New York City Welcomes Halloween Throughout The Five Boroughs

NEW YORK CITY WELCOMES HALLOWEEN
THROUGHOUT THE FIVE BOROUGHS

�Prepare for a Scare as Visitors, Residents, Ghosts and Goblins Are Invited to Participate in Halloween Activities and Events Across the City�

New York City (September 14, 2010) � As October 31 draws near, carved pumpkins, spooky ghosts and candy treats soon will permeate New York City spreading the spirit of Halloween. Exploring the City�s streets is an event all its own, as residents dress up and express themselves as only New Yorkers can. NYC & Company, the City�s official marketing, tourism and partnership organization, welcomes New Yorkers and visitors alike to experience Halloween across the five boroughs, from early October through All Hallows� Eve. Whether it�s watching the Village Halloween Parade or taking the family to discounted Broadway shows, there is no shortage of Halloween events in the City.

�Halloween generates excitement and fun for both young and old that embody New York City�s vibrant atmosphere,� said George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company. �All five boroughs embrace Halloween and offer events for every age and interest, from parades and haunted houses at our parks to special offers at hotels and businesses across the City.�

Halloween parades are the perfect opportunity for revelers to strut their stuff�and costumes�and there�s no bigger event in New York City than the Village Halloween Parade, now in its 37th year. Beginning at 7pm on October 31, watch thousands of New Yorkers in lavish costumes march north on Sixth Avenue from Spring to 21st Streets. The spectacular event is full of music, dancers�even puppets�that attract 2 million visitors each year (halloween-nyc.com). Watch or participate in other Halloween parades throughout the City, including children�s parades in Jackson Heights, Queens; Williamsburg, Brooklyn; and New South Bronx.

The Broadway League presents Kids� Night on Broadway Special Halloween Edition on October 31. Children between the ages of 6 and 18 are eligible for a free ticket to a wide selection of Broadway shows when accompanied by a full-paying adult. A fun and economical way for families to experience the magic of Broadway, the special evening also includes a pre-theater children�s costume party at Madame Tussauds, trick-or-treating on Broadway, dining specials and discounted parking rates (kidsnightonbroadway.com).

For an alternative to the traditional house of horrors filled with blood and gore, visit the Steampunk Haunted House at the Abrons Art Center on the Lower East Side. An integration of performance art and contemporary installation, this haunted house is a world of mechanical monsters, corset-clad cyborgs and science fiction�inspired contraptions. Tours are available from October 23 to 31; admission ranges from $10 to $25 (henrystreet.org).

Visit the American Museum of Natural History for its 15th Annual Halloween Celebration from 2 to 5pm on October 31. Children can weave through dinosaurs and elephants for Halloween treats, dabble in arts and crafts or see beloved characters such as Curious George. Admission is $10, $9 for members; tickets may be purchased online (amnh.org).

Attend the Halloween Magic Lantern Show at 6:30pm or 8pm on October 29 at the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden. Adults and children will enjoy the boisterous songs and scary stories that accompany the visual feast produced by a magic lantern, an image projector that was popular in the Victorian era. Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for children under 12 or museum members; tickets may be purchased the day of or by calling 212-838-6878 (mvhm.org).

Be sure to visit the city zoos for their annual Boo at the Zoo celebrations. On October 30 and 31, visit Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and the Queens Zoo for kid-friendly games and Halloween-themed activities (centralparkzoo.com, prospectparkzoo.com and queenszoo.com). Every weekend in October from 11am to 5pm, check out the Bronx Zoo for a full day of Halloween delight with hay mazes and hayrides, pumpkin carving, magic shows, live music and more (bronxzoo.com).

The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx will feature its annual Halloween Hoorah. From October 9 to 31, see more than 500 pumpkins skillfully carved to create scarecrows, snakes, spiders and more. Participate in activities, musical performances and parades that are fun for the whole family (nybg.org).

Pack up the kids and head for Prospect Park in Brooklyn from noon to 3pm on October 30 for the Halloween Haunted Walk & Carnival. Witches�both good and bad�headless horsemen and more will be lurking on Lookout Hill, while games and sweets will be among the highlights of a carnival on the Nethermead, a meadow in the middle of the park (prospectpark.org).

Come dressed in costume and march in the parade alongside larger-than-life puppets at the annual Ghouls and Gourds event at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on October 24, replete with live music, storytelling, activities and more (bbg.org).

The New York Aquarium, in Brooklyn, will host its annual Halloween at the Ascarium every weekend in October. On October 23�24 and 30�31, the Ascarium also will feature magic shows, ghost stories, live music, crafts and treats. And during the last two weekends of October, from 11am to 5pm, the Ascarium�s Haunted Sea-Fari will highlight marine life and animal habitats (nyaquarium.com).

Visit Staten Island from 3:30 to 5pm on October 29 for Halloween in Richmond Town, where the whole family can go back in time and experience trick-or-treating as it was in the �50s. Children can bob for apples, watch puppet shows and play themed games. Admission is $3 for adults and $8 for children; reservations are required (historicrichmondtown.org).

In Queens, Pick Your Own Pumpkin at the Queens County Farm Museum on Saturdays and Sundays throughout October from 11am to 4pm. The little ones will love searching the pumpkin field and choosing the best gourd to carve and decorate. Prices for the pumpkins vary by size (queensfarm.org).

The Rockaway Artists Alliance is hosting Grimm and Scary Tales, a free event for the whole family from 6 to 9pm October 29 to 31. Scares and thrills await only the bravest that enter the haunted forest at the sTudio 7 gallery (rockawayartistsalliance.org).

Take advantage of fantastic Halloween- and fall-themed specials at leading New York City hotels. At the Hudson New York, guests can book at rates starting at $369 a night for two from October 29 to November 1 (must book October 31 and stay for at least two nights), including free entry to Hudson's Halloween costume party featuring a celebrity guest DJ and performance. As the official hotel for the Village Halloween Parade, the InterContinental New York Barclay offers a VIP package for two starting at $399 a night, available from October 28 to 31 (must book by October 18). In addition to free entry to the VIP section of the parade and VIP after-party at Webster Hall, stay on the mysterious 13th floor and receive two Halloween Shocktails by a Barclay Bar & Grill mixologist. In celebration of autumn, the Jumeirah Essex House, located on Central Park South, offers its Fall Colors package. From September 15 to November 30, starting at $485 a night, stay in a room or suite with views of Central Park and receive Gold, Brown or Red packages, reflecting the colors of fall foliage. Each package features a different luxury treatment or gift. Use code PFAC0 (zero) to get this rate.

For more information on planning your holiday visit to New York City, visit nycgo.com/annualevents.

NYC & Company is the official marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the City of New York, dedicated to maximizing travel and tourism opportunities throughout the five boroughs, building economic prosperity and spreading the positive image of New York City worldwide. For all there is to do and see in NYC, visit nycgo.com.

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