GULF SHORES, Ala. — Costumed runners, candy-tossing parade walkers and a beach fun run with monsters along the route will take over the heart of Gulf Shores on Saturday, Oct. 17, when the city’s Haunted Hustle returns to Gulf Place Town Green and the Public Beach.
The City of Gulf Shores event combines three races and a Halloween street-party atmosphere in one evening: the Wicked Walk Costume Parade, the Monster Mash Dash fun run on the sand and the Haunted Hustle 5K Walk/Run. Proceeds benefit the Dolphin Foundation for Education and Arts.
For anyone planning to sign up for the 5K, timing matters: the early registration price of $30 is good through Wednesday, Sept. 30, and increases after that.
Haunted Hustle at a glance
- What: Haunted Hustle 5K Walk/Run, Monster Mash Dash and Wicked Walk Costume Parade
- When: Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, starting at 6 p.m.
- Where: Gulf Place Town Green and Public Beach, 101 Gulf Shores Parkway
- Beneficiary: Dolphin Foundation for Education and Arts
- Extras: Music, face painting, balloon artists, candy stations, and beer, wine and refreshments sold by the Dolphin Foundation
- Questions: Gulf Shores Recreation, 251-968-4420 or [email protected]
The schedule
6 p.m.: Wicked Walk Costume Parade
The evening opens with the Wicked Walk, a festive walking parade around the Town Green. Participants dressed as witches, ghouls, goblins and anything else they can dream up will throw beads and candy to spectators along the route. Strollers and wagons are welcome, making the parade an easy way for families with young children to take part. Registration is $15.
6:30 p.m.: Monster Mash Dash
The Monster Mash Dash begins promptly at 6:30 p.m. on the sand. The beach fun run features monsters stationed along the route, and every finisher receives a participation medal. Registration is $20.
7 p.m.: Haunted Hustle 5K Walk/Run
The main event starts promptly at 7 p.m. in front of Gulf Place Town Green. Runners and walkers are encouraged to wear their best Halloween costumes. Registration is $30 through Sept. 30. The price for the Monster Mash Dash and the Wicked Walk holds through Oct. 16, according to the race’s online registration page.
All registered participants in the parade, the fun run and the 5K receive a goodie bag and an event shirt.
Awards and age groups
The 5K is chip-timed, and the city has laid out awards for both runners and walkers:
- 5K runners: Awards go to the top three finishers of each gender in each age group, along with Masters, Grand Masters and Senior Grand Masters divisions.
- 5K walkers: Awards go to the top male and female walkers in 10-year age increments.
- Monster Mash Dash: Every finisher receives a participation medal.
Age groups for the 5K run are 14 and under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74 and 75 and older.
Packet pickup
Participants can collect race packets ahead of time or on race day:
- Thursday, Oct. 15: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Bodenhamer Recreation Center
- Friday, Oct. 16: 4 to 7 p.m. at Big Beach Brewery
- Saturday, Oct. 17: 4 to 6 p.m. at the Town Green
Candy, music and more on the Town Green
The Haunted Hustle is as much a community Halloween party as it is a race. Music, face painting and balloon artists will be on hand, and a long list of local businesses and city departments will be passing out candy, including:
- TCBY
- Wheeles Karate
- Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Tourism
- The City Store
- Gulf Shores Athletics
- The Gulf Shores Police Department
- The Ice Cream Truck
The Dolphin Foundation for Education and Arts will sell beer, wine and refreshments on site, with the proceeds supporting its work.
Who benefits
The Dolphin Foundation for Education and Arts is a Gulf Shores nonprofit that raises money to support education and the arts in the community. The foundation shares its name with the Dolphins, the mascot of Gulf Shores High School.
Gulf Shores has made local schools a civic priority in recent years. Gulf Shores City Schools began operating on June 1, 2019, becoming the first district to separate from the Baldwin County school system. The district includes Gulf Shores Elementary School, Gulf Shores Middle School and Gulf Shores High School, and community fundraisers such as the Haunted Hustle help supplement programs for students.
The Town Green setting
Gulf Place Town Green sits at 101 Gulf Shores Parkway, steps from the Gulf Place public beach where Highway 59 meets the Gulf of Mexico. The green has become one of the city’s main gathering spots, hosting concerts, holiday events and community celebrations throughout the year, and it puts the Haunted Hustle within walking distance of beachfront restaurants and shops.
Because the event starts in the early evening, the 5K will get underway after sunset in mid-October, giving the race a true Halloween-night feel. Participants should plan for parking in a busy area; the beachfront lots around Gulf Place are among the most heavily used in the city.
A busy October in Gulf Shores
The Haunted Hustle arrives the weekend after the 53rd National Shrimp Festival, which fills the Gulf Shores Public Beach Oct. 8-11, and it rounds out a month of fall events along the Alabama Gulf Coast. For local families, the Wicked Walk and Monster Mash Dash offer an early chance to show off Halloween costumes two weeks before trick-or-treat night, while the 5K gives runners a chance to race at the beach as temperatures begin to cool.
How to register
Registration is available online through the City of Gulf Shores event page, which links to the race’s RunSignUp registration. For more information, contact Gulf Shores Recreation at 251-968-4420 or [email protected].