Hi friends, welcome back! This past weekend Jon, Violet, and I headed to the Hudson Valley to check out the Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze. This was our fourth year attending and we always look forward to it! We had tickets for Friday night and we tried beating traffic, but it was a long almost two hour drive. We stopped in Sleepy Hallow on the way up to grab dinner at Bridgeview Tavern and hang out along the Hudson River. It was a beautiful fall day and I could see NYC off in the distance under the bridge. Next year I want to spend more time in Sleepy Hallow because the whole town goes all out with Halloween decorations.
After dinner we drove about twenty minutes to Croton on Hudson where the Jack O’ Lantern Blaze takes place. The event features over 7,000 jack-o’-lanterns organized into different themes and accompanied by some spooky tunes. Some of the pumpkin displays are animated like the windmill that turns and merry-go-round that spins. This year was the 20th anniversary of the event and they really upped their game. I’d say at least 30% of the displays were new and they change the layout annually so it felt like a brand-new experience for us.
Tickets are expensive, they start at $24 for adults but on weekends they are $52 for adults and $44 for kids over 2. I highly recommend buying tickets early because it does sell out on the weekends. We were there the last weekend before Halloween so it was busy, but didn’t seem too crowded.
The walk lasts about 45 minutes to an hour depending on how long you want to admire each display.
The Wicked display was my favorite this year.
I also enjoyed this mischievous carnival/circus.
We had a great night at the Jack O’ Lantern Blaze and I think Violet did too. I think that wraps up Halloween from me!! I hope you enjoyed all the festivities this fall and have a Happy Halloween!!
