Downtown Brooksville turns into a trick or treating route on Saturday, Oct. 24, when Brooksville Main Street hosts the Downtown Halloween Howl from 4 to 8 p.m. Admission is free and so is downtown parking.

The route runs through downtown businesses handing out sweets, with South Brooksville Avenue added for what organizers describe as a spookier neighborhood feel, a movie under the moonlight and double the candy. Costume contests run through the evening in categories for adults, children, pets, groups and scariest, with prizes awarded. There are also dance contests, sponsored by Lowman Law Firm, with categories for costume and dance combinations, movers under 12, and teens and adults. Country Depot sponsors hayrides through the historic streets.

Running alongside it is the Hernando County Sheriff's Office Safety Fun Fest, which brings out the county's first responders and their equipment. Families can get close to SWAT trucks, meet K-9 teams, and see the marine and aviation divisions and the agency's drones, with deputies, troopers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel on hand to talk with visitors.

Around the contests and the vehicles, the event fills in with music, arts and crafts vendors, face painting, food trucks and local nonprofits, and the downtown restaurants and shops stay open through the evening.

The Halloween Howl centers on 20 and 12 S. Main St. in historic downtown Brooksville. Costumes are encouraged, for people and pets alike, and there is no ticket to buy. Organizers point anyone looking for late details, including vendor information, to Brooksville Main Street's event page and Facebook.