"Due to the weather forecast for Saturday, Scarecrow Fest has been cancelled for this weekend and rescheduled for Saturday, Oct. 31." That's how the Citrus County Chronicle reported the change in a story updated October 9, 2026.
The new date puts Scarecrow Fest on the same Saturday the City already had booked for its monthly evening gathering downtown. The Kings Bay Rotary's Stone Crab Jam fills the next Saturday. One week after that, paddlers lose access to the inside of Three Sisters Springs. Stone crab season opens on October 15, and from that day to the November 14 paddling cutoff, Crystal River's fall calendar runs about four weeks.
October 15 Opens the Season
Florida's state-waters stone crab season opens October 15 and runs through May 1, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Closest to downtown is The Crab Plant at 201 NW 5th Street. It describes itself as a family-owned Crystal River business that catches local seafood and carries stone crabs. Its menu lists stone crab claws two ways, with butter or chilled with white mustard, and marks them as seasonal starting October 15. The menu has no year printed on it, so call ahead to confirm availability and pricing before you plan a dinner around the opening week.
The next evening, Friday, October 16, Crystal River Main Street hosts Art on the Avenue downtown from 4 to 8 p.m. The next one is Friday, November 20, also 4 to 8 p.m. Those two Fridays bookend the busy stretch, and the bigger Saturdays fall between them.
Halloween Becomes Downtown's Longest Day
Saturday Night in Town Square used to run on Fridays. Starting August 1, 2026, the City moved it to Saturdays, saying on its event page that it moved "due to popular demand." The hours and the format of live music, vendors and specials from downtown businesses stayed the same. The October edition is set for Saturday, October 31, from 5 to 9 p.m.
Scarecrow Fest now falls on the same date. The City lists the rescheduled festival for October 31 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It's free, it takes place downtown, and it includes costumes, games, vendors, food, live music, beer and wine, and fall photo spots. The City calls it a downtown tradition going back 35 years.
Together, the two events turn one Saturday into a nearly all-day downtown schedule:
| Time on Sat., Oct. 31 | What's scheduled | Run by |
|---|---|---|
| 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Scarecrow Fest | City of Crystal River |
| 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Two-hour gap | |
| 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Saturday Night in Town Square | City of Crystal River |
The City's calendar also shows a longer break after this. Following the October 31 date, the next Saturday Night in Town Square listed is January 2, 2027, and then the series runs monthly into fall 2027. No November or December edition appears on the City's page. That makes Halloween the last Saturday Night in Town Square of 2026, unless the City adds dates later.
The City asks people to follow its Facebook page for each month's business specials and added features. Check it during Halloween week, since this time the evening event follows a five-hour festival instead of standing alone.
One Week Later, the Crowd Moves to Bayside Old Crystal River
The downtown energy doesn't stop after Halloween. It moves a few blocks north. The 19th annual Stone Crab Jam is Saturday, November 7, at 610 North Citrus Avenue, which the organizers describe as bayside historic Old Crystal River. The City lists it as an open-street event presented by the Kings Bay Rotary Club Charitable Foundation, with proceeds going to area charities.
Scarecrow Fest and Town Square night are free. The Jam is ticketed, so here are the details to know first:
- Tickets. Advance adult tickets are $12.50, and tickets at the gate are $15 cash. Children 12 and under get in free.
- Parking. The 2026 listing mentions both free and paid parking near the event, plus free parking at Crystal River High School.
- Shuttle. A $2 shuttle runs from the high school to the festival.
- Hours. Both sources agree on a noon start. The City's listing runs to 10 p.m., while the organizer's 2026 listing says "Noon till 9PM." Neither listing gives a time for the last shuttle back to the high school, so check before you go.
The 2026 ticket page lists live music, food, food trucks, seafood and vendors, but doesn't name the bands yet. The festival's own site says five live bands. The City's listing mentions six. The exact lineup will likely come closer to the date.
Little has changed from last year. The 2025 Jam, held November 1, used the same address, the same advance and gate prices, the same parking terms near the event, the same free high school lot and the same $2 shuttle. If you went last year, the logistics will feel familiar. The main difference is the date. It's a week later this year and lands right after the busiest Saturday downtown has had all fall.
The timing works in the Jam's favor. It comes about three weeks into the October 15 stone crab season, when local claws have had time to reach menus.
The Water Closes Its Own Window
The festival dates are only part of the calendar. On the water, the City and U.S. Fish and Wildlife set rules that tighten through the same weeks.
The first change comes at Hunter Springs Park, 104 NE 1st Ave. The park keeps 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. hours through October 31. Then it switches to 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through March 31. Under the City's rule, the earlier closing starts November 1 or the day after daylight saving time ends, whichever is later. Clocks fall back on Sunday, November 1 this year, so by that rule the 5:30 p.m. closing would start Monday, November 2. In practice, the Stone Crab Jam weekend is the first with the shorter park day.
The bigger cutoff is at Three Sisters Springs. You can only reach the springs on the water by boat or paddlecraft from a Kings Bay launch. The City names two public kayak launches, Hunter Springs Park and King's Bay Park at 268 NW 3rd St. Motorized boats can't enter the springs. Paddlecraft can go inside each year from April 1 to November 14.
If that standing window holds this year, Saturday, November 14 is the last day of 2026 for a paddle into the springs. It falls the weekend after the Stone Crab Jam. The window could also close sooner. The City notes that USFWS can close in-water access to Three Sisters Springs when Gulf of Mexico water temperatures drop below 62.2 degrees Fahrenheit, and it points paddlers to the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Facebook page for temporary closures. In-water access runs sunrise to sunset when the springs are open.
Because the cutoffs and festivals overlap, the weekends depend on each other. Halloween is the last Saturday with the longer park hours. The Jam takes the next Saturday. Only one weekend remains before paddlecraft lose access to the springs, and that only holds if the Gulf stays warm enough.
What Changes After November 15
On November 15, manatee season starts. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Crystal River refuge page, Three Sisters Springs programs run daily from November 15 through March 31 and less often the rest of the year.
You can still visit the springs over the winter, but only by land. The City says the boardwalk is separate from in-water recreation and is not affected by USFWS in-water rules. It's open every day, but only through the City's services from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and daily admission fees apply. Once November 15 arrives, a morning at Three Sisters means a boardwalk ticket and a 3:30 p.m. exit rather than launching a kayak from Hunter Springs Park in the afternoon.
Downtown also slows down. The City's Saturday Night in Town Square calendar picks up again on January 2, 2027, while Art on the Avenue keeps its monthly Friday rhythm, with another evening listed for December 18. Stone crab season keeps going through May 1.
Tamara Myers follows Crystal River closely, including how big festival Saturdays like Halloween and the Stone Crab Jam affect Citrus Avenue and the blocks around Kings Bay. If you live near the bayside streets and wonder how that location affects what your home is worth today, Your Florida Realtor can help. Get Your Instant Home Valuation, then talk with Tamara about what she's seeing nearby.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
