Halloween festivities will begin, and Statesboro’s bar scenes have something for everyone.

Retriever’s, Rude Rudy’s and Rum Runners are putting on their first unified Halloween event called Haunted Plaza on Oct. 31.

“The fire code says we can sell up to 3,000 tickets, and I expect it to sell out,” Nathan Queen, operating manager for Retriever’s, said.

The Haunted Plaza event will have a live band perform and large quantities of monetary prizes during the event, Queen said.

“The stage we’re using is the same one used at the Luke Bryan concert,” Queen said. “People can win Victoria Secret gift cards, free t-shirts and cash prizes.”

The traditional Halloween costume contest that the bars usually have individually will be combined into one contest for bigger prizes, Queen said.

Costume contest first place winners will receive a free Spring Break cruise for two, second place will win a 50-inch flat screen television and third and fourth place will win $250, Queen said.

“Last year and in years past people had to do the bar hopping scene and pay $10 or more to get in, but this year we combined it so everyone can come in at the same time,” Queen said.

There is a surprise that may have everyone a little richer by the time they walk out, but that information won’t be released until Monday, Queen said.

The price for a ticket is $20.

“Last year tickets to get into each bar were ten dollars. It is usually ten dollars to get into each place (Retrivers, Rum Runners and Rude Rudys) on Halloween, so you save ten dollars. Now, with all of our door prizes and costume prizes and the big surprise, the total for what we have spent on cash and prizes is up 7,800,” Queen said.

Bars and restaurants in downtown Statesboro also predict a packed house and crowded streets with the Rocky Horror production at the Averitt Center, Scare on the Square and the community “Thriller” dance.

40 East Grill on East Main Street expects a big turn out during the evenings when the Rocky Horror production comes out and during the Scare on the Square, Stephen Maenpaa, 40 East Grill manager, said.

“The activities start on Thursday, and we’ll be selling food and beer outside by the sidewalk,” Maenpaa said.

Also on Saturday, Gnat’s Landing will be throwing a Halloween party with door prizes and live music from Those Cats and Ben Worthy, an employee at Gnat’s said.

“We are giving away a jaiger machine. It’s a three-hundred dollar machine. It serves three bottles of Jaigermeister at zero degrees, and we’re going to have other door prizes,” Worthy said.

The bars this weekend will be packed with people dressed up to have fun, Queen said.

Queen said, “You go out on Halloween to have a good time, and I came to Georgia Southern because this college town lets me do that.”