Selby Gardens cancels 'Lights at Spooky Point' at Spanish Point

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens downtown and Selby’s Spanish Point campus in Osprey were closed by Hurricane Milton and are reopening in phases. 

The annual Halloween-themed “Lights at Spooky Point” at Spanish Point, originally scheduled from Oct. 9-31, is canceled.

On Oct. 14, Selby President and CEO Jennifer Rominiecki said in an email that the downtown campus will reopen in phases, with the Green Orchid restaurant reopening on Oct. 15. 

Selby's annual orchid show, which is named “Purple!” this year, will reopen again on Thursday, Oct. 17.

During Hurricane Milton, 20% of Selby’s new solar panels came down and were damaged. They are part of a solar array that made the Green Orchid the first energy net-positive restaurant in the world when it went live in May.

New buildings and historic structures at Selby’s downtown campus are in good condition, according to an initial report by Romniecki.

In January, Selby opened phase one of its master plan expansion, adding 188,000 square feet of state-of-the-art facilities, a parking garage and a welcome center.

One of Selby’s oldest buildings is Selby House, the residence that benefactor Marie Selby and her husband built in the early 1920s. It wasn't harmed.

There are numerous downed trees at Selby, but not its Bunya Bunya, banyans or Moreton Bay Fig.

Glass was broken in Selby’s conservatory and greenhouses, but the structures are still intact and Selby’s plant collections are unharmed.

Since its formation in 1973, Selby has housed the largest scientifically documented collection of living orchids in the world. 

In Osprey at Spanish Point’s 33-acre campus, there are 20 trees blocking access to paths.

Cock’s Footbridge has suffered major damage, but all historic structures are in good shape, except a chimney at White Cottage, which came down during the storm.

Nevertheless, the damage at Spanish Point is severe enough to warrant the cancellation of “Lights at Spooky Point.”