The pirates have already started hiding treasure around Boynton Beach, and the weekend they are leading up to is the city's biggest party of the fall. Boynton Beach Pirate Fest takes over downtown on Halloween weekend, Saturday, Oct. 31 and Sunday, Nov. 1, at Centennial Park and Amphitheater, 120 E. Ocean Ave., and admission is free.

Before that, there is a citywide game going on that most residents have not heard about yet. Every Monday in October, the city hides a Pirate Fest treasure chest somewhere in Boynton Beach and drops a clue at 10 a.m. on social media. The first hunt went out Oct. 5. Three more are coming: Oct. 12, Oct. 19 and Oct. 26.

How the treasure hunt works

The rules, laid out on the city's treasure hunt page, are simple enough for a family to play together:

  • Follow both accounts: the city posts everything on @cityofboyntonbeach and @bbpiratefest, including the clues, the prizes and any updates.
  • Watch for the Monday post: at 10 a.m. a carousel and Stories go up with that week's riddle, and swiping through shows the prize waiting for whoever gets there first.
  • Solve it and go: work out where the pirates stashed the chest, find it, then follow the instructions inside to claim the prize.

The city has posted a photo of the chest so hunters know exactly what they are looking for. It is a small thing, but it turns the whole month into a reason to explore corners of town you might drive past every day, and it gives kids something to talk about on the way to school on a Monday morning.

What happens on festival weekend

Pirate Fest fills the blocks around City Hall and the amphitheater with a full program of costumed chaos. According to the city's Know Before You Go guide, the weekend includes live entertainment on multiple stages, a mermaid meet and greet, pirate encampments, sword fighting, archery, axe throwing, a parade, a costume contest, children's activities and food vendors. There is also a haunted trail, which makes Saturday night the one for older kids and adults who like a scare.

The hours are different each day. Saturday, Oct. 31, runs from noon to 10 p.m., so a family can do the daytime pirate program and still get home for trick or treating, or make the festival the trick or treating. Sunday, Nov. 1, is shorter, from noon to 6 p.m., which makes it a good fit for strollers and little ones. The city's schedule page posts the entertainment lineup by stage for both days and notes that times can change, so check it the morning you go.

Parking, shuttles and road closures

The smartest move is to not park downtown at all. The city is offering free parking at four community lots: the Hester Community Center, the Carolyn Sims Center, Dewey Park and the Boynton Beach Senior Center. Free shuttles run from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on two loops, one connecting Hester, Sims and City Hall, the other connecting the Senior Center, Dewey Park and City Hall. Every shuttle is ADA accessible, and 20 ADA spaces are set aside in the K-Pock lot, along with accessible parking in the designated event lots.

Residents and anyone who works downtown should note the road closures, which start well before the party does. Full closures begin Thursday, Oct. 29, at 7 a.m. on E. Ocean Avenue, SE 1st Avenue and NE 1st Street, so plan around them for the end of that week if your commute or errands run through downtown.

A downtown tradition with a Halloween twist

Pirate Fest is one of the City of Boynton Beach's signature events, organized by the city itself, and landing it on Halloween weekend gives it a double purpose. Costumes are not just allowed, they are the point, which means one outfit covers the festival, the costume contest and the neighborhood candy run.

For questions, the city's events team can be reached at [email protected] or 561-742-6024.

Why it is worth your weekend

Plenty of South Florida cities throw a Halloween event. Few hand residents a month of treasure hunting first, then close down the heart of downtown for two days of cannons, mermaids and sword fights and charge nothing to get in. If you live in Boynton Beach, the move is simple: follow the two accounts before 10 a.m. next Monday, get the kids hunting, and pick your costume with Oct. 31 at Centennial Park in mind.