Get Some Pumpkins

Saturday, October 5th starts the Pumpkin Patch season! Head over to Coronado United Methodist Church and get some pumpkins. They are staffed Sunday - Thursday from 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm and Saturdays from 10:00 am - 6:00 pm. The Church is located at 201 S. Peninsula in NSB. 

The First United Methodist Church in Port Orange, also has a pumpkin patch starting Friday. They are open  Sunday through Friday from 12:00 noon until 8:00 pm and Saturday's from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. The church is  located at 305 Dunlawton Ave. 

Halloween Parade On Canal Street

I promise I will be done with Halloween soon......the 35th annual Halloween parade will be held at 4pm this Saturday at Orange Avenue and Canal Street, New Smyrna Beach.

Costume judging will be held at the Chamber of Commerce parking lot. Trick or treating will be held all along Canal Street. If you are a non profit or a service group and you want to hand out candy please do so in any available space along the route!!

For more information, call (386) 424-2175

2nd Annual Black Cat Ball Charity Raffle

This is a great cause and great fun. The 2nd Annual Black Cat Ball will be held this Friday Night at the Om Bar. Part of this is the Charity Raffle:

The OM Bar in association with No Pet Left Behind and local veterinary hospitals Beachwood Animal Hospital, Glencoe Veterinary Hospital and Val-U-Vet; is helping to raise money for the NSB Beachside Feral Cat TNR Fund. (Trap-Neuter-Return or TNR is the humane approach to feral cat control and the only proven method to reduce feral cat overpopulation. We work with local residents and assist in safely trapping and fixing feral cats, as well as providing for their basic medical needs (including vaccinations) and returning them to the same location where they were trapped.
Since feral cats are wild and generally not able to be socialized, these animals are not adoptable and will be euthanized if taken to a shelter. These cats do not have to be put to death. Stopping the cat’s breeding cycle is the humane and effective way to manage a feral population.

There are TWO WAYS TO HELP

1) Black Cat Ball Charity Raffle: Make a donation of $5 per ticket for a raffle to win a NEW Scooter from Solcat Scooters. Drawing held at Midnight on October 31 at the OM Bar, 392 Flagler Avenue, New Smyrna Beach. Winner need not be present to win.

2) Save a Cat Program: Make a donation of $70 and save 1 cat . Your donation provides for the spay/neuter, FIV/Feline Leukemia testing, vaccination, tagging of one cat, start to finish. As a thank you for your gift of $70 you will receive 1 raffle ticket AND your choice of a souvenir T-shirt or a gift basket donated by Frontline/Heartgard. 100% of the raffle proceeds go to the fund. The money does not go to a national charity but stays Beachside. Last year we raised enough money to TNR 25 cats Beachside. This year our goal is to double that number.

You can stop by the OM Bar on Flagler Ave anytime this week to purchase a raffle ticket or make a donation!

Halloween Parade

The 34th Annual Halloween Parade will be held this Friday at 4pm on Canal Street. It begins at the Orange Ave Parking lot and proceeds down Canal Street to the Chamber of Commerce parking lot. A costume contest will be held immediately following the parade. Only original homemade, costumes will be judged. All age groups through adult can participate!

More Fall Festivals

A few more ideas for Fall fun! The First Baptist Church of New Smyrna will hold a Harvest Festival for all toddlers thru 5th grade on October 31st from 5-7pm at the Family Live Center at 200 Faulkner St.

The Silver Sands Bridle Club Fall Festival is on Friday, October 24th and Saturday, October 25th from 6-10pm. They are located at 625 Tomoka Farms Rd in New Smyrna Beach.

The Great Pumpkin Patch is located in front of the Home Depot on State Rd 44 in New Smyrna, they are open from 10-6 on Mon-Thu and 9-9 on Friday and Saturday, Sunday 1-7. Lots of activities and fall fun.

Fall Festivals

Coronado United Methodist Church is having their annual Fall Festival this Saturday, October 18th from 11am-3pm. The Pumpkin Patch is open and there will be plenty of food games and fun for the kids. They are located at Peninsula and Flagler, beachside New Smyrna Beach.

Crossroads Community Church is holding their Fall Festival on Friday, October 31st from 5pm-9pm. They have a ton of information on their website. They are located at 3838 State Rd 44 in New Smyrna Beach.

Pumpkins and more pumpkins....the pumpkin patch is open at both Edgewater Methodist Church and Coronado United Methodist Church. So....go get a pumpkin. Check back for a complete list of local Fall Festivals

Happy Halloween

Have a safe and happy time with your little trick or treaters!!!

Halloween Candy

This is a fun recipe to make with your kids for Halloween, don't be afraid to get sticky!!!!

Candy Apple Recipe



Wooden sticks
6 Fuji or Granny Smith apples
1 bag candy corn
1 bag licorice bits
1 1/2 cups water
4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/8 cups corn syrup
3/4 teaspoon red food coloring


Clean apples. Place a wooden stick in the center of the apple. Set aside. Place the candy corn and licorice in separate bowls.

Place the water, sugar, and corn syrup in a clean 3-quart saucepot. Stir to form wet sand.
Place on medium flame until the sugar boils; at that point increase the heat to high. Occasionally, wash sides of pot with cold water and a brush, if needed, to prevent crystallization. Cook on high heat to 283 degrees F. Add red food coloring and swirl around in the pot; do not stir. Continue to cook to 300 degrees F. Remove from the heat and let rest for 3 minutes.

Dip the apple on an angle, rotating the apple clockwise, to coat the apple. Immediately roll the apple in candy corn or licorice. Set aside to cool.