Pumpkin sea serpent at the Great Pumpkin Blaze, Sleepy Hollow in 2018
Source: Great Pumpkin Blaze, Sleepy Hollow | New York Family Adventures
Emily Barnes of New York Family Adventures gives us an inside scoop on the Great Pumpkin Blaze in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.
We could not resist a trip to the infamous Sleepy Hollow at the spookiest time of the year! This event is coined the “tri-state’s biggest, most electrifying fall event” and we would definitely agree.
The Barnes visiting Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.
Source: Great Pumpkin Blaze, Sleepy Hollow | New York Family Adventures
The town of Sleepy Hollow is what you would expect for a rural area. It’s quaint with a few eateries, some necessary stores, and cute shops that all close early.
If you want to include the town in your visit, make sure to plan ahead. You can find the business directory here: Shops & Galleries, Eateries, & Places to Stay. There’s an entire world built around the Legend of Sleepy Hollow in this area. You could not pick a better area to celebrate Halloween, All Hallows’ Eve, friendship, or just plain family fun!
The Blaze
A pre-designed trail takes you through an 18th-century landscape. The setting here is what separates this jack-o-lantern display from the rest.
Artisans have designed and hand-carved these beauties to put together the best display of illuminated jack-o-lanterns we have seen to date (and we’ve seen quite a few!).
More than 7,000 pumpkins create themed scenes with atmospheric music, sound effects and professional lighting!
Emily Barnes
Jack-O-Lantern displays at the Great Pumpkin Blaze, Sleepy Hollow in 2018
Source: Great Pumpkin Blaze, Sleepy Hollow | New York Family Adventures
Our favorites from last year are too numerous to mention. We loved seeing a sloth in a circus train, a field of dinosaurs, a Pumpkin Sea Serpent, and “dancing” skeletons!
Don’t miss the Pumpkin Zee Bridge (Tappan Zee for the visiting tourists), the Pumpkin Planeterium, and the lit up, musical, spooky manor! (In 2018, they had a carousel!)
Jack-O-Lanterns of all sorts adorned the Great Pumpkin Blaze, Sleepy Hollow in 2018
Source: Great Pumpkin Blaze, Sleepy Hollow | New York Family Adventures
2019 Dates
- Oct. 3 to 31
- Nov. 1 to 3
- Nov. 8 to 10
- Nov. 15 to 17
- Nov. 22 to 23
- Nov. 29 to 30
2019 Admission
- Members and children under two years old: Free
- Children 3 to 17 years old: $17+
- Adults: $23+
Fees: $2 surcharge for onsite and phone purchases.
GPS Address
Van Cortlandt Manor
525 S Riverside, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520
All proceeds from Blaze and their other Halloween events support the programs of Historic Hudson Valley, a non-profit education organization.
Jack-O-Lantern light show at the Van Cortland Manor in 2018
Source: Great Pumpkin Blaze, Sleepy Hollow | New York Family Adventures
So Much More to Do in Sleepy Hollow
Historic Sites (ie: Headless Horseman Bridge, Old Dutch Burying Ground, SLeepy Hollow Cemetary, and more)
Community Events & Tours (Jay Ghoul’s House of Curiosities, Haunted Hayride, Tarrytown Halloween Parade, and more)
More Family-Friendly Halloween Fun
It’s no secret that our family loves to travel and check new things out. Here are a few other options we have enjoyed to help you with your Spooky celebrations.
The Barnes’ family Halloween Adventures
Source: Great Pumpkin Blaze, Sleepy Hollow | New York Family Adventures
Roger Willams Zoo, Rhode Island– Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, Brew at the Zoo, Spooky Zoo.
Bronx Zoo, New York– Boo at the Zoo, Brew at the Zoo (Bootober), Haunted Hayride.
Old Westbury Gardens, New York– Rise of the Jack-O-Lanterns.
Family Adventure Rating: ♥♥♥♥
Cost
This is not an inexpensive adventure, but you can adjust how much you spend by planning out your events. Most, if not all, of the events will have a cost between $8-$35 each.
A family of five just looking to attend The Blaze will spend $98-$121 for tickets alone. I would “guesstimate” that a family of five enjoying the Blaze along with another featured item, adding a quick dinner, and leaving some room for souvenirs and/or treats could plan on spending about $50-$75 per person ($250-$375).
Parking and Transportation
We found plenty of free parking at the events. The small villages have street parking with some small public lots. We found a spot easily, but leave some time to look around if you’re going during a busy time.
Mass transportation will be difficult to find since most of these events are centered around the late evening time. Tarrytown has a train station and bus to get you most of the way there.
Day Trip or Overnight
Our family did this as a day trip. If you’re coming from a great distance, you can find accommodations at a nearby town, but there’s nothing directly in Sleepy Hollow.
Experience
This is a great event to spend some quality family time. We’ve had this on our bucket list for a couple of years (mostly because it sells out so fast).
There’s a very specific energy here that you won’t find anywhere else. The history, architecture, and stories of the area really help put you in the moment.
Combination
The events in this area are enough to fill everyone’s needs. You can combine many of them for a full day experience of festivities and scary fun or just pop in for one event and a stroll through town.
Head on over to Emily Barnes’ blog to keep up with her family’s latest adventures!
Interested in having content featured in an upcoming blog post or issue of The Burgundy Zine? Head on over to the submissions page!
For all other inquiries, please fulfill a contact form.