Tricks and treats are in season and as always, Busch Gardens in Tampa stands ready to deliver. Howl-O-Scream, the theme park's annual celebration of all things scary, keeps pace with hair-raising excitement designed to punctuate the darkness with our screams and warm up the night with our chills.

I've been to Howl-O-Scream many times over the years, and while the theme always changes, one thing is always the same: If you're cool with being frightened, you're sure to have fun.

Howl-O-Scream is not for little kids, or the faint of heart, or a Busch Gardens first-timer who's not searching for one of the scariest nights of her life. It is for the adventurous thrill-seeker looking for a great night full of fright. This year's theme is a timely and interesting twist.

Busch Gardens keeps the tradition of framing the attraction's activities around one theme with this year's House of Vayne storyline. An agency of deranged fashion models, led by the bloodcurdling Ms. Vayne, play host to seven different haunted houses, scare zones and rides in the effort to prove that being scared never goes out of style.  

Busch Gardens remains a family-friendly theme park during the day but over the course of 17 select days, beginning Oct. 1, the park closes at dusk and reopens at 7:30 p.m. for Howl-O-Scream. A separately ticketed, adults-only event, it costs $69.95 to enter the gates of no return. But, scoring tickets may be the least frightening part of being a part of the action. Great discounts can be found in advance purchases for annual pass holders and residents. And, of course, here in Florida we're extending our Southern hospitality to our guests as well. Out-of-state visitors can find promotional savings at Domino's Pizza and Applebee's Restaurants once you get to the Sunshine State. A discounted sneak preview next weekend promises prices as low as $29.95 -- and even lower for annual pass holders.   

Remember, the only costumes allowed are the ones being worn by the professionals who work at the park. This is a super smart move that keeps all tricks scary -- but definitely safe.The event runs every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night during October and stays open as late as 2 a.m.on Saturdays. The hours vary based on the day. Full details are available on the event's website.

Wishing you a fun time where every trick ends with a treat!