October is full of tasty Halloween treats in the city…get hopped up on enough sugar and there’s no telling how many you can get around to! But if time is limited, here’s our top five picks for getting in that spooky spirit, NYC style:
1.) The Haunted Pumpkin Garden
If you’ve been looking for an excuse to get to the Boogie-Down Bronx, this is it. The New York Botanical Garden puts up a display of intricately carved pumpkin sculptures, and has a Spooky Nighttime Adventures trail that is not to be missed. Anyone else getting flashbacks of “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown“?
WHEN: Through October 31 WHERE: 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY
2.) Get Spooked At A Haunted House
There’s nothing creepier than old NYC warehouses being converted into scenes from your favorite horror flicks. Our own personal NYC Bible, Time Out New York, has compiled a comprehensive guide to the best Haunted Houses in the 5 boroughs.
3.) Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade
Whether or not you have a pooch, this procession of cuteness is not to be missed. Bring your BFF in costume and register at the door to compete for cool prizes, or just come and gawk at others’ adorable dogs. Along with free treats, there will also be pups up for adoption, too. Talk about a Halloween treat!
WHEN: Saturday, October 26 at 12pm WHERE: Tompkins Square Park Dog Run, 9th Street between Avenues A and B4.) Sleep No More (Halloween Edition)
The McKittrick Hotel is home to NYC’s legendary Sleep No More interactive production, and this Halloween you can join in on the premiere of Curse of the Mummy. You’ll be led on a chase up and down stairs, through furniture-cluttered rooms, all while donning your Venetian carnival-style mask. For the Halloween edition, dressing up is recommended, and some of the costumes they encourage are: harem girls, nomads, serpent charmers, pharaohs, sword swallowers, mummies, and treasure hunters. Promises to be an entertaining night, to say the least.
WHEN: October 30-31 WHERE: The McKittrick Hotel, 530 West 27th Street
5.) Village Halloween Parade
Last year the parade was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy, so they’re back with a bang with the Hallelujah Halloween Revival in 2013! To march in the parade, make sure you’re donning a costume…but anyone can enjoy it live from the sidelines.
WHEN: Thursday, October 31 at 7pm WHERE: 6th Avenue from Spring Street to 16th Street
Jessica Tiare Bowen lives in the juicy Big Apple with her adorable pink-nosed chihuahua, Gillman. He’s the inspiration for her first published children’s book, “Park Avenue Pound Puppy.” The book is the combined result of her two greatest passions: pooches and penning stories.
Her passions include art, urban hikes through Manhattan, drinking coffee with 3 creams and 6 sugars, making extremely detailed itineraries and traveling to far away places, singing along to Broadway shows, Netflix movie nights, discovering incredible treasures at Goodwill and thrift stores, and listening to stories from little people under 7 and big people over 70.
She started her career as New York City Teaching Fellow, teaching elementary school and theater arts at a special education school in the South Bronx for 6 years. She is now a Special Education School Improvement Specialist working in public schools throughout New York City. She is the Editor-In-Chief of the online New York City travel magazine, Used York City. The magazine focuses on finding the best of New York…as used by New Yorkers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and an ASPCA Ambassador.
