Sometimes, fall in Florida is a case of mind over matter. When temps stay in the 80s, you’ve got to go the extra mile if you love the Halloween vibe as much as I do. In today’s edition, we cover some ways to do that and much more. Let’s dive in.

Spooky Island Market is this Saturday, October 10, 4-10 PM at St. Petersburg Distillery (800 31st St. S). Admission is free, parking is easy, and kids & pets are welcome.

Last year's market drew 5,000+ people. This year brings 80+ vendors, a pumpkin patch from Lida's Jungle, ghost tours of the distillery and a free Halloween walk-through. Zee's BBQ is selling a Cowboy Souvenir Bucket Meal, and NGOT Bakery has a one-night-only treat.

The $56 VIP upgrade adds a VIP passport for a Zee's "Brains bowl," matcha or whisk, pumpkin to paint, mystery tote, and access to the speakeasy bar. You can enter our giveaway to win a pair of VIP tickets over on our Instagram here!

We’ll be there selling Sunny St. Pete merch, so stop by if you’ve been coveting a sweatshirt but didn’t want to pay shipping!

Lasso yourself some tickets. VIP tickets are BOGO right now!

We’ve officially finished our tenth dinner club and we just hit an amazing milestone: Sunny St. Pete has sent over a thousand people out to dinner! Can you believe that?

For those of you who are new here and might not know about the concept, here’s the gist:

You fill out a quick questionnaire about yourself, we match you up with 5 other people based on your answers, we handle all the logistics and reservations, and you just show up. After dinner, your table goes to a casual afterparty nearby to join up with all the other tables.

We have some super exciting new afterparty locations that I’m so jazzed about, so if you’ve been thinking about coming out, I highly recommend you try it out!

This Thursday’s dinner is sold out already, but next week’s 30s & 40s dinner still has open seats! In honor of 10 dinner clubs and 1,000 people, you can use the discount code TENTH for $5 off next week’s dinner!

Do you love scary movies? Or do you get so scared by them that you need to watch them with safety in numbers? Then Beer Garden Movie Nights is the event for you, and this year’s lineup is full of classics.

Movies start at 7:30 PM on the Green Bench lawn. Kids are welcome, but some of the movies are Rated-R, so discretion is advised. Bring chairs, blankets, and snacks to enjoy alongside a delicious beverage from Green Bench or Webb's.

I had “The Lifted Veil” Imperial Stout a couple weeks ago, and it was a complex, chocolatey caramel delight that would pair perfectly with some good frights. Or you can have a cider and pretend you’re up north.

Heads up if you’re looking to go tonight, there’s rain in the forecast, so double check with Green Bench before you head out!

Next week is one of my personal favorites, Scream. Did you know it was originally titled “Scary Movie"? That ended up being the name of the famous parody film.

Downtown St. Pete is getting a new bar, and the concept brings a one-of-a-kind NYC experience down here.

Apt 34, set to open at 554 1st Ave N later this year, takes its name and its whole energy from owner Nico Leeper's real former apartment in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen where, at one point, he and his friends occupied 12 of the 36 units.

A St. Pete local, Leeper moved back home and decided to bring a little of that magic with him, specifically the vibe of a well-loved apartment where strangers become regulars and the night goes longer than planned.

The bar will serve draft beer and wine alongside cicchetti, the Italian-style small bites of olives, cured meats, and cheese served on bread. Think house party, but the host is really good at this.

Leeper is aiming for a late 2026 opening, in time for the holidays if things go smoothly, though it could slip into early 2027. Keep an eye on apt34.com for updates.

Pinellas Ale Works has officially opened a second taproom with pets in mind. PAW Taps & Tails opened October 1 at 5518 Haines Rd N, in the old Dissent Craft Brewing space near Lealman. Dogs and cats are both welcome inside.

The new spot has its own brewing equipment, so there will be beers you can only get at Taps & Tails, alongside PAW's regulars like the Milk Bone stout, Puppy Love hazy IPA, Schwarzhound dark German lager, and the award-winning 1888 Russian Imperial Stout.

Fetch them here.

Florida orange production is down 95% since citrus greening (an incurable disease that ruins the fruit) arrived 20 years ago. Last year, 60,000 acres of groves went out of production.

When visiting my brother’s family on the other coast, we drive past abandoned orchard after abandoned orchard as we cross the middle of the state. It’s a stark contrast to my childhood when our out-of-state cousins were obsessed with our OJ because it tasted fresher to them.

Part of the fix is growing in Tampa. Soilcea, a UF startup based there, grows CRISPR gene-edited trees that resist the disease, and the EPA approved the technology this year. Soilcea has sold more than 300,000 trees, with about a million in production for spring planting. The state is subsidizing purchases.

The other potential solution, also coming from UF, infects trees with a harmless virus that helps them resist greening.

The first juice oranges are about two years out. For the remnants of the industry, they can’t come soon enough.

Read more from UF Innovate.

✏️ The Pinellas School Board votes October 13 on a plan to close Blanton, John M. Sexton, and Bear Creek elementary schools in St. Pete at the end of the 2026-27 school year, citing falling enrollment. Four more schools elsewhere in the county are on the list, and the district says no layoffs are anticipated.

💸 City Council advanced higher parking fines last Thursday, with expired meters going from $17.50 to $32.50 and most other violations from $30 to $45. The final vote is October 15.

💧 New city utility rates took effect October 1, raising typical monthly bills by $10.82 to $13.82 depending on tier.

🛒 One Community Grocery Co-op signed a $50,000 predevelopment agreement with the city to plan a member-owned grocery store in South St. Pete. The money covers market analysis, site selection and training.

Want to spread the word about your business, a project you’re working on, an exciting event, or just want to say hi to 12,000+ neighbors? Partner with us.

SUNNY SAVINGS: The Bier Boutique - Tuesday-Friday, 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM. $2 off all beer, wine, and spirits, and $6 tots. Plus extra daily specials! Check them out.

CATCH OF THE DAY: Adopt Texas the dog or Costello the cat. See them here.

SUNNY CREWNECK: Florida fall is here! Bundle up!

LAST WEEK’S SCRAMBLE: Oktoberfest

FLIGHT DEAL: Tampa → San Jose, Costa Rica. Breeze Airways launched brand-new nonstop flights from TPA to San Jose, Costa Rica starting at $149!

‘BURG ABODES: Lake Pasadena Historic $779,000 | 3 bed 2.5 baths | 2,340 sq ft. Character, charm and ADU potential on an oversized lot!

A sampling of ten-ish fun things to do this week.

SUBMIT AN EVENT

Fall arrives at Boyd Hill this Saturday with the annual Autumn Harvest Festival. Hop on a hayride, play some games, make a craft and grab lunch from the food trucks (food sold separately). Admission is $5, and kids 3 and under get in free. Proceeds go to the Friends of Boyd Hill Nature Preserve to support the preserve's conservation work.

Make hay while the sun shines.

Mahjong for Beginners | Wild Child | Oct 7, 6:30-9:30 PM | $15 🎟️
Learn Hong Kong-style mahjong with coaches

Banned Books Week Trivia! | Book + Bottle | Oct 8, 6 PM | $10 🎟️
Test knowledge of challenged literary classics

Putt The Pier: Fall Pumpkin Edition | St. Pete Pier | Oct 8-25, hours vary | $10 🎟️
Pumpkin-themed mini golf along waterfront views

Florida Native Plant Gardening | Weedon Island Preserve | Oct 8, 11:30 AM | Free
Learn sustainable landscaping for local wildlife

Wild Artisans | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve | Oct 8, 2 PM | $5 🎟️
Nature tram ride and artmaking workshop

Oktoberfest | German-American Society | Oct 9-10, hours vary | $12 🎟️
Authentic German beer, food, and music

City Breeze Bike Tour | St Pete Biking | Oct 9, 9 AM | Free
Guided recreational ride through beautiful St. Petersburg

Trail Fun Run | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve | Oct 10, 9 AM | Free
All-level trail run, walk, or jog

St. Pete Fall Festival | St. Pete Pier | Oct 10-11, 11 AM - 7 PM | Free
Waterfront fall festivities, music, and family fun

The Great Glass & Clay Pumpkin Patch | Morean Glass Studio | Oct 10, 12 PM | Free
Browse whimsical handmade glass and clay pumpkins

Spooky Island Market | St. Petersburg Distillery | Oct 10, 4 PM | Free-$56
Family-friendly Halloween market with dogs welcome

Revolution: The Music of the Beatles | Mahaffey Theater | Oct 10, 7:30 PM | $44+ 🎟️
Beatles hits performed with immersive visuals

Puzzle Panic at Pee-Pa’s Garage Craft Brewery | Pee-Pa's Garage Craft Brewery | Oct 11, 12-2 PM | $15 🎟️
Social 500-piece puzzle race and swap

Indie Flea | Campbell Park Recreation Center | Oct 11, 12 PM | Free
Local vendors, food pop-ups, skatepark, and DJs

Full list of events this weekend and in the coming months. Plus, local shows and concerts coming up.

Thanks so much for reading! As always, feel free to reply directly to this email to let me know how I did with today’s edition!

Stay Sunny,
Josh