A pumpkin-faced skull, an owl with feathers for days, and a pack of Silent Hill 3 nurses stalking the stage: this was Halloween, San Pedro style. Holiday Hotel and La Sanpedrana Restaurant on Ambergris Caye threw their annual Halloween bash on Saturday, October 24, under the theme 'Terror in Town,' and the island showed up in force.
The centrepiece was a costume competition with categories for just about every kind of costume you can imagine. Judged on creativity, presentation and humour, the contest handed out cash and some seriously good prizes sourced from local businesses across the island.
The big winner was an owl costume, which took Most Creative along with $1,000 in cash and a Blue Hole tour for two from dive operator Amigos Del Mar. Pumpkin Waiter claimed Scariest and two round-trip tickets on Tropic Air between Belize Municipal Airport and San Pedro — a genuinely useful prize for anyone hopping between the mainland and the cayes. The Silent Hill 3 nurses won Best Group, scoring a sailing trip for 12 from Xsite Sailing Belize, four cases of Belikin beer, and a deli voucher.
Other categories ranged from the conventional to the cheeky. A Princess costume won Most Elegant, a Phoenix act took Best Onstage Performance plus an overnight stay at Corona Del Mar, and a pumpkin skull face mask earned Best Makeup. There were also prizes for Crowd's Favorite, Manager's Favorite, Lisa's Favorite, Funniest, Sexiest (Cookie Monster, naturally) and even Best Clown.
The judging panel added some local star power: reigning Miss San Pedro Elizabeth Grace Sanchez, former titleholder Grace Brown (Miss San Pedro 2021), and long-time master of ceremonies Eiden Salazar, who has held the mic at this event for over a decade. DJs Jash, Chabo and Dev kept the music going through the night.
What makes this worth a traveller's attention is what it says about San Pedro beyond the beach bars and reef trips. This is a town with a real calendar of community events, and Halloween has become one of its signature nights. The sponsor list alone — sailing charters, dive shops, restaurants, gyms and the local cable company — doubles as a handy who's-who of Ambergris Caye businesses. If you find yourself on the island in late October, it's the kind of party where showing up in costume gets you free drinks vouchers and possibly a flight credit.
Organisers spent months putting the night together, and it shows in the prize haul: sunset sails, hotel stays, island lunches and gym memberships all in the mix. For anyone weighing a shoulder-season Caribbean escape, late October in San Pedro now comes with a strong argument — warm weather, quieter beaches, and a Halloween party with a decade-plus reputation. Credit: San Pedro Sun
