Ghosts and goblins, skeletons and scarecrows are making their annual return to Lakes Park, thanks to volunteers from Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille. Team members from the Fort Myers Beach restaurant recently helped park employees decorate for Halloween, transforming the mile-long train route from delightful to spine-tingling frightful.
The labor-intensive process begins two months before the park’s annual Fall Festival and Halloween Express. Nine employees spent three hours installing the decorations.
“The team really enjoys helping out within the community,” said Joe Harrity, a partner with HM Restaurant Group, the parent company of Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille. “Participating in these events has fostered team-building within our organization and gives back to the community that we serve at our establishments.”
Doc Ford’s team members frequently donate their time at Lakes Park, recently building and installing a miniature version of the Fort Myers Beach restaurant as part of the popular Lakes Park and Gulf Railroad train ride which winds around lakes and small villages. Last year, a group of employees installed holiday decorations at the park.
Lakes Park’s Halloween Express operates Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Oct. 11-31. The park is at 7330 Gladiolus Dr. in Fort Myers.
Renowned for its legendary guest experience, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. with locations on Sanibel Island, Fort Myers Beach, the St. Petersburg Pier and Jungle Terrace in St. Petersburg.
Owned and operated by HM Restaurant Group, award-winning Doc Ford’s offers food with a unique balance of flavors inspired by the Caribbean Rim. Beloved for its sauces, spices and signature Yucatan shrimp served daily, it’s highly regarded by locals and visitors alike as a spectacular seafood restaurant. Established on Sanibel in 2003, Doc Ford’s is a perennial Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice winner. The Pier restaurant was named the county’s No. 1 Best of the Best Restaurants for Everyday Eats in 2023.
Doc Ford’s also offers live music most nights at its Fort Myers Beach and St. Petersburg Pier locations.
Philanthropy and community outreach are engrained in HM Restaurant Group’s company philosophy. Proceeds from specialty cocktails at Doc Ford’s raise money to support children’s hospitals and water quality issues. HM Restaurant Group also supports local nonprofits dedicated to conservation, community and the environment. The “Ding” Darling Doc Ford’s Tarpon Tournament has raised nearly $1.3 million for Sanibel’s J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge since 2012. The 13th annual tournament will be held May 9, 2025.
