We love the feel of fall in the air! Somehow, our department stores and decorating hot spots can’t seem to wait! Between the hustle and bustle of kids heading back to school and all of the autumn-themed items beginning to line shelves, we’ve got autumn on our minds!

Of course, autumn brings one of the best holidays of the year: Halloween. A frenzy of candy and well-costumed excitement, it’s one of the best times of the year. If you’re wondering how you can enjoy the Halloween spirit before the holiday actually arrives though, then you’re going to want to read ahead. As the best pumpkin glow in New York, this place is guaranteed to blow your mind.

The annual Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze takes over the Van Cortlandt Manor every year in Croton-on-Hudson! Located in the historic Hudson Valley, it's the largest pumpkin glow in the tri-state area.
The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze/Facebook
It's the event of the year! This Halloween trail is one most definitely worth following.
With tickets and time slots available from September to November every year, you'll have the chance to choose when exactly you're ready to invest in the experience of a lifetime.
Samantha Chapnick/Flickr
There are more than 7,000 jack o' lanterns on display, hand-carved and designed by local artists, and it generally takes most visitors about an hour to explore this pumpkin trail that's the best pumpkin glow in New York.
Each year the pumpkin displays at this event get even more extravagant, with the trail taking you through a Pumpkin Planetarium.
Anthony Quintano/Flickr
You can watch the Pumpkin Carousel spin, fall in love with the Pumpkin Zee Bridge or perhaps even indulge in a view of the jack o' lantern Statue of Liberty.
The color-changing show at the Pumpkin Planetarium is also a sought after experience.
Anthony Quintano/Flickr
As you walk through the planetarium you'll look up and see color-changing illuminated pumpkins that are all carved out differently.
With photography and videos allowed at the blaze (except for tripods and monopods), you'll see lots of eager New Yorkers photographing these magical glowing pumpkins in all their glory.
The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze/Facebook
That lighting, by the way? Is completely synchronized to the tune of an all original soundtrack. It's quite the scene at the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze.

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As you walk along the pumpkin trail, you'll find a true variety of structures - from kid-friendly trains made out of pumpkins to spooky ghosts that might send a shiver up your spine.
The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze/Facebook
Strollers are allowed, but keep in mind there are some narrow passages on-site. Whereas the kids are welcome, pets are not, unless they're service animals.
The familiar sights like a pumpkin Statue of Liberty and the blaze's Pumpkin Zee Bridge will both leave you in awe.
The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze/Facebook
The Van Cortlandt Manor provides the perfect background for such an impressive autumn tradition. The Blaze began in 2005 and continues to expand every year.
The spinning Pumpkin Carousel we mentioned?
The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze/Facebook
It's almost too beautiful to be real. There's also a Circus Train, boasting a whole handful of pumpkin clowns and animals. The Hudson Valley becomes quite the show come Halloween time.
Visitors can hope to see 7,000 illuminated pumpkins every year, a fall extravaganza unlike any other in our state. It's the Halloween event of the year, even turning the heads of a few celebrities.
nevbrown/Flickr
Martha Stewart herself has featured the Blaze on her show, and Neil Patrick Harris has even tweeted about the event.
Tickets must be purchased online in advance: this year, no tickets will be sold on site. This grand event sells out quickly, so go ahead and book a date to see The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze!
The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze/Facebook
This is the best pumpkin glow in New York and it is known to be a bit crowded at times. If you're thinking about wanting to attend The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze this year, you'll want to act on buying tickets sooner than later to make sure you actually cross this place off of your bucket list. To find out more about this glowing pumpkin trail and to buy your tickets, click here.

Address: 525 South Riverside, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520

Is this something you’d like to cross off of your bucket list this year? For more ways to dive into fall, read about how you should Get Lost In This Awesome 8-Acre Corn Maze In New York This Autumn!

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Best Pumpkin Glow In New York

Meghan Kraft | August 03, 2019

What are the best Halloween events in New York?

Halloween is great in the northeast, and alongside the incredible Great Jack O' Lantern Blaze, folks love to experience the Village Halloween Parade and Children's Halloween Festival in the city. The Hudson Valley has its own series of autumnal events, too! You don't have to go to the city for the Not So Scary Halloween hosted by Monroe, the I Spy Scavenger Hunt in Cornwall or the Nyack Halloweek that takes place all over Nyack.

What are the best Halloween towns in New York?

If you're looking for fun "Halloween Towns" in the heart of New York, you can't get any sweeter than a small town experience in the Hudson Valley. White Plains is a great spot for the whole family in Westchester County, and Washingtonville, Yorktown and Nyack are also great for an autumnal celebration.

What are the best pumpkin patches in New York?

There are fabulous pumpkin patches scattered across the state. Pumpkinville in Great Valley is a wonderful spot for the whole family, and there are 70 acres of pumpkins and Squash at Tim's Pumpkin Patch in Marietta. The Great Pumpkin Farm in Clarence is only a couple of bucks a person and boasts thousands of pre-picked pumpkins, and Rulfs Orchard in Peru (Yep, Peru in New York!) has an epic corn maze.

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525 S Riverside Ave, Croton-On-Hudson, NY 10520, USA