The holidays are going to be different this year, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still be fun! We’ve compiled a list of the best ways to celebrate Halloween, at socially distanced pumpkin patches, spooky online virtual events, haunted outdoor walking tours and more. Check out our picks for the best Halloween events in NYC this year!
1. See the Spooky Victorian Mansions of Flatbush
Untapped New York’s Victorian Mansions of Flatbush walking tour is extra special around Halloween as many of the homes are decked out in spooky decorations! Join expert guide, Jeremy Wilcox, for a walk through this historic Brooklyn neighborhood that is chock full of gorgeous 19th-century homes.
You will be guided through three centuries of Flatbush history, from the neighborhood’s 17th-century Dutch colonial roots through its 19th-century residential growth and its population boom of working-class immigrant communities in the 20th century. Don’t forget to bring your camera because you will want to capture the stunning architecture of residences like the Japanese House and other gems you will visit!
2. Join a Hallowen Themed Tiffany Tête-à-Tête
Among the shimmering Tiffany glass shards, jewels and lampshades of The Neustadt Collection, there are a variety of memorial offerings created by the famous glassmaker. In this special Halloween edition of The Neustadt’s monthly Tiffany tête-à-tête on Tuesday, October 27th, curators Lindsy Parrott and Morgan Pruden will survey the tremendous variety of Tiffany’s memorial offerings, from glass windows and mosaics to stone mausoleums and grave markers.
The curators will highlight a bounty of bewitching examples in New York City and Long Island, and also dig into three spooktacular commissions and the haunting stories behind those they memorialize. If you can’t watch the event live, you can purchase a ticket and have a recording emailed to you to watch at your convenience!
3. Halloween Impalements: The Toll of Time 2020
Photo courtesy Jane Greengold
Every year, artist Jane Greengold impales a series of jack-o-lanterns on the black iron fence at the corner of Kane Street and Strong Place in the Cobble Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn. The tradition continues this October with a limited amount of small pumpkins. Greengold was inspired to start this tradition more than twenty years ago when she saw the tall point spikes of the fence and thought they would be perfect for am impalement!
The installation gets even more eerie and interesting as the fresh pumpkins start to rot and turn to mush over the several weeks they are left on the fence, their carved faces becoming even more grotesque. This year, in deference to the pandemic, there will be no trick-or-treating at the site and the pumpkins will not be illuminated on Halloween night. Those who wish to see the pumpkins are welcome to do so at a safe social distance from others.
4. Uncover the Secrets of the Brooklyn Bridge and Its Cursed Designers
Uncover the unseen champagne vaults, hidden fallout shelter, abandoned park, and many more secrets of the Brooklyn Bridge in a virtual webinar presented by Untapped New York’s Chief Experience Officer Justin Rivers for Archtober. During an in-depth presentation with fascinating visuals and stories, Justin will guide you through the history of this iconic New York City landmark.
In this webinar, you will learn about the allegedly cursed family of engineers who designed the bridge, the deadly stampede that occurred just days after opening, and many more little-known facts, myths and secrets. This event, which part of Archtober – New York City’s month-long celebration of architecture and design – will take place on Tuesday, October 27th at 12:00pm. Grab your tickets now!
5. Sip Cocktails at the Elizabeth Street Garden Masquerade
Photograph Courtesy of the Elizabeth Street Garden
If you are looking for elegant Halloween events in NYC, head to the Elizabeth Street Garden Masquerade and enjoy a magical evening of music, food, and drinks. After an hour of aperitif and hors d’oeuvres in the garden, guests are invited to dine at one of the participating restaurants, The Musket Room, Peasant, or Wayan. Classic Halloween films will be screening throughout the night, and there will be live music from 7:00pm until 9:00pm.
Due to COVID-19 regulations, this event is limited to fifty attendees per hour. Tables will be socially distanced and masks are required. Proceeds will benefit Elizabeth Street Garden and local restaurants. Purchase your ticket here!
6. Take a Foliage Cruise up the Hudson River
Photograph Courtesy of Classic Harbor Line
On Halloween weekend, the Hudson River Maritime Museum invites you to set off from the Museum’s dock in Kingston, New York for a special after-dark, lantern-lit sail aboard the solar-powered Solaris. On this spooky sail you will explore the river by searchlight and listen to legends and lore of the Hudson River from the pages of Washington Irving or straight from newspaper headlines of centuries past.
Untapped New York is excited to offer a series of Hudson River cruises from Classic Harbor Line and the Hudson River Maritime Museum! On a Classic Harbor Line cruise, you can choose from a fleet of historically inspired ships, including schooners and yachts, that will take up up Manhattan’s West Side and into the enveloping foliage of the Hudson Valley.
7. Go on a Crypt Crawl at St. John the Divine Cathedral
One of the more spooky Halloween events in NYC this year is a virtual crypt crawl through the lower levels of St. John the Divine. Hear the stories of the entombed, learn the origins of Halloween as a Celtic New Year celebration that later transformed into All Hallows Eve, and creep into the Cathedral’s crypt. This virtual program will give you rarely-granted access to one of the Cathedral’s most exclusive spaces. Tickets are $10/person and can be purchased here. The virtual crawl will take place on Friday October 30th and Saturday, October 31st at multiple times.
St. John the Divine will also partner with the West 111th Street Block Association to present a Haunted Fountain event, a safe, outdoor, physically-distanced family Halloween gathering at the Peace Fountain on 111th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.
8. Enter an Architecture-Themed Pumpkin Carving Contest
Pumpkin design by Studio Joseph, Photograph by Erik Bardin
Archtober‘s annual Pumpkitecture Pumpkin Carving Competition is going virtual this year and that means everyone can take part in this Halloween event in NYC! Channel the spirits of “Marcel Booeuer” and “Michael Gravesyard” to concoct an architecturally inspired creation. Participants can use any materials at their disposal, but at least one real pumpkin must be included in the design. Beyond those rules, the only limit is your imagination.
You can submit up to five photos and an optional short video to show off your pumpkin masterpiece. By sure to turn them in by Thursday, October 29th. Make sure to tag @archtober when you post on social media. Winners will be announced on Halloween, Saturday, October 31 on the Archtober Instagram. You can read all the rules of participation for this pumpkin carving competition here!
9. Celebrate Dia De Los Muertos at Green-Wood Cemetery
Green-Wood Cemetery is known for hosting some of the most spectacular Halloween events in NYC. This year, from October 31st through November 2nd, celebrate El Dia de Los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) at the historic Green-Wood Cemetery. This holiday honors the departed through ofrendas (offerings) arranged on altars, music, dancing, and gatherings with family and friends.
A large-scale community altar by artist Scherezade Garcia will be installed in Green-Wood’s Historic Chapel. Visitors are encouraged to bring personal offerings to a community altar, including flowers, photographs, and notes, among other objects. Inspired by altars found throughout Mexico and the Mexican diaspora, Garcia’s altar will combine her own unique style with this centuries-old celebration of the departed.
10. Discover What is Lingering in the Shadows at the Merchant’s House Museum
The occurrences, inexplicable and unsettling, began immediately after Gertrude, the last surviving member of the Tredwell family, died in the house, in 1933. They haven’t stopped. The Merchant’s House Museum invites you to venture into the dark and ghostly shadows of history – virtually, from the safety of your home – to hear true stories of the strange and chilling happenings over the Museum’s eight decades; the methods and findings of past paranormal investigations; and the startling results of current research conducted during the six months the museum was closed due to COVID-19.
You can purchase tickets to Lingering in the Shadows: Spirits of the Merchant’s House, Past & Present here!
11. Pick a Pumpkin at Pumpkins Point
Photograph Courtesy of Friends of Governors Island
The pumpkin patch at Governors Island is a traditional Halloween event in NYC! From Saturday, October 24 through Sunday, November 1, 10AM-6PM daily, Governors Island’s annual pumpkin patch, Pumpkin Point, is open for your picking. This year’s patch will feature thousands of pumpkins and fall-themed decorations arranged across the Island’s historic Nolan Park.
Each visitor will be encouraged to take one pumpkin home with them, free of charge. This will be a socially distanced event and face coverings should be worn whenever social distancing is not possible. Any pumpkins leftover at the end of Pumpkin Point will be composted at Earth Matter NY’s Compost Learning Center on the Island or donated to local food pantries.
12. Smash It, Don’t Trash It: Pumpkin Smash at Hudson River Park
Photograph by Max Guliani for Hudson River Park
After you have enjoyed all of the exciting Halloween events in NYC, you can vent some of your 2020 frustration at the third annual Pumpkin Smash at Chelsea Waterside Park. This socially distanced gathering on Saturday, November 7th from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM allows New Yorkers to let off some steam, while also being environmentally conscious. Instead of just throwing out your Halloween pumpkins and sending them to the landfill, bring them to this event where they will be composted. The pumpkin smash follows the reopening of the compost site at Hudson River Park, currently the largest composting site in the city. In total, the Park collected approximately 86,000 pounds of food scraps from the local community in 2019 including more than 2,000 pounds of pumpkins from last year’s smash.
To keep everyone safe, all attendees must register in advance to secure a spot and will receive a timed entry. Although participation is limited this year, families are encouraged to drop off their pumpkins starting Monday, November 2nd, at either Pier 40 or Chelsea Waterside Park at W. 23 St, which are two of ten composting sites located throughout the Park.
13. Take a Photo Under a Giant Pumpkin Arch
Head to Manhattan’s Seaport District for the best fall photo op. At the Heineken Riverdeck at Pier 17 passersby will find a giant arch made out of 500 gourds. The festive fall frame is set up to help you capture an amazing view of the Brooklyn Bridge too. The arch will be up until Thanksgiving!
Next, check out 10 Famously Haunted NYC Locations and Governors Island’s Haunted Basketball Court in Liggett Hall
