

The theme for Florida events in September seems to be Halloween, and SeaWorld’s celebration is no exception! Kicking off on September 8th, the park will be hosting its Howl-O-Scream on select nights until October 31st. Last year, this event was voted #1 Best Theme Park Halloween Event in Florida by USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards! This nighttime event is separately ticketed and caters to adult audiences with its spine-tingling scares.

5. Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream Tampa Bay

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, September 8 – October 31, 2023

The sister-act of SeaWorld’s Halloween event, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has its own freakishly fun Howl-O-Scream. With haunted houses, scare zones, and the opportunity to ride their fiercest coasters in the dark, Florida festivals have never felt so frightening! Live out the ultimate Scooby Doo fantasy as you face unimaginable monsters and ethereal horrors. Meant for grown-ups only, this Howl-O-Scream is a separately ticketed event that is open on select nights.

6. Orlando Tattoo Show

Orlando, September 8 – 10, 2023

Whether you’re looking to get your first tattoo or searching for a design to round out a sleeve, the Orlando Tattoo Show will offer plenty of inky inspiration! With over 200 international artists, this event will feature live tattooing, shows, contests, and vendors you won’t find anywhere else. You can catch one day of the festival or all three, with one-day tickets priced at $18.00 and three-day tickets priced at $36.00.

7. Naples Balloon Festival

Naples, September 14 – 17, 2023

One of the most classic Florida festivals this fall is the Naples Balloon Festival. Enjoy fair rides, carnival games, food trucks, and – best of all – hot air balloons! A great activity for the whole family, this festival spans four whole days. Get some great photos with a backdrop of colorful balloons, then soar up, up, and away! You might not reach Oz, but the view is still wonderful!

8. Florida Fin Fest

Jacksonville, September 15 – 16, 2023

Searching for affordable Florida events in September? Look no further than the FREE Florida Fin Fest in Jacksonville! With a focus on ocean conservation, this family-friendly event is truly one-of-a-kind! You’ll experience touch tanks and a mobile planetarium and dive into an immersive underwater world via VR! There will also be live music throughout the day as well as a dozen food trucks to satisfy those hunger pangs. Proceeds from Fin Fest go to benefit OCEARCH, a program dedicated to marine conservation with a special focus on helping sharks. We love to see it!

9. SeaWorld Orlando Halloween Spooktacular

SeaWorld Orlando, September 16 – October 31, 2023

Speaking of fintastic Florida festivals, SeaWorld Orlando has another autumnal celebration – the Halloween Spooktacular! Unlike the Howl-O-Scream, the Spooktacular is a daytime affair and specifically meant for kiddos to enjoy. With trick-or-treating, face painting, dance parties, and Sesame Street meet-and-greets, your little ones will have extra fun during your SeaWorld day! Part of regular park admission, this party takes place on select days starting in mid-September.

10. Busch Gardens Spooktacular

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Fridays – Sundays, September 8th – October 31st, 2023

Hand in hand with SeaWorld, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay also has a Spooktacular event to dazzle and delight the little ones. Dress in your Halloween best (if you’re 13 or younger) and join the costume parade, sit spellbound during storytime, and catch a special Sesame Street show! Your day at Busch Gardens just got even better!

11. Sing Out Loud Music Festival

St. Augustine, September 22 – 23, 2023

If you’re like me and have headphones on 24/7 (mine are currently blasting the How to Train Your Dragon soundtrack), then you’ll love the Sing Out Loud Music Festival in St. Augustine! During this two-day event, you’ll get to jam out to amazing live music from The Black Keys, Mumford & Sons, and many more artists. Nestled in historic downtown St. Augustine, you’ll also have a chance to explore the wonders of our nation’s oldest city!

12. Smokin’ in the Pines BBQ Festival

Perry, September 22 – 23, 2023

When it comes to Florida events in September – or any time of year – the most important part is always the food. That’s why we’re so excited about Smokin’ in the Pines BBQ Festival in Perry, FL! Food isn’t just a side dish here; it’s the main attraction. Sure, there’ll be music and crafts and a kids’ zone, but that all pales in comparison to the mouthwatering BBQ! Sample meaty morsels to your heart’s content, or enter the open BBQ competition and battle it out for first prize (which includes bragging rights and a cash reward)!

13. Oktoberfest

Tampa, September 29 – 30, October 6 – 7, 2023

For Florida festivals with an international twist, it’s hard to find something more wonderfully traditional than Tampa’s Oktoberfest. With authentic German culture and cuisine, it’s a unique and fun experience you won’t readily find on this side of the Atlantic! You’ll get to taste imported German beers, as well as traditional foods and desserts, and witness a keg tapping ceremony, bier stein holding contests, live music, and more! Wunderbar!

14. Harvest Holler Corn Maze

Polk City, September 2023 (exact dates TBD)

Have an a-MAZE-ing time at Harvest Holler Corn Maze in Polk City, FL! As of writing, we’re still waiting on exact dates for the farm’s opening, but we are so excited to add it to our September line-up! Have all of the fall-themed fun as you explore the corn maze, pick out a pumpkin from the patch, go on a hay ride, and sip on a tall glass of sweet tea. When Harvest Holler opens for the season, you know fall has truly arrived.

15. Pensacola Seafood Festival

Pensacola, September 29 – October 1, 2023

Enjoy those gorgeous Gulf views with a side of fresh seafood at the Pensacola Seafood Festival! This FREE event is brimming with delicious bites, arts and crafts, live music, and fun activities for the kiddos, too! If we’ve said it once, we’ll say it a million times: food-centric Florida festivals are the best Florida festivals. Especially when there’s shrimp involved! Yummy!

16. St. Augustine Songwriter Festival

St. Augustine, September 29 – October 1, 2023

A sister event of the Sing Out Loud Music Festival, the St. Augustine Songwriter Festival is a unique celebration of the songwriting process – the story behind the music. During this three-day festival, songwriters from near and far will grace various venues throughout the historic downtown. Free to the public, this special musical event is a must for anyone who enjoys country music and hearing about the inspiration behind the art form.

17. Pensacola Dragon Boat Festival

Pensacola, September 30, 2023

Boats that look like dragons?? Sign me up! At the Pensacola Dragon Boat Festival, you can watch up to 30 teams race on the Bayou Texar for bragging rights and to support local charities. It’s so much fun to watch and root for your favorite dragon! (Yes, the boats really do look like long scaly sea dragons!) During the event, there will also be a kids’ area, vendors, and a DJ mixing up some great tunes.

18. LEGOLAND Florida Brick-or-Treat

LEGOLAND Florida, Fall (exact dates TBD)

As of writing, we’re still waiting on a date for this Florida festival, but last year LEGOLAND Florida Brick-or-Treat kicked off in late September! This annual event combines the fun of the spooky season with the world of LEGO, and we are here for it! Enjoy live shows and entertainment, LEGO character meet and greets, special theming for The Dragon coaster, and – of course – collecting candy throughout the park! If you ask us, LEGOLAND has all of the pieces you need to build a perfect Halloween party. (Note: admission to this event is included with regular park admission!)

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There are so many great Florida events in September! We love how we’re starting to get into the fall spirit while also hanging on to the best bits of summer (BBQ!!). Which of these Florida festivals are you most excited to attend? Let us know in the comments below!

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Featured photo: Kevin Bidwell from Pexels via Canva