The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze: Hudson Valley

The Great Jack O?Lantern Blaze in Hudson Valley, New York is one of the best things to do in the fall and certainly one of the best things to do for Halloween. Trust us, it?s worth the trip. You'll witness an army of more than 7,000 glowing, intricately carved pumpkins shining along the riverside near Van Cortlandt Manor. This is the tristate area?s most spirited Halloween happening, and also one of the best fall day trips from NYC. Ogling pretty gourds isn?t the only draw. There are also "stargazing" opportunities inside the Pumpkin Planetarium, flying ghosts and a special appearance by Sleepy Hollow?s Headless Horseman. This year its second location the Old Bethpage Village Restoration on Long Island is back.  When you go, make sure to take a moment to admire all the lovely fall foliage upstate and out on Long Island. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Halloween in NYC When is The Great Jack O?Lantern Blaze? Blaze: Hudson Valley will run for 54 nights from September 16 through November 20. Blaze: Long Island will run for 28 nights from September 30 through November 6. Where is The Great Jack O?Lantern Blaze? The electrifying affair is located at 525 S Riverside Ave, Croton-On-Hudson, NY. The event?s second location is at the Old Bethpage Village Restoration on Long Island. How do I get to The Great Jack O?Lantern Blaze? For upstate, take the Metro-North Hudson Line from Grand Central Terminal. Take the train to Croton-Harmon station (under an hour from Manhattan). Van Cortlandt Manor is only a five-minute cab ride or a 10-minute walk from the station. For Long Island, take either LIRR?s Port Jefferson or Ronkonkoma lines and get off at Hicksville (under an hour from Manhattan). Old Bethpage Village Restoration is a 15-minute cab or bus ride from the Hicksville station. How much are tickets to The Great Jack O?Lantern Blaze? Online tickets start at $32 for adults and $24 for children 3-17, and are free for children 2 and under. How do I get tickets to The Great Jack O?Lantern Blaze? You can see the full schedule and purchase tickets here. Note: Advanced tickets are required. No tickets will be sold on-site. Tickets for the general public are on sale now. Pro tip: This event sells out quickly, so make sure to nab your tickets, like, yesterday. Tickets can not be refunded, but you are able to sell, donate and give them away, etc.  How long will The Great Jack O?Lantern Blaze experience take? Most people venture through the Blaze in 90-minutes, but factor in the amount of time you'll spend taking photos and videos (which is allowed). Just try not to be a photo hog?some experiences are meant to be seen, not photographed. Plus, Blaze has reduced capacity for safety reasons by 67%?move it along! Is there food and drink available at The Great Jack O?Lantern Blaze? BOOyah! There's plenty of snacks and treats to munch on. Before you enter the Blaze experience, there are tents set up selling pumpkin beer by Captain Lawrence Brewing Company, hot cocoa, cider and various autumnal delights like candy apples, pumpkin-spice treats, freshly-popped popcorn and more.  What's new at this year's Great Jack O?Lantern Blaze? Plenty! You still can expect to see historic landscapes created out of pumpkins at this year?s Hudson Valley festival, but new this year is an animated ?Jack? Smith working in his shop and a hive of glowing bees. At Blaze: Long Island, pumpkins will resemble local icons in the Long Island Hall of Fame and will be set nearby the galloping Headless Horseman as well as new special effects. Photograph: Angie Gaul