The NYC Halloween Newsletter - A Complete Guide
Here's a comprehensive guide for all things Halloween in NYC! From parties, to pumpkin patches, where to trick-or-treat and more....
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There are many options around NYC for pumpkin and apple picking. Here are what I consider the strongest contenders, taking into account proximity to the city and the variety of other activities they offer:
Upstate: Barton Orchards (Poughquag, NY), Fishkill Farms (Hopewell Junction, NY), Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard (North Salem, NY) and Outhouse Orchards (North Salem, NY)
Long Island: Schmitt’s Family Farm (Melville, NY), Harbes Family Farm (Mattituck, NY), and Fink’s Country Farm (Wading River, NY)
New Jersey: Happy Day Farm (Manalapan, NJ) and Heaven Hill Farm (Vernon, NJ)
If Queens is the furthest you can make it, consider checking out Cityside Pumpkin Patch
Here are some events leading up to Halloween that are worth checking out:
The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze at Van Cortlandt Manor (Croton-on-Hudson) runs through November 16. Over 7,000 hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns illuminate an 18th-century landscape—a pumpkin dreamscape—with food and photo moments. Free for children 2 and under; tickets required in advance.
Boo at the Zoo: A daytime Halloween event at the Bronx Zoo, running through October 26 on weekends, celebrating fall with animals and family fun. Highlights include costume parades, face painting, pumpkin displays, candy stations, dinosaur animatronics, magic shows, storytelling, lawn games, and more— included with zoo admission.
Harvest Glow: A family-friendly Halloween night event at the Bronx Zoo, running select evenings through October 31. It features over 5,000 illuminated jack-o’-lanterns, 60+ life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, pumpkin carving, games, food trucks, Wildlife Theater, and more. Timed tickets required; separate from regular zoo admission.
Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail: Through November 30, the New York Botanical Garden transforms into a glowing nighttime world of The Nightmare Before Christmas. Wander through immersive light installations, 3D sculptures, and scenes and songs from the film. Open Wednesday-Sunday, dusk to 10 p.m.
Asphalt Screams: A free, family-friendly Halloween event hosted by Asphalt Green on Friday, October 24 from 2:30–6:30 p.m. Activities include a street fair, haunted maze, and games like spooky soccer darts and ghoulish gaga. Advance registration is required.
High Line Halloween, Little Park of Horrors: Saturday, October 25, from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. This free, all-ages event features immersive cardboard cityscapes, Halloween-themed art and games, costumed fun, face painting, dance, and more.
Pumpkin Point: On Governors Island Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, October 26, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Pick a pumpkin, enjoy trick-or-treating in costume, and sample delicious food from local vendors.
Central Park’s Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla: Thursday, October 30, 4-7 p.m. Central Park’s free, family-friendly Halloween celebration at the Harlem Meer. Activities include crafts, storytelling, a costume parade, and a twilight procession of illuminated jack-o’-lanterns floating across the water.
ABT Halloween Program: Friday, October 31, at 7:30 p.m., David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. If you’d like to skip trick-or-treating but still enjoy a Halloween-themed night out, consider an evening at the ballet.
For Halloween night on Friday, October 31, I used this website to review NYC street closures for, along with what I could find from friends from years past - please double-check this information before you go!:
Downtown:
Village Halloween Parade: Friday, October 31, from 7—11 p.m. along Sixth Avenue from Canal Street to West 15th Street. This free, rain-or-shine event features over 80,000 marchers in creative costumes, giant puppets, live music, and more. Spectators can line the streets, while participants in costume can join the procession by entering at designated points.
Chelsea: West 22nd Street, between 8th and 10th Avenues (4-9 p.m. street closure)
West Village: Clarkson Street, between Hudson Street and Varick Street
Tribeca: Jay Street, between Staple Street and Greenwich Street
Uptown:
UWS:
West 69th Street, between Broadway and Central Park West (6-8 p.m. street closure)
West 78th Street, between Amsterdam and Columbus (4-9 p.m. street closure)
West 90th Street, between Columbus and Central Park West (4:30-8 p.m. street closure)
UES:
78th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues (2-9 p.m. street closure)
92nd Street, from Park to Fifth Avenues (4 p.m. street closure)
Safety: My three-year-old loves to wander off, so a friendly reminder to AirTag your children for trick-or-treating!
Treat bags: I love a classic small orange, open-top Lands’ End Boat and Tote for a personalized initials bag, and this black gingham one from Etsy is cute too.
Treats: Need to make a goody bag, or want to pass out something that doesn’t involve sugar? Here’s what I love: coins (pennies!), toothbrushes, glow sticks, finger lights, band-aids, silly straws, and fake bugs
Hosting: Here’s how I’m tablescaping for my kids this year: tablecloth, placemats, paper plates, cups, napkins or napkins, candlesticks, and more candles and surprise balls at each place setting. I also love these bats and garland for decor. If you’re going to a dinner party, and are bringing wine, may I suggest jazzing it up with this?
Costumes: Here are my favorite places to find costumes that feel more elevated than the Spirit Halloween store: Zara, Pottery Barn Kids, Maisonette, Meri Meri, Great Pretenders, Trish Scully, I also really like this face-painting kit.
For an extra spooky bedtime: Here are some fun Halloween-themed books that we enjoy reading in October: Peekaboo: Pumpkin, Spooky Pookie, Grumpy Monkey Don’t Be Scared, The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat, Creepy Carrots!, Creepy Pair of Underwear!, Creepy Crayon!, and Peppa’s Halloween Party
My kids love walking the streets and checking out the spooky Halloween decorations. Here are some uptown brownstones that have decorated in years past that could be worth a walk-by (can’t guarantee all of them will be again this year!):
UWS:
69th Street (between Columbus and Central Park West)
70th Street (between Central Park West and Columbus)
75th Street (between Columbus and Central Park West)
78th Street (between Columbus and Amsterdam)
82nd Street (between Columbus and Amsterdam)
87th Street (between Columbus and Amsterdam)
94th Street (between Central Park West and Columbus)
UES:
61st Street (between 3rd and 2nd)
62nd Street (between Lex and 3rd)
64th Street (between 5th and Madison)
67th Street (between 5th and Madison)
69th and 70th Streets (between Park and Lex)
72nd Street (between Madison and Park)
74th Street (between Madison and Park and Park and Lex)
70th and 71st Street (between Park and Lex)
76th Street (between 5th and Madison)
77th Street (between 3rd and 2nd)
78th Street (between Park and Lex and 3rd and 2nd)
80th Street (between Park and Lex)
82nd Street (between Park and Lex, and Lex and 3rd)
91st Street (between Park and Lex)
93rd Street (between Madison and Park)