Booogie by the Beach: Jurassic on the Isles takes over Pelican Community Park on Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24, from 7 to 10 p.m. But the day that decides who gets in comes earlier. The city lists October 22 as the last day to buy wristbands, and you need a wristband to enter. As of today, October 12, that leaves ten days, and most of the work is in the pickup, not the purchase.
This fall, the Sunny Isles Beach events closest to Acqualina run on advance purchase and in-person pickup. If you plan around the event nights, you'll find out too late. The deadlines below cover the season from Halloween through the Winter Fest park lighting.
Ten Days, Three Counters
You buy wristbands online through the city's registration portal, but buying online doesn't finish the job. The city's Booogie by the Beach page says wristbands "must be picked up in advance" at one of three city locations. Each one stops handing them out at a different hour on Thursday, October 22.
| Pickup location | Regular pickup hours | Final pickup |
|---|---|---|
| Pelican Community Park | Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m.; Sat 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun 8:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m., inside the gym office | Thursday, Oct. 22, 8:30 p.m. |
| Government Center | Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. | Thursday, Oct. 22, 5 p.m. |
| Gateway Center | Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m. | Thursday, Oct. 22, 4 p.m. |
The spread matters. Only Pelican Community Park, the venue itself, keeps evening and Sunday hours, so it's the only counter open to anyone who can't get there during a weekday. The other two close in the afternoon. The city's "final pick-up" times line up with the October 22 purchase deadline. That means the last few hours of Thursday are the last chance for every household that hasn't collected its wristbands yet.
The price depends on residency. Wristbands cost $10 per person per day for Resident ID cardholders and $50 per person per day for non-residents. For a family of four on one night, that's $40 at the resident rate against $200 at the non-resident rate. Attending both nights doubles each figure, since the price is charged per day. If you don't have a Resident ID card yet, the resident rate depends on having one before the October 22 cutoff.
What The Wristband Buys
The wristband is all-inclusive. The city says it gives "unlimited access to rides, attractions, live entertainment and the haunted house." This year's theme is prehistoric. The city describes Pelican Community Park transformed into "a dinosaur-filled Halloween adventure" with rides, a haunted house, treats, food and entertainment, and it encourages costumes. The listing tags the event for youth, teens, and adults and seniors alike.
The venue helps explain how the event is laid out. Pelican Community Park is the city's two-story community center, with classrooms, an indoor basketball gym that splits into two half courts, a 786-square-foot fitness center, baseball fields, two playground areas for different age groups, picnic tables and restrooms. That indoor gym has hosted the event before. In October 2024, the South Florida Sun Times reported in its preview that the haunted house was moving into the Pelican gym, alongside rides, games, crafts, a costume contest and food. The city's 2025 listing advertised carnival rides, food, live entertainment, festive treats and a haunted house, and it also required wristbands for entry. The wristband requirement isn't new this year. The dinosaurs are.
The park sits at 18115 North Bay Road. That's inland from Collins Avenue and, going by street numbers, a short distance north of Acqualina at 17875 Collins Avenue. The city's map tells pedestrians to use the sidewalks and cross at intersections. On a Halloween weekend night with Collins Avenue in the way, it's worth checking which intersection you'll actually use before you head out in costume.
The Bus Schedule Ends Before The Haunted House Does
The free City Bus runs three lines on a normal schedule:
- Orange Line #1: Monday through Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:35 p.m.
- Orange Line #2: Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:50 p.m.
- Blue Line: Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 3:50 p.m.
Pelican Community Park is Stop 17 on the regular system. Compare those hours with an event that starts at 7 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m. On both nights, the last regular Orange Line service ends within the first hour of Booogie, and the Blue Line doesn't run at all by then. Anyone who rides over and stays to the end would have no regular bus home.
That's why the city added a special route. The event page says the free City Bus "will run on a special event route" so riders can skip the parking. The page doesn't publish that route's stops or hours. For the late return to Collins Avenue, the city's bus page sends riders to the City Bus app and live tracker for stop locations and real-time arrivals. If you have questions before then, the event belongs to the city's Cultural & Community Services Department at 305.792.1706.
If you're driving, free event parking is available along Atlantic Boulevard and North Bay Road, in the Sunny Isles Beach Government Center's outdoor lot and in the NSE/SIB K-8 School parking garage.
The Same Rules Through November
Booogie is the first of several events this fall with the same setup. Every priced listing for the season ahead uses two price tiers, one for residents and one for non-residents.
Senior Halloween Party, Friday, October 30, noon to 2 p.m. This daytime event is at Gateway Center, 151 Sunny Isles Blvd. Admission is $10 for residents and $20 for non-residents. The non-resident price is twice the resident price here, a much smaller gap than the five-to-one difference at Booogie.
Veterans Day Celebration, Wednesday, November 11, 10 a.m. to noon. The ceremony is at Heritage Park, 19200 Collins Ave, further north along Collins. The city will honor veterans and reveal the 2026 additions to the Veterans Wall. The 2026 listing gives no price and makes no mention of wristbands, so check with the city before assuming how admission works.
Winter Fest 2026, Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22, 5:30 to 9 p.m. This is at Gateway Park, 151 Sunny Isles Blvd. The city's annual park lighting ceremony is on Saturday, with more entertainment on Sunday. Pricing is the same as Booogie: $10 per person per day for Resident ID cardholders and $50 for non-residents, with wristbands sold through the city's Winter Fest listing. Free event parking is in the Gateway Park Garage at the same address. If you'd like to see the park lighting, Saturday the 21st is the night that matters.
One caution for planning ahead: the city's older Holiday Lighting Celebration page still shows the 2025 event. Use the Winter Fest 2026 listing for this year's date and pricing. The city's Holiday Concert page also lists only a December 2025 date, so a 2026 concert isn't confirmed yet.
Put the season in order and the dates to remember come first: Thursday, October 22, for Booogie wristbands, then the weekend itself, then Gateway Center on October 30, Heritage Park on November 11 and the Gateway Park lighting on November 21. Pelican Community Park's gym office is open until 8:30 p.m. that Thursday, and it's the last counter to close.
If you're staying in an Acqualina residence for the season and want help planning around the city's fall calendar, from timing Resident ID paperwork to booking Booogie and Winter Fest nights for visiting family, Acqualina Rentals offers this as part of our on-site concierge service at 17895 Collins Avenue. Request a private viewing or owner consultation, and Adriana Vargas and the team will help you plan the season.
