Halloween in Sunny Isles Beach has a new species this year. The city's annual Booogie by the Beach returns to Pelican Community Park on North Bay Road on Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24, from 7 to 10 p.m., and this edition is themed Jurassic on the Isles: a dinosaur-flavored night of rides, a haunted house, treats, food and live entertainment for the whole family.

What the wristband gets you

Booogie works on a single all-inclusive wristband rather than tickets for each ride. One band covers unlimited rides and attractions, the live entertainment and the haunted house for that night. For holders of the city's Resident ID card, a band costs $10 per person, per day. Everyone else pays $50 per person, per day. A family of four with resident cards can do a full night for $40, which is less than a single non-resident pays for two people.

The city is clear that costumes are encouraged, and the dinosaur theme gives kids (and adults who have been waiting for an excuse) an easy direction. Think inflatable T. rex suits, paleontologist vests and safari hats, or a homemade stegosaurus tail made from a pool noodle and some craft foam.

The date that matters is Oct. 22, not Oct. 23

This is the part that is easy to miss. Wristbands are sold online only, through the city's recreation registration site, and online sales close on Thursday, Oct. 22. Buying is only half the job: the band then has to be picked up in person ahead of time, which keeps the gate moving on event night. There are three pickup desks, and each has its own last call on Oct. 22.

At Pelican Community Park, pickup is inside the gym office, open 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on weekdays and Sundays and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays, with the final window closing at 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 22. The Government Center at 18070 Collins Avenue hands out bands from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, through 5 p.m. on Oct. 22. Gateway Center at 151 Sunny Isles Boulevard runs pickup from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays, with a final pickup at 4 p.m. on Oct. 22. If you live near the bay side, Pelican's evening hours are the easiest fit after work.

If you do not have a Resident ID yet, start now

The $40 gap between the resident and non-resident price is reason enough to get the card, and the card itself is free. The city's Resident ID page lists what to bring: a government photo ID, a current deed (owners) or a lease of at least a year (renters, who also need a letter from their condo or management office), plus two proofs of address such as a recent utility bill or a credit card statement from the last three months. Mobile phone bills do not count, and every address has to match.

The timing is tight. The city says approval can take 7 to 10 business days, and there are eight business days between Tuesday and the Oct. 22 wristband deadline. Apply online or at any of the three city facilities right away, and if you are cutting it close, call the Cultural and Community Services Department at 305.792.1706 before you buy. The card keeps paying off after Halloween, too: it brings free fishing on the Newport Pier, free court time at Intracoastal Sports Park, early registration for city programs and discounts at city events.

Parking and getting there

Pelican Community Park sits at 18115 North Bay Road, behind the Collins Avenue towers on the bay side of town. The city calls it a center for activity and community life, and on a Booogie night the blocks around it fill fast. The city has opened free event parking along Atlantic Boulevard and North Bay Road, in the outside lot at the Government Center and in the parking garage at the NSE/SIB K-8 school. A free City Bus also runs a special event route both nights, which is the smartest choice for anyone in a Collins Avenue building who would rather not circle for a spot.

Already on the calendar: a first for Gateway Park

Once the dinosaurs clear out, the next big date in a Sunny Isles Beach park is one that has never happened before. AM YISRAEL LIVE!, a new Jewish arts and music festival, is set for Sunday, Jan. 24, 2027, from noon to 6 p.m. at Gateway Park, the five-acre park at 151 Sunny Isles Boulevard with a performing arts stage, butterfly garden and splash play area, according to the city's parks directory. The festival is presented by The Greenwald Family Impact Foundation with the Jewish Shield Action Alliance as co-sponsor, and its announcement promises six hours of Israeli, Jewish and contemporary music, art, kosher food and family activities. Headliners have not been named yet; general admission and VIP tickets are on sale through the organizer's event page.

How to do Booogie right

Buy bands online this week, pick them up at whichever desk is on your daily route, and pick your night: Friday tends to suit families with school-age kids who want to sleep in Saturday, while Saturday gives everyone a full day to finish the costume. Take the City Bus or park on Atlantic Boulevard, arrive near 7 p.m. to get the haunted house in before the line builds, and dress the little ones as something with a long tail. It is a dinosaur year, after all.