Friday: October 12

The Flavors of Florida’s Historic Coast Top Chef Cook-off
Chefs from all Flavors of Florida’s Historic Coast restaurants will gather at the Renaissance World Golf Village Resort Convention Center and Beach Club for a cook-off competition with local celebrity judges. A $20 donation admission fee gains access to the competitions and samplings from all the participating restaurants and benefits Home Again St. Johns. Visit www.historiccoastflavors.com

Celebrate! THE PLAYERS Benefit For The Arts
THE PLAYERS host dinner and dancing under the stars to support The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach. The evening events will feature an open bar, silent and live auctions, and back by popular demand — Atlanta’s best dance band, Party on the Moon! It all takes place from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. at TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse, 110 Championship Way, in Ponte Vedra Beach. For ticket prices and more information, call 904-280-0614, email jhixenbaugh@ccpvb.org, or visit www.ccpvb.org

O.A.R. Concert
Of A Revolution (O.A.R.)will perform at 6:30 p.m. at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, 1340 C A1A South in St. Augustine. Tickets are $32.50 in advance and $35 day of show. www.StAugAmphitheatre.com 904-209-0367.

Friday and Saturday: October 12 & 13

Old Town Trolleys: Nightmare In The Museum
Take a riding ghost tour through the darkened streets of Old St. Augustine, including a stop at Potter’s House of Wax which has been darkly rumored as a portal between the living and the dead. Tours start 8 p.m. from the Old Town Trolley Welcome Center, 27 San Marco Ave., St. Augustine. Tickets are $20. 904-829-3800 www.trustedtours.com.

A Ghostly Experience Halloween 2012
A Ghostly Experience tour guides lead a walking tour through the haunted streets of the Nation’s Oldest City, for encounters with crazed, feisty, and swash-buckling spirits that linger around to tell their tales of their mysterious, warranted, and fitting deaths. Tickets are $15 per person. The tours depart every 30 minutes starting at 8 p.m. from 2 St. George Street, St. Augustine. Reservations are required, and space is limited. 904- 829-1122 www.GhostToursofStAugustine.com

Zombieville
This is an interactive paintball experience of horrific proprotions! Load up and take aim at the undead, enjoy tales told in the hut of the ancient Zombie, King Motumbo and take a ride on the Zombie Express. Tickets are on sale at Ripley’s or at the door. Zombieville can be found at 254 San Marco Ave, at the old Sugar Mill. Doors open at 7:30 every Friday and Saturday night through October. Prices are $10 at the door, or $15 for the Zombie Express leaving from the original Ripley’s.Believe It or Not Museum at 19 San Marco Avenue. You can also purchase Zombieville tickets for only $5 with the purchase of a Ghost Train Adventure ticket. For more information, call 904.377.2607.

Ghost Hunt
Get trained to be a ghost hunter by professional investigators! Spend three hours using paranormal-detecting equipment inside the Old Jail and learn about the amazing amount of paranormal activity that has been observed in the building. The tour is from 10:45 p.m. until 2 a.m. Admission is $80 per person; $35 for children under 12 (children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult). For reservations (required), call 904.829.3800.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday: October 12, 13 & 14

15th Annual Greek Festival
St. Augustine’s fascinating Greek Heritage is celebrated by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church with a delicious assortment of Greek foods, pastries and beverages along with nonstop entertainment with live Greek music by the Hellenic Band and performances by Greek dance troupes. On Saturday at 9 a.m. there will be a Ready, Set, Go Greek-Fest Run. The Festival takes place from 4 to 9 p.m. on Friday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday at Francis Field behind St. Augustine’s Historic Downtown Parking Garage on Castillo Drive. Admission is $2, children under 12 are free. 904.829.0504. www.stauggreekfest.com

Premium Outlets Pink Event
Throughout October, St. Augustine Premium Outlet shoppers who stop by the Information Center and dontate $10 to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure will receive a special savings card filled with “25% off one single item” redeemable at Brooks Brothers, Calvin Klein, J.Crew, Polo, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and many more. www.premiumoutlets.com

Pellicer Creek Raid
Living history groups from around the Southeast demonstrate what Civil War military life was like in 1864. At 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, infantry, cavalry and artillery troops will stage a battle. The encampment is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Florida Agricultural Museum, located on the corner of Old Kings Road and U.S. 1 in Palm Coast. Admission is $8 for adults and $6 for children, toddlers and infants are free. 386.446.7630. www.MyAgMuseum.org

Ripple Effect Eco Kayak Tours
Relax, unwind and experience nature at its finest on one of Ripple Effect Eco Tours’ outings. Saturday at 9 a.m., paddle through an enchanted forest on the meandering waters of Faver-Dykes State Park and Pellicer Creek. Morning and sunset tours are also available all weekend at Marineland and the GTM Reserve. Tours include the finest kayaking gear, guide and instruction – perfect for beginners. Tours are $55 for adults and $45 for age 15 and under. For details and reservations, go to www.rippleeffectecotours.com or call 904.347.1565

Sea Monsters!
Venom! Ultra Vision! Glow in the Dark! These are some of the fascinating “monster” characteristics of some sea animals. Daily in October, the Sea Monsters Traveling Exhibit engages visitors in these mysterious and intriguing attributes, and explains how they are adaptations to extreme underwater environments. Learn about animals that use these special survival strategies. Included in General Admission Price, $9.75 Adult General Admission, $7.75 Child General Admission
www.staugustinelighthouse.org

St. Augustine Lighthouse Dark of the Moon Tours
Go on the only tour that takes participants to the top of the tower of the St. Augustine Lighthouse and into the eerie Keeper’s House. Find out why the Syfy Network’s Ghost Hunters program called the Lighthouse the “Mona Lisa of paranormal sites.” Tours begin at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $25 for adults ($35 on Halloween) and $20 for children ages 7-11($30 on Halloween). Reservations are required. (Private 90-minute, 3-hour and 5-hour tours are also available.) Call 904.829.0745

Halloween Corn Maze
Get hopelessly lost in a nine-acre maze! Fun for the entire family! This third annual maze is at the Sykes and Cooper Farms off SR 207 in Elkton, Florida (about five miles east of I-95 Exit 311). Plus, don’t miss Jack the braying donkey, the awesome pumpkin slingshot and the cow train! Tickets (cash only) are $8 per person (children under 2 are free). The maze is open on Fridays 5-10 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. For more information, go to www.sycofarms.com or call 904.692.1084.

Saturday: October 13

3rd Annual Fall Festival & Fish Fry
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the quaint Riverdale United Methodist set along the St. Johns River will host the annual Fall Festival and Fish Fry which features local artisans & crafters, a KIDs Zone lots of food and a new Memorial Garden, church tour and of course the Fried Fish Dinner. RUMC is located at 1028 County Rd. 13 South in Riverdale/St. Johns. 904 806-6254

Tolomato Cemetery Tours
Self-guided and docent led tours are from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Tolomato Cemetery, a historic cemetery is located on Cordova Street, the site of an earlier Franciscan Indian mission (Our Lady of Guadalupe of the Tolomato) in St Augustine. Burials officially ceased in 1884. Visits are free of charge, but visitors are encouraged to offer a donation. All money goes to the preservation and restoration of the cemetery. For more information, visit www.tolomatocemetery.com

3rd Annual OceanWise At GTM Reserve
From 5 to 9 p.m. celebrate the estuaries with dinner, entertainment and more. OceanWise takes place at the GTM Environmental Education Center, 500 Guana River Road, Ponte Vedra Beach. 904-823-4500.

Saturday Night at The City Gate
Colonial Spanish soldiers stand guard at the St. Augustine City Gates from 6 to 8 p.m. The public is invited to interact, take pictures and learn more about St. Augustine’s Spanish Military history. The City Gates are located at St. George and Orange Street.

Saturday and Sunday: October 13 & 14

3rd Annual Fiesta de Aviles
Celebrate the history and culture of Aviles Street – the oldest street in the oldest city, St. Augustine, Florida. The Fiesta begins at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday and the Jazzland All Stars perform from 1-3 p.m. The running of the “bulls” is at 2 p.m. followed by Flamenco Dancing and music throughout the afternoon. From 6:30 until 10 p.m., Mestre Lazaro Santo and the Brazillian Tropicana Show will perform! The fun, food and music continue on Sunday with All Day Sangria – a friendly competition to select the best sangria in St. Augustine. Fiesta admission is free!

Explorer Boat Eco Tour
Ensure a great weekend by hopping on an explorer boat, perfect for navigating the creeks and waterways of St. Augustine. By covering nearly 15 miles you’ll be sure to take in great scenery and see wildlife such as dolphins, ospreys and maybe even a rare manatee! Catch the action at 9:30 or 11:30am and then take the family out for lunch in town. Call St. Augustine Eco Tours at 904-377-7245 to reserve your space today!

Sunday: October 14

Sunday Supper With The Spirits at the Dow Museum of Historic Houses
This delicious and interesting event includes a wine and cheese reception, lantern lit tours of the historic houses, a spirited visit by two of St. Augustine’s famous ladies of the “Gilded Age”, a lovely three course dinner with red and white wine, and a copy of “Daring Daughters”, a book by local author Karen Harvey. The reception begins at 6:30 p.m. The Dow Museum of Historic Houses is located at 149 Cordova Street in St. Augustine. 904-823-9722

Local Resident Specials

NOTE: St. Johns County residents with a valid ID are always admitted free of charge to the Oldest House, the Lightner Museum, the Fountain of Youth (special events excluded), the Ximenez-Fatio House, the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, Spanish Military Hospital Museum, and the Historic Tours of Flagler College. The daily tours and wine tastings at the San Sebastian Winery are free to everyone. Also, admission is free to everyone at the Authentic Old Drug Store, Fort Matanzas National Monument, St. Photios Chapel, the Pena-Peck House, the Father Miguel O’Reilly Museum and the Mission Nombre de Dios Museum (donations are welcomed).

NEW: St. Johns County residents who purchase full-price admisssion to the St. Augustine Lighthouse ($9.50 adults; $7.50 seniors and children 12 and under; free for children under 44 inches in height) can now receive a pass good for free admission for an entire year! The Lighthouse is now open until 6 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Also, on the first Monday of each month, St. Johns County residents are admitted free to the Dow Museum of Historic Houses, 246 St. George Street, St. Augustine.

NEW: St. Johns County residents with a valid ID now receive FREE admission to the Oldest House in St. Augustine.

Source: Visitors and Convention Bureau