Get ready for non-stop entertainment from morning to midnight at Sunshine City Scare 2026 — Florida’s Halloween-Prequel, the ultimate kickoff for your Halloween prep on August 15-16 at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront. Vendor booths are on sale, and tickets go on sale in November.
This is a must-attend event for anyone serious about creating their Halloween costume or who loves decking out their home, inside and out, for the best holiday of the year. Legendary Hollywood costumer Evil Ted, joined by 12 expert horror cosplayers, will be sharing inspiration and hands-on advice with workshops and panels to help bring your upcoming Halloween look to life.
All weekend long, the horrific entertainment never lets up — with three cosplay contests, a lip sync competition, spooky dance-alongs, and fan panels to keep the thrills coming.
And on Saturday, when the show floor closes at 5pm, the spooky poolside party kicks off immediately with a DJ spinning tunes, horror movies screening in the background, and themed cocktails / mocktails. Hosted by three special guest cosplayers, the spooky poolside party features its own exclusive cosplay contest and sing-a-longs.
Meanwhile, the vendor marketplace will be packed with spooky décor, home goods, and costume supplies — all with early-bird deals to jump-start your Halloween prep. And Sunshine City Scare 2026 will offer the popular Fandom Shopping Rewards that lets you earn free tickets to other cons from your merch haul.
