Hi friends, welcome back! This past Friday we made our annual visit to Croton-On-Hudson for the Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze. We usually make a night out of it and grab dinner in Sleepy Hollow beforehand, but Mother Nature thwarted our plans. There was a strong line of storms and torrential downpours that were supposed to coincide with our timed entry tickets. The event communicated earlier in the day we could either come later once the storms had cleared, or we could exchange our tickets for a different night. All the subsequent weekends were sold out so exchanging our tickets wasn’t really an option. As chief meteorologist for our family, I suggested we hang tight and wait out the storm. We drove through the worst of the storm and by the time we got there, the rain had stopped and it was a perfect fall night. I put Violet in her carrier, and we were off to see the pumpkins!
This is our fifth time coming but every year feels new because they are always expanding the decorations and rearranging them. It’s nostalgic to see the same displays and exciting to discover what’s new.
Per the website this is the 22nd year of the event and it features over 7,000 Jack O’ Lanterns and 23 displays. The Jack O’ Lanterns are a mix of real and fake ones. There’s also a customized soundtrack and synchronized lighting throughout the walk to really enhance the experience.
You can upgrade your tickets to include a drink at the Headless Horseman’s Hideaway or enjoy some bites at the Gourd & Goblet Tavern. They always look pretty popular when we walk by, but we haven’t tried it out yet.
New this year was “Creature Feature Forest” featuring Frankenstein, Dracula, and other monsters.
This Big Book of Fables display was also new and featured storybook characters such as Humpty Dumpty, the Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks, and The Cow Jumping Over the Moon. It was fun to try and figure out what each one was.
Violet’s favorite display was this Punk N’ Spice DJ pumpkin. She was dancing and clapping along with the skeletons to the beat. I think she thought it was a teddy bear, but she talked about it the whole drive home. She had a blast and kept saying “more pumpkins” and wanted to walk back through again.
It was a late night with the weather delay, we got back just before 10pm, but we were so glad we made it work! It was also nice having a shorter drive this year and being able to pull right into our garage instead of dealing with the logistics of a car in NYC. If you’re ever in the NYC/Hudson Valley area during the fall, I highly recommend getting tickets to the Jack O’ Lantern Blaze. I always book our tickets by the end of August because the good dates always sell out. See you next year pumpkins!
That does look so neat. I am so glad you were able to make it work weather-wise!
It keeps us coming back every year!
Really cool pics. Enjoyed
Thanks!
What a great family tradition Lyssy. How did Violet enjoy it? Some really cool displays and so nice that getting there is now easier. Happy Tuesday. Allan
She LOVED it! Nothing there jumps out or is too scary otherwise it might’ve been a different story. I do not miss the city traffic, especially since we lived in lower Manhattan it took an hour just to get out of the city.
Wow, what a truly fascinating event to attend for the who family, dear Lyssy. I love all those beautifully made Jack-o’-lanterns and the overall atmosphere. The incredible creativity of the carved pumpkins here is very impressive. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
It is such a cool event! It’s amazing to see all the ideas and creativity come to life. It’s a fun family tradition 🙂
Oh how cool, the displays are amazing (I love that Statue of Liberty one!). I hope Violet had the best time and you didn’t get too wet in the storm!
They really do such a great job with the carvings! She absolutely loved it and we thankfully could leave the umbrellas in the car. I was going to have her be a bunny for Halloween in honor of her favorite stuffy, but none of the costumes were that cute. I was so bummed haha
What a wonderful event Lyssy. I’m.so pleased the storm abated and you were able to continue with your original planned visit. How lovely that Violet adored the pumpkins and the illuminated displays.
It is such a great event and we were so happy not to view it in the pouring rain. It is fun seeing her get excited about the holidays now.
What a great way to spend an evening, Lyssy. Makes me wish I was a tot again. All that wonder! xx
It was the perfect evening. I know, it is so fun to see the world through a toddler’s eyes!
What a great way to spend an evening, Lyssy. Makes me wish I was a tot again. All that wonder! xx
Oh my gosh, I love the owl pumpkin! So glad you made it work, because this looks so fun!
That one was so cute the head bobbed up and down too. It is such a fun event!
Spooky season is finally here! Looks like a fun time at the Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze with all of the lights. And it’s true that simply pulling into your own driveway outside of NYC is so convenient, to end the night!
This spooky season feels like it just flew by! It was a great night seeing all the pumpkins. We’ve shaved an hour drive to most places by moving out to the burbs. Don’t miss the city traffic!
Another wonderful Jack O’Lantern festival! Glad your meteorology senses were on tap. Love them all, but I think the owl (?) is my favourite. Maggie
They put on a great event. Maybe I missed my calling as a meteorologist! The owl is super cute and his head moved up and down.
What a fabulous display and I love Violet’s reaction, makes it all so worthwhile.
It is so fun to see her enjoying this Halloween season now that she is starting to understand so much more.
Glad to hear that the timing worked out well and you were able to visit after the worst of the storm. I bet it wasn’t very busy that night given the weather. Love all the Halloween decor and carved pumpkins. I can see why you keep coming back every year.
This is wonderful! I’m glad to weather came good in the end!
What a spectacular Halloween display! The illuminated pumpkins look magical, especially after such dramatic weather. But the highlight of your story is undoubtedly Violet’s reaction! Imagining her dancing and clapping along with the skeletons, then asking for more pumpkins, is absolutely delightful. Having children with you certainly makes these experiences even more memorable!