Visit This New York Park For A Spectacular Light Show This Halloween
By Lea Monroe|Published October 11, 2016
×
Lea Monroe
Author
Writer for Only In Your State. Scribbling about all things New York and Buffalo related while also keeping you updated on the latest travel news! Inquiries: Lmonroe@onlyinyourstate.com
With Halloween right around the corner and fall being back in action, we’ve been talking about all of the adventurous plans you can schedule during the month of October that will make this an unforgettable month. From epic fall train rides to creepy corn mazes, there’s more than enough activities to keep you busy. While your seasonal bucket list may be overflowing with options, there’s one specific event that you shouldn’t let get lost in the shuffle. With tickets selling out faster than umbrellas on a rainy day, you’re going to want to check out this spectacular event that will be gone before you know it!
Hosting the Tri-state area's most eye-catching Halloween even, The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze at the Van Cortlandt Manor is something you won't want to miss.
Roughly twenty minutes north of Sleepy Hollow, this incredible event has been paying homage to the area's haunted history and the spirit of Halloween since 2005! What started off as something smaller has now grown to be one of our state's most memorable events. Besides the actual event itself, the Great Blaze also has a souvenir shop and Cafe Blaze where you can enjoy tasty treats that will keep you awake and warm!
How to get here:Van Cortlandt Manor at 525 South Riverside Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520
Throughout the month of October and November you can visit the historic site to see it transformed into a complete paradise made up of 7,000 illuminated pumpkins.
Since starting the event in 2005, the Great Blaze has continued to grow in size every year. The walk through experience will bring you all around the historic Van Cortlandt Manor, bringing you underneath Pumpkin Planetariums and electrifying walkways that may also be a bit spooky.
Advertisement
Designed and carved individually by a group of volunteers, the preparation for this event begins as early as June.
It'd be easy to soak in the views of these incredible pumpkin formations and forget about exactly how much work goes into this unbelievable event, but we can't let that happen! Just to light the candles alone takes a group of 15 to 20 volunteers roughly three hours to set up every single night. And the scooping out of the pumpkins? That can take the hardworking group several days to accomplish.
Last year over 130,000 visitors came out to this event and this year tickets have been selling out just as fast!
Not to be the bearer of bad news, but more than half of the dates that are available to check out this event are sold out. Luckily, Halloween is not one of them. If you click here, you view the calendar of dates that are available to buy remaining tickets for the end of October and month of November.
Captured above you can see one of the most popular displays at the Great Blaze, the spooky spider web!
Strolling through the illuminated walkways that are synchronized with an original soundtrack usually takes visitors anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes.
Another great feature? Although it does have some uneven areas, the event is handicapped accessible and offers handicapped parking. Parking is free at the Van Cortlandt Manor, but to avoid traffic you'll often see visitors parking at other nearby locations attempting to avoid some of the chaos. And like any popular event, you'll want to arrive early!
Pictured below you can see a couple of popular displays, the Circus Train and the Sea Serpent by the Croton River!
While the extraordinary event keeps growing in size each year, it carries on its tradition with annual displays that continuously blow our minds no matter how many times we've seen them.
Another favorite display that never fails to grab our attention? The Headless Horseman thats's completely made out of pumpkins! The Great Blaze has even featured Jack-in-the-boxes made out of pumpkins and filled with gourds.
So, how much will it cost to get into The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze if you can get your hands on tickets?
For Adults tickets cost $25 dollars for Saturdays, with every other day being only a $20 dollar fee. For Children over the age of 3 the event costs $20 dollars on Saturdays, with every other day being a $16 dollar charge. To buy your tickets now, click here.
Unable to make it to the Great Blaze this year? Then enjoy this virtual tour in the video below brought to you by Kr0l1ne on YouTube!
