Lakeland’s annual witchy night out · 21 and over
Eight bars. One card. One night.
Start at Molly McHugh's, work your way around three blocks, and get the card stamped at every stop. Costumes are the whole point. Finish the card and you are in the drawing.
Saturday, October 3, 2026 — costume contest from 6:45 PM at Molly McHugh’s, crawl from 7:30 PM, cards in the cauldron by 11:00 PM.
The cauldron goes on in
Kickoff 6:30 PM at Molly McHugh’s · Add to calendar
Are you coming?
Tell the bars roughly how many to expect and we will text you the card pickup spot and any last-minute changes. Takes fifteen seconds and costs nothing.
- Optional text reminder the morning of, and again at kickoff
- First word on the prize list as donations land
- No ticket, no wristband — this is just a headcount
- Tick the sponsor box and your card counts as two entries, not one
You can also just show up. Nobody checks a list at the door.
How the night runs
Only two things are scheduled: card pickup and the costume contest, both at Molly McHugh’s. After that the night is yours — walk the stops in any order.
Card pickup and costume contest sign-ups open at the table in front of Molly McHugh’s.
Kickoff at Molly McHugh’s.
Costume contest. Sign-ups close as it starts.
Everyone released to crawl. Seven stops, any order, five stamps needed.
Cards go into the cauldron at Molly McHugh’s. Nothing counts after this.
Drawing at 6:00 PM. Video posted to the event page, winner emailed.
The route
Eight stops inside a few downtown blocks — walking the lot is about 0.3 miles. Everyone starts at Molly McHugh’s for card pickup and the costume contest; once everyone is released at 7:30 the order is yours. Five of the eight gets you into the drawing.
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Molly McHugh's Irish Pub
111 S Kentucky Ave · (863) 686-6231 · Website
The anchor. Card pickup, the costume contest and the cauldron your finished card goes into are all here.
- Card pickup from the table out front, from 5:45 PM
- Costume contest sign-ups until 6:45 PM
- Costume contest 6:45 PM
- Cards go in the cauldron here by 11:00 PM
- Live music — to be confirmed
- Food from Bedrock Wings can be ordered and brought here, 5–8 PM
Pick up your card here. After that, walk the stops in any order you like.
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The Chop Shop
118 S Kentucky Ave · (863) 603-4040 · Website
Burgers and a proper bar, directly across Kentucky Ave from the kickoff. Twenty years downtown and a good place to line your stomach early.
- Specials to be confirmed
Across the street from Molly McHugh’s.
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The Velvet Swan
125 S Kentucky Ave · (863) 638-6888 · Website
Cocktail bar a few doors south on the same block. Table service, so grab a seat if you want a breather.
- Specials to be confirmed
About 1 minute from Molly McHugh's — same side of Kentucky Ave.
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Smith's American Tavern
124 S Tennessee Ave · (863) 510-5723 · Website
Tavern in a converted bank building, one block west. Full kitchen if the group needs food.
- Specials to be confirmed
About 2 minutes west, across Munn Park.
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Mojo Federal Swine & Spirits
130 S Tennessee Ave · (863) 937-4226 · Website
Barbecue and a long bar, directly next door to Smith's. The obvious place to eat something halfway through.
- Specials to be confirmed
Next door. Under a minute.
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Vasco Sixty-One
215 E Main St — rooftop, above Nineteen61 · (863) 688-1961 · Website
Rooftop cocktail bar looking over downtown. Use the side entrance to the left of the Nineteen61 door, then the elevator.
- Specials to be confirmed
About 2 minutes back east along Main St.
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Linksters Tap Room
209 E Main St · (863) 683-7195 · Website
Neighbourhood tap room with a wall of TVs, a few doors along from Vasco. Easy, unfussy stop.
- Drink specials
- Jello shots
- Donating a raffle basket
Under a minute — same block as Vasco Sixty-One.
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Rec Room
202 N Massachusetts Ave · (863) 213-4073 · Website
Arcade cabinets and duckpin bowling. Last stamp on the loop and the easiest place to lose an hour.
- Specials to be confirmed
About 3 minutes north — the longest walk of the night.
Parking: the Main Street garage a block east is free on weekends. Rideshare pickup works best on Kentucky Ave rather than Main.
The Incantation Card
Free, no ticket, no wristband. Pick one up from the table in front of Molly McHugh’s, get a stamp or a staff initial at five of the eight stops, and drop it in the cauldron at Molly’s before 11:00 PM.
How it works
From the table in front of Molly McHugh’s, from 5:45 PM. Free. Put your name, phone and email on it so a winner can be reached.
Any five of the eight stops. Staff either stamp the circle or initial it. You can walk them in whatever order suits you.
Back to Molly McHugh’s and into the cauldron by 11:00 PM. A card that does not make it into the cauldron does not go in the drawing.
A finished card is one entry in the drawing. Fill in the Nymble panel on the back and that single entry becomes two — not two on top of your one, two in total.
Record yourself saying the incantation, post it to the Cauldron Crawl event page, and show the post at Molly’s when you drop your card in. One bonus entry per person.
Eye of Newt & Dragons Fire
Witchy Drinks & Dark Desire
Five stops down, my magic spun
Cauldron Crawl · My spell is done!
Costume contest & prizes
At Molly McHugh’s, before the crawl starts. Free to enter, and you do not need a card. Sign-ups open at 5:45 PM at the table out front and close at 6:45 PM.
Categories
- Most Creative
- Witchy Glam
- Creepiest
- Best Group or Duo
- Best Warlock, Wizard or Witchy Gent
Judges to be confirmed. 21 and over with valid ID. Nothing that blocks a doorway, and no real or replica weapons.
Prize drawing
Drawn on Monday 5 October at 6:00 PM, from the cards in the cauldron. A video of the draw goes up on the event page, and the winner is emailed from [email protected]. You do not need to be there to win.
Local businesses chipping in
The people putting this on and paying for the prize table. The donor list is still growing — drop prizes with Joe at Molly McHugh’s by 27 September, with your business name or a card attached.
Uncaged by Angie Brening Photography
Founder, sponsor and coordinator
Started the Cauldron Crawl in 2021. Buys the merch for the prize table and pays for printing the Incantation Cards.
Bedrock Wings of Lakeland
127 S Kentucky Ave — food, not a stamp stop
Order by QR code between 5 and 8 PM and carry it round to Molly McHugh’s. The only kitchen downtown still open late on a Saturday — they run to 1 AM. Donating three $25 gift cards to the prize table.
Nymble Insurance
Independent insurance agency, Tampa FL
Event sponsor. Home, auto, flood, boat, golf cart and business cover across all 67 Florida counties. A card with five stamps is one entry in the drawing; fill in the Nymble panel on the back and that one entry becomes two.
Nymble Digital
Websites and digital for local business
Built and hosts this site, and Molly McHugh’s.
Holy Grail Tattoo
121 E Alamo Dr
Prize donation to be confirmed. Not a stamp stop — they are south of downtown.
Shamrock Showdown Trivia
Molly McHugh's, Wednesdays at 8:00 PM
Their regular weekly trivia night, not part of the crawl — the crawl is a Saturday. Worth knowing about if you like the room.
Prize donations from
Every stop on the crawl is chipping in too.
- Cookies by Kayle
- Cruise Crawler
- Drone Elevations
- Krazy Kombucha
- Liv.to.Illustrate
- Magiscapes by Meesha
- White's Nursery
- Wreaths and Swag by Lorean
- Wyld Earth n Co
Businesses that want to donate a prize or have a table: email [email protected].
Eight bars, one night
Every one of these is a locally owned Lakeland business that agreed to stamp cards and run specials for the night. Give them your money.
Proud event sponsor
Double your entries
A finished Incantation Card is one entry in the drawing. Fill in the sponsor panel — here, or on the back of the card with a sticky pen at Molly’s — and it counts as two. Nymble is an independent agency, so they shop multiple carriers and come back with a comparison instead of a single price.
- Takes about a minute
- Your one card entry becomes two — two in total, not two extra
- No obligation, and nothing is bound until you say so in writing
- Florida only, for now
Questions
Do I need a ticket?
No. The crawl is free to join and the Incantation Card is free from the table in front of Molly McHugh's. You pay for your own drinks.
Is it 21 and over?
Yes. Every stop is a bar and every stop will check ID.
Do I have to hit all eight bars?
No. Five of the eight is enough to enter the drawing, and you can pick whichever five suit you.
Where does it start?
Molly McHugh's, 111 S Kentucky Ave. Everyone starts there — it is the only place to pick up an Incantation Card, it is where costume contest sign-ups happen, and it is where your card goes back in at the end. Once everyone is released at 7:30 you can walk the other six stops in any order.
Where do I park?
The Main Street garage a block east of Munn Park is free on weekends. Street parking downtown is usually open in the evening.
How do I get home?
Walk, or get a rideshare. Pickup is easier on Kentucky Ave than on Main. Please do not drive.
What happens if it rains?
Most of the route is indoors. Rooftop seating at Vasco Sixty-One may close; the rest of the night runs as planned.
Is the route accessible?
The sidewalks downtown are flat and continuous. Vasco Sixty-One is reached by elevator. Individual bars vary — call ahead if you need specifics.
Do I have to do the insurance quote?
No. A card with five stamps enters you either way. A finished card counts as one entry; filling in the Nymble panel on the back raises it to two in total, not two extra, and there is a free bonus entry that has nothing to do with insurance — record yourself saying the incantation, post it to the event page and show it at Molly's.
Who is running this?
Uncaged by Angie Brening Photography founded the crawl in 2021 and coordinates it. The eight bars host it and Nymble Insurance sponsors it. Contact details are in the footer.