Halloween Fun for Families in NYC
Looking for a little spooky fun? Check out everything you can (safely) do with your kids to celebrate the season.
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Westchester Halloween Fun
FREE ONLINE Pumpkin Scone Baking with Chef Rob
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 24, 3:30-4:30pm
WHERE: Mt. Kisco Public Library, 100 E. Main St., Mount Kisco
AGES: All
WHAT: Perfect for this time of year, learn how to make mouthwatering pumpkin pie scones with Chef Rob Scott. For families to make together. Sponsored by the Mount Kisco Public Library Board of Trustees.
WANT TO GO? 914-666-8041. mountkiscolibrary.org.
FREE IN PERSON 12th Annual Halloween Pet Parade
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 24, 11am and 2pm
WHERE: Bark and Purr Yonkers, 1 Pierpointe St., Yonkers
AGES: All
WHAT: Bring your pet in costume! Contest with prizes awarded at the end of the parade! Due to COVID19, pre-registration will be strongly enforced to avoid large gatherings and keep both pets and owners safe. Maximum two people per pet per ticket and 40 people max per parade. This year they will host two parades to best keep social distance guidelines. The Costume Contest will be held for scariest, cutest, and most creative/original costume!
WANT TO GO? eventbrite.com/e/12th-annual-halloween-pet-parade-tickets-123727758055?aff=ebdssbdestsearch.
IN PERSON Trick or Treat Trek
WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 25, 10am-5pm
WHERE: Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum, 895 Shore Road, Pelham Bay Park
AGES: All
WHAT: Trick or Treat Trek at Bartow-Pell! Come in costume, rain or shine, it’s outdoor trick or treating time! Wander the grounds, search for a treat… You never know who you might meet. Bartow-Pell is strictly following the CDC and New York State and New York City COVID-19 health and safety guidelines. This is a timed ticketed event; no walk-ins will be permitted. Participants are asked to remain in their pod. All visitors will be required to wear a mask when social distancing is not possible. Please note the trek is entirely outdoors on various terrains including uneven, unpaved surfaces. We ask all participants to conclude their trek and leave the grounds within an hour to allow the next timed entrants. Parking across street at the Split Rock Golf Course.
WANT TO GO? $10 per person. 718-885-1461. bartowpellmansionmuseum.org.
FREE ONLINE Halloween STEAM
WHEN: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 4pm
WHERE: White Plains Public Library, 100 Martine Ave., White Plains
AGES: 5-17
WHAT: Patrons will be guided to create a Halloween STEAM project. Advanced registration required to pick up materials and for Zoom link.
WANT TO GO? 914-422-1476. whiteplainslibrary.org.
FREE IN PERSON Halloween Workshop: Spooky Scratch Games
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 30, 6-8:30pm
WHERE: MacInspires Larchmont - Mamaroneck, 1139 W. Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck
AGES: 5-12
WHAT: In this night of spooky STEAM, you will be creating an awesome Halloween themed video game with MIT's Scratch. The kids will learn about coding, digital art, and game design while having a fun time being creative and socializing safely. Costumes are not required but very welcome!
WANT TO GO? 914-630-7338. macinspires.com.
IN PERSON Halloween in the Park
WHEN: Oct. 27-30, Tuesday, 10am and 10:45am; Wednesday, 9:30am; Thursday, 10am; Friday, 10am and 10:45am
WHERE: Groove Family Music, Addison Park, Chatsworth Avenue, Larchmont
AGES: Newborn to 5
WHAT: The Groove Band will be dressed up and ready to rock! Costumes are encouraged for both kids and grown-ups. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
WANT TO GO? $20. 914-834-3383. findgroove.com.
FREE IN PERSON Halloween Drive Thru at Stew's
WHEN: Oct. 2-31, 11am-9pm, daily
WHERE: Stew Leonards, 1 Stew Leonard Drive, Yonkers
AGES: All
WHAT: Stew Leonard's invites all little ghouls and goblins to their first-ever drive-through Halloween celebration! Cars will follow a path through more than a dozen family-friendly Halloween-themed scenes featuring inflatable characters, located in the parking lot just steps from Stew's pumpkin patch. Customers can also tune their car's radio to WSTU-FM where Clover the Cow's spooky Halloween soundtrack will delight kids of all ages. This free, socially distanced event is open to the community. Plus, all kids under age 12 who wear their Halloween costume to Stew Leonard's from Oct. 26-31, 2020 will receive a free ice cream cone at the Ice Cream Parlor. And, if they say "Trick or Treat" at the checkout lane, they'll receive a free small treat bag!
WANT TO GO? 914-375-4700. stewleonards.com.
IN PERSON Halloween JAMS
WHEN: Oct. 27-31, Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday, 10am and 10:45am
WHERE: Groove Family Music, Addison Park located on Chatsworth Avenue, Larchmont
AGES: 1-6
WHAT: It's Halloween Week and Groove is celebrating with a musical, magical, mystical JAM in Addison Park. Costumes are encouraged for all (you too, grown-ups). As always, there will be live music, non-candy treats and a groovy time for the whole family. No tricks; all treats! In accordance with the current NYS COVID-19 restrictions, the number of attendees will be strictly limited. Your family will be asked to complete a Health and Safety Pledge prior to each class. Advanced registration required.
WANT TO GO? $20. 914-834-3383. findgroove.com.
FREE ONLINE Virtual Planetarium Show for Kids: Blue Moon for Halloween!
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 31, 11:30am-12pm
WHERE: Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers
AGES: 6-10
WHAT: Do your kids love the Planetarium? HRM does, too—and since we can’t get together under the dome yet, they will bring the Planetarium to you! This Halloween there will be a blue moon—the second full moon this month! Although you might think of a full moon when you think of Halloween, it doesn’t always happen this way. Are there astronomical happenings which always do happen on Halloween? Join HRM and find out! Just like programs in the Planetarium, they’ll be able to take questions—this time through chat and comments. Advanced registration required.
WANT TO GO? 914-963-4550. hrm.org.
IN PERSON Halloween at the HRM
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 31, 12-5pm
WHERE: Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers
AGES: All
WHAT: Calling all ghosts, ghouls, and goblins! Get in the Halloween spirit in the Courtyard of HRM's haunted historic home, Glenview, by decorating mini pumpkins with an imaginary landscape or a creepy scene, gallivanting in a socially distanced Costume Parade, starting at 12:30pm, 2pm, and 3:30pm, and taking your scariest selfies in the shadow of our historic structure. Free with Museum admission.
WANT TO GO? $8; $5 seniors 62 and older, students, veterans; $4 ages 3-18; free for members and children younger than 3. 914-963-4550. hrm.org.
FREE ONLINE Halloween Sing me a Story
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 31, 10:30-11:15am
WHERE: Mt. Kisco Public Library, 100 E. Main St., Mount Kisco
AGES: Newborn to 7
WHAT: Join storyteller Nancy Hershatter for a fun musical Halloween story! Sponsored by the Mount Kisco Public Library Board of Trustees. Zoom Info: TBA
WANT TO GO? 914-666-8041. mountkiscolibrary.org.
IN PERSON Pumpkins & Potions with Doc Harmon
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 31, 11am-12pm
WHERE: Westchester Children's Museum, 100 Playland Parkway, Rye
AGES: 7 and older
WHAT: Come in costume and learn how to carve a jack-o’-lantern and make a magic potion! Advanced registration required.
WANT TO GO? $9. 914-420-5050. discoverwcm.org.
IN PERSON Great Pumpkin Path
WHEN: Oct. 3-Nov. 1, Tuesday-Sunday, and Columbus Day, 10am-6pm
WHERE: The New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx
AGES: All
WHAT: Discover plentiful pumpkins and hordes of gourds along the twists and turns of the Great Pumpkin Path on the Conservatory Lawn, culminating with some of the largest pumpkins in the world with the arrival of giant pumpkins on Oct. 24. Keep an eye out for a display of whimsical scarecrows throughout the Garden as well.
WANT TO GO? $28; $25 seniors 65 and older and students with valid ID; $12 children 2-12; free for members and children younger than 2. 718-817-8700. nybg.org.
IN PERSON Boo at the Zoo
WHEN: Oct. 1-Nov. 1, Thursday-Sunday and Monday, Oct. 12, 10am-5pm
WHERE: Bronx Zoo, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx
AGES: All
WHAT: Enjoy a day of fun including traditional favorites such as daily magic and mind reading shows, professional pumpkin carving demos and more.
WANT TO GO? $39.95; $34.95 seniors 65 and older; $29.95 children 3-12; free for members. 718-220-5100. bronxzoo.com.
IN PERSON The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze
WHEN: Sept. 18-Nov. 21, see website for exact times
WHERE: Van Cortlandt Manor, 525 S. Riverside Ave, Croton-on-Hudson
AGES: All
WHAT: Discover a breathtaking display of more than 7,000 illuminated jack-o’-lanterns—all designed and hand-carved on-site. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
WANT TO GO? Tickets start at $24; free for members and children younger than 3. 914-631-8200. hudsonvalley.org.
Long Island Halloween Fun
ONLINE Spooky Sea Creatures: Virtual Fun Friday Workshop
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 23, 4pm
WHERE: The Whaling Museum & Education Center, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor
AGES: 3-12
WHAT: During this spooky month, find out what unusual creatures lurk in the deep. Explore the ocean's midnight zone and its unusual inhabitants! Create a sensory "ocean zones in a bottle" craft using materials found at home. You'll need an empty water bottle, oil, water, and blue food coloring. Free to participate; $5 suggested donation appreciated.
WANT TO GO? $5 donation greatly appreciated. 631-367-3418. cshwhalingmuseum.org.
IN PERSON Nightmare at the Movies: The Adams Family
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 23, 7pm
WHERE: Adventureland, 2245 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale
AGES: All
WHAT: A safe and fun night out for the whole family! All packages include a chicken dinner with fries and a drink, popcorn, an Adventureland arcade card and trivia on select days!
WANT TO GO? $40 per person OR $125 per carload. 631-694-6868. Adventureland.us.
IN PERSON Halloween Spooktacular
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 24, 11am-1pm
WHERE: What's Cooking?, 30 E. Main St., Oyster Bay
AGES: 3-17
WHAT: Join What's Cooking? for a Halloween Spooktacular! Decorate a chocolate haunted house, make spooky cookies, mummy dogs and ghostly pumpkin pudding! Come in costume and celebrate with friends! Private groups welcome.
WANT TO GO? $49.99. 516-922-2665. whatscookingny.com.
IN PERSON Haunted Hatchery
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2-5pm
WHERE: Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor
AGES: All
WHAT: Families are invited to participate in a Not So Scary Haunted Hatchery where they can Trick or Treat throughout the grounds.
WANT TO GO? $7; $6 ages 65 and older; $5 per child age 3-12; free admission for children 2 and younger and members. 516-692-6768. cshfishhatchery.org.
FREE ONLINE Spooky Spider Cookie
WHEN: Monday, Oct. 26, 3-4pm
WHERE: Patchogue-Medford Library, 54-60 East Main Street, Patchogue
AGES: 9-17
WHAT: Relax and unwind by creating a spider cookie with Oreos, pretzels, and candy corn! Pick up a grab and go kit. They will be available two weeks before the program.
WANT TO GO? 631-654-4700. pmlib.org.
FREE ONLINE Zombie Barbies
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 30, 3-4pm
WHERE: Patchogue-Medford Library, 54-60 East Main Street, Patchogue
AGES: 9-17
WHAT: Turn a Barbie doll into a scary monster! Kits will be available for pickup a week before the program. Kits are first come, first serve. Convierte una mu eca Barbie en un monstruo aterrador! Los kits estar n disponibles para recoger una semana antes del programa. Los kits se entregan por orden de llegada. This is a pre-recorded video that you can watch at anytime but it will go live at 3pm on the Teen Instagram and PMLIB YouTube Channel. Este video pre-grabado se publicar a las 3pm en Instagram (@Pmlibteen) y Youtube (@PatchogueMedfordLibrary).
WANT TO GO? 631-654-4700. pmlib.org.
ONLINE Ghost Ships: Virtual Fun Friday Workshop
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 30, 4pm
WHERE: The Whaling Museum & Education Center, 301 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor
AGES: 5-12
WHAT: From the Flying Dutchman to the Mary Celeste, explore some of the spookiest ships ever to sail the seven seas. Discover how to create a ghostly optical illusion as we make your own thaumatropes using materials found at home. You'll need a straw or stick and some paper. Free to Participate, $5 suggested donation appreciated.
WANT TO GO? $5 donation greatly appreciated. 631-367-3418. cshwhalingmuseum.org.
IN PERSON Nightmare at the Movies
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 30, 7pm: Goosebumps 2; 9:30pm: Halloween 2
WHERE: Adventureland, 2245 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale
AGES: All
WHAT: A safe and fun night out for the whole family. All packages include a chicken dinner with fries and a drink, popcorn, an Adventureland arcade card and trivia on select days!
WANT TO GO? $40 per person or $125 per carload. 631-694-6868. Adventureland.us.
IN PERSON Spooky Science Night at Cradle of Aviation Museum
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 30, 5-7pm
WHERE: Cradle of Aviation Museum, Charles Lindbergh Boulevard, Garden City
AGES: 5-12
WHAT: The Cradle of Aviation Museum's annual Family Science Nights return with the beloved “Spooky Science Night” with two socially-distant and safe, limited attendee, family sessions. Each session is packed with stimulating family-fun, STEM activities, and a Halloween parade to entertain the entire family. All activities are included with admission. All tickets must be purchased in advance, no tickets will be sold at the door. Ideal for kids in grades K-5. Activities include Frankenstein Hands: Use your mad scientist skills to dissect frozen hands to discover what is trapped inside. Candy Catapults: Protecting your Halloween hoard is serious business. Construct and test your own catapults. Boo-Be-Gones: You ain’t afraid of no ghosts! Learn how to keep ghosts away with some homemade ghost repellant. Predicting the Future: Do you have a sixth sense? See if you can predict the future by studying what comes before it! Kepler Planet Hunt: There are thousands of exoplanets in our galaxy and some have gotten lost in our museum. Can you shed some light on their location?
WANT TO GO? $15; $10 members. 516-572-4111. cradleofaviation.org.
FREE IN PERSON Stew Leonard’s in Farmingdale Halloween Happenings
WHEN: Oct. 2-31, daily, 11am-8pm
WHERE: Stew Leonard's, 261 Airport Plaza, Farmingdale
AGES: All
WHAT: Stew Leonard's in Farmingdale invites all little ghouls and goblins to their first-ever drive-through Halloween celebration! Cars will follow a path through more than a dozen family-friendly Halloween-themed scenes featuring inflatable characters, located in our parking lot just steps from Stew's pumpkin patch. Customers can also tune their car's radio to WSTU-FM where Clover the Cow's spooky Halloween soundtrack will delight kids of all ages. This free, socially distanced event is open to the community. Plus, all kids under age 12 who wear their Halloween costume to Stew Leonard's from Oct. 26-31 will receive a free ice cream cone at their Ice Cream Parlor. And, if they say "Trick or Treat" at the checkout lane, they'll receive a free small treat bag!
WANT TO GO? 516-962-8210. stewleonards.com.
FREE IN PERSON Halloween Drive Thru at Stew's
WHEN: Oct. 2-31, daily, 11am-9pm
WHERE: Stew Leonard's, 1897 Front St., East Meadow
AGES: All
WHAT: Stew Leonard’s in East Meadow invites all little ghouls and goblins to their first-ever drive-through Halloween celebration! Cars will follow a path through more than a dozen family-friendly Halloween-themed scenes featuring inflatable characters, located in their parking lot just steps from Stew’s pumpkin patch. Customers can also tune their car’s radio to WSTU-FM where Clover the Cow’s spooky Halloween soundtrack will delight kids of all ages. This free, socially distanced event is open to the community. Plus, all kids under age 12 who wear their Halloween costume to Stew Leonard’s from Oct. 26-31 will receive a free ice cream cone at their Ice Cream Parlor.
WANT TO GO? 516-394-9001. stewleonards.com.
IN PERSON BLAZE LONG ISLAND
WHEN: Oct. 2-Nov. 1, Friday-Sunday, 6:30-10:30pm; Wednesday-Thursday, 6:30-9pm
WHERE: Old Bethpage Restoration Village, 1303 Round Swamp Road, Old Bethpage
AGES: All
WHAT: The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze is a walk-through experience of thousands of hand-carved pumpkins in elaborate displays that light up the night with larger-than-life installations, along with synchronized lighting, create a magical, family-friendly experience for all ages. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
WANT TO GO? Tickets start at $24. 914-366-6900. pumpkinblaze.org.
FREE IN PERSON Halloween Storywalk
WHEN: Oct. 17-31, All Day
WHERE: Patchogue-Medford Library, 54-60 East Main Street, Patchogue
AGES: All
WHAT: Celebrate Halloween by going on a story adventure through Patchogue Village. Enjoy a self-guided quest for the entire family! Pick up your map at the Children's Department Information Desk during library hours or print your map and story questions from home at any time to navigate your way through Patchogue Village by following a story. Complete your quest and receive a Halloween surprise! Call for more information 631-654-4700 ext. 200. Don't forget to wear your costume! Celebra Halloween con una aventura de cuentos a trav s de Patchogue Village. Disfruta de una b squeda guiada para toda la familia! Recoge tu mapa en el escritorio de informaci n del Departamento de Ni os durante el horario de la biblioteca o imprime tu mapa y las preguntas de la historia desde tu casa en cualquier momento para caminar por Patchogue Village siguiendo un cuento. Completa tu misi n y recibe una sorpresa de Halloween! Llama para m s informaci n al 631-654-4700 ext. 200. No olvides ponerte tu disfraz!
WANT TO GO? 631-654-4700. pmlib.org.
IN PERSON Spooky Weekend Crafts
WHEN: Oct. 3-31, Saturday-Sunday, 12-4 pm
WHERE: The Whaling Museum & Education Center, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor
AGES: 3-8
WHAT: Bring the kids, costumes encouraged! Every weekend in October, enjoy spooky self-serve crafts in the museum workshop. Free with admission!
WANT TO GO? $6; $5 seniors 62 and older and children 4-18; free for children, active military with ID and members. 631-367-3418. cshwhalingmuseum.org.
IN PERSON Haunted Village in Southampton
WHEN: Oct. 24-31, Saturdays, 2-4pm
WHERE: Southampton History Museum, 17 Meeting House Ln., Southampton
AGES: All
WHAT: Visit a haunted Southampton Village inhabited with ghosts, goblins and ghouls all on the grounds of the historic Rogers Mansion. The museum’s outbuildings will be open and occupied with the unimaginable. Explore the Creepy Carpenter’s Shop, meet Debbie Downbeat in the old Hildreth’s Department Store, and encounter a Bloody Blacksmith with many more shocking surprises. Families will enjoy a safe, controlled Halloween with all NYS Covid regulations enforced including no food, drink or onsite restrooms. RSVP’s required with timed entrances limited to 100 people on the one acre lot.
WANT TO GO? $10; free for children 10 and younger. 631-283-2494. southamptonhistory.org.
IN PERSON Haunted Hallway: A Collection of Creepy Curiosities
WHEN: Sept. 16-Nov. 7, Wednesdays-Saturdays, 10am-4:30pm
WHERE: Suffolk County Historical Society, 300 West Main Street, Riverhead
AGES: All
WHAT: Visit...if you dare! The creepiest curiosities will have you looking over your shoulders as you meander the museum's halls.
WANT TO GO? $10 families; $5 adults; $3 seniors 60 and older; $1 children 17 and younger; free for memebrs. 631-727-2881. suffolkcountyhistoricalsociety.org.
FREE ONLINE 'Nightmare on Main Street': Exhibition
WHEN: Oct. 16-Nov. 7, 8am-5pm
WHERE: Huntington Arts Council, 213 Main St., Huntington
AGES: 13-17
WHAT: Nightmare on Main Street is in its 9th year and remains a favorite of student artists. Students in grades 6-12 were invited to participate in this show with submissions inspired by Halloween! This event will all be presented via Facebook LIVE.
WANT TO GO? 631-271-8423. huntingtonarts.org.
