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Halloween to New York City is like Mardi Gras to New Orleans or St. Patrick's Day in Savannah, producing one of the biggest parties of the year. Besides an annual parade that draws millions, the city also has number of lower-key, kid-friendly activities and rich history to fuel tales of spirits in haunts. Aside from the big annual events, check with New York-centric publications such as Time Out New York or The Village Voice, which will always have the latest in special film screenings, parties and concerts with a Halloween theme. - New York's Village Halloween Parade began in 1973 as a small house-to-house journey for Greenwich Village neighborhood children and since has grown into the world's largest public Halloween celebration, drawing about 2 million people each year. Design a costume and join in the mile-long march or sit on the sidelines and watch about 60,000 marchers pass by, including bands, giant puppets and street performers. Each year has a theme--the 2009 theme, for example, was "Here be dragons"--so visit the parade's website for the latest theme and lineup information. Be prepared for a tight but well-controlled crowd. Some costumed marchers might lean on the suggestive side, but organizers tout the event as appropriate for all ages.
- This Chelsea haunted house is one of New York's largest, featuring 5,000 square feet of winding passageways and horror movie-themed rooms. The attraction recommends patrons be at least 14 years old, though aside from a few disturbing visuals, particularly for those with specific phobias like snakes or clowns, the scares are more of the "jump from the shadows" variety. Still, it's an established attraction with assured quality, unlike many fly-by-night haunted house attractions that pop up in the city each year. The true terror at Blood Manor can be the long and sometimes rowdy line to get inside. Avoid peak hours, between 8 and 10 p.m., and buy tickets online beforehand. Once inside, it takes about 25 minutes to get through Blood Manor.
Blood Manor
542 W. 27th St.
New York, NY 10001
(212) 290-2825
bloodmanor.com - Central Park houses several kid-friendly activities during the Halloween season. Among the most popular is the annual pumpkin regatta drift, in which children float their carved jack-o-lanterns on the Harlem Meer. The park turns the landmark Belvedere Castle at 79th Street into a haunted manor for the annual "Spooks at Belvedere Castle Event." The Central Park Zoo also hosts several Halloween-themed events, including scavenger hunts, face painting and trick-or-treating. Check Central Park's website for the timing of these events.
- Ghosts of New York tours are available year-round but hit their peak during late October. The short walking tours explore supposed haunted sites and tall tales in different spots in the city. Learn about the spirits of Harry Houdini and Washington Irving in the East Village, visit sites related to Edgar Allen Poe in Greenwich Village or explore the haunted sites around Times Square, such as the Belasco Theatre. Each tour takes about an hour and a half.
Ghosts of New York
PO Box 656780 Flushing, NY 11365-6780
(718) 591-4741
(800) 377-4455
ghostsofny.com
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