Halloween in Sleepy Hollow Country Kicks Off on 9/29

Where better to spend Halloween than where the 'Legend' lives? Historic Hudson Valley's Halloween season events, the largest in the tri-state area, kick off Friday, Sept. 29 and take place on selected evenings through Saturday, Nov. 25. They will draw more than 200,000 visitors to Sleepy Hollow Country this fall.

The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, the Hudson Valley's biggest all-ages fall extravaganza, will continue for a record 40 selected evenings through Thanksgiving weekend. The walk-through experience lights up the wooded pathways, orchards, and gardens of historic Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., where a small team of artists hand-carve more than 7,000 jacks and elaborate pumpkin sculptures. This year visitors will delight in Blaze favorites, such as a giant spider web and life-size dinosaurs, and be dazzled by more pumpkin power than ever before! New additions include a jack o'lantern Statue of Liberty, a fully-functioning, 20-foot diameter Pumpkin Carousel, the Pumpkin Possum Posse, and a pint-sized herd of dinosaurs.

Horseman's Hollow takes Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to its most terrifying extremes. Visitors will walk a haunted trail where creatures lurk in The Shadows, ready to strike fear into the hearts of those who dare to wander. Professional actors, award-winning feature-film makeup artists, and state-of-the-art special effects make the Horseman's Hollow experience all too real. This 15-night, interactive haunted attraction at Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., is recommended for ages 10 and up.

Irving's 'Legend' brings master storyteller Jonathan Kruk into Sleepy Hollow's circa-1685 Old Dutch Church, where for 15 evenings his spellbinding rendition of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, accompanied by live organ music and delivered by candlelight, captivates audiences. Irving's 'Legend' is recommended for ages 10 and up.

New this year, Sunnyside: Home of the 'Legend' is a daytime experience at Washington Irving's Sunnyside homestead in Tarrytown, N.Y. In addition to learning about the author, visitors can see objects related The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and take part in historic games and Headless Horseman art activities. Sunnyside: Home of the 'Legend' is an all-ages event.

Blaze Founding Sponsor is Entergy. Blaze Presenting Sponsor is Westchester Medical Center. Blaze Contributing Sponsors are J.P. Morgan Chase and Captain Lawrence Brewing Company. Media Sponsors are 100.7 WHUD/The Peak 107.1 and The Journal News Media Group.

All events are held rain or shine. Proceeds support Historic Hudson Valley, the Tarrytown-based private, non-profit educational organization that owns and operates the historic sites that host these events.

Ticket and date information
These events have limited capacity and sell out. All admissions are by advance purchase timed ticket.

Blaze dates are Sept. 29-30, Oct. 1, 5-9, 12-31, Nov. 2-5, 9-12, 17-18, 24-25. Online tickets are $20 for adults ($25 on Fridays and Saturdays), $16 for children 3-17 ($20 on Fridays and Saturdays), and free for children under 3 and Historic Hudson Valley members.

Horseman's Hollow dates are Oct. 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, 26-31. Online tickets are $20 ($25 on Saturdays). Fast Track, a $15 per ticket upgrade, lets visitors skip the line in their time slot. Historic Hudson Valley members receive a $5 per ticket discount.

Irving's 'Legend' dates are Oct. 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, 26-31. Seating is very limited and there are three performances each evening. Online tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for children under 18. Historic Hudson Valley members receive a $5 per ticket discount.

Sunnyside: Home of the 'Legend' dates are Sept. 30-Oct. 1, Oct. 7-9, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29. Online tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors, $10 for children 3-17, and free for those under 3 and Historic Hudson Valley members.

Buy tickets online at www.hudsonvalley.org or by calling 914-366-6900 ($2 per ticket surcharge for phone orders and for tickets purchased onsite, if available).

Details: The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze
The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, which drew more than 160,000 visitors last year, features more than 7,000 illuminated, individually hand-carved jack o' lanterns. Elaborate single-pumpkin carvings and huge multi-jack o'lantern constructions are professionally lit throughout the landscape of Van Cortlandt Manor in various themed areas.

Favorite installations, such as the Undersea Aquarium and Jurassic Park, are joined this year by new creations such as the Statue of Liberty, a fully-functioning, 20-foot diameter Pumpkin Carousel, the Pumpkin Possum Posse, and a pint-sized herd of dinosaurs ... all made of jack o'lanterns!

Creative Director Michael Natiello leads a small team of Historic Hudson Valley staff and local artists who carve. In addition, more than 1,000 volunteers help scoop and light the pumpkins. The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze Shop offers a full bounty of Blaze-specific merchandise including candles, hats, T-shirts, magnets, caps, mugs, and jewelry.

Café Blazé, by Geordane's of Irvington, will offer culinary treats including soup, veggie chili, muffins, pumpkin cookies, and cider. Beer by Captain Lawrence Brewing Company will be available, including a special "Stingy Jack Oktoberfest" made exclusively for sale at Blaze.

Professional musician, radio personality, and Halloween fanatic Richard Christy created the soundtrack accompanying the experience. Tracks from Blaze: The Soundtrack Volume I & II play throughout the event, making it a multisensory experience. Both soundtracks are available as digital downloads and streams from iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play.

Van Cortlandt Manor is at 525 South Riverside Avenue, just off Route 9 in Croton-on-Hudson.

Details: Horseman's Hollow
Back for a spine-tingling eighth year, Horseman's Hollow, which welcomed more than 31,000 visitors last year, is a haunted experience in the heart of Sleepy Hollow that takes the tale of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to its darkest extremes. Historic Philipsburg Manor transforms into a terrifying landscape ruled by the undead, the evil, and the insane, all serving the Headless Horseman himself.

A crew of award-winning makeup and costume designers and a 40-member-strong cast of experienced actors work to create an immersive, interactive, pleasantly terrifying experience, with state-of-the-spooky-art special effects.

Custom built set pieces and period-correct costumes help orient the experience in Philipsburg Manor's traditional time period of the mid-1700s.

Philipsburg Manor is at 381 North Broadway (Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow.

Details: Irving's 'Legend'
Master storyteller Jonathan Kruk offers a dramatic re-telling of Washington Irving's classic tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, featuring the Headless Horseman, Ichabod Crane, Brom Bones, and Katrina Van Tassel. Flavored with live spooky organ music by Jim Keyes, Kruk's storytelling takes place in the historic, candlelit setting of the Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow. The circa-1685 stone church is across the street from Philipsburg Manor, where visitors will park. These evening performances last about 45 minutes.

Details: Sunnyside: Home of the 'Legend'
Sunnyside celebrates its connection to Washington Irving's classic tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, at this family friendly daytime event. Sunnyside: Home of the 'Legend' includes tours of both floors Irving's home - a colorful blend of architectural styles - which showcase numerous objects from HHV's collection related to Irving's famous story. Visitors can also enjoy historic games and Headless Horseman art activities.

Sunnyside is on West Sunnyside Lane, off Route 9 in Tarrytown.

Information: www.hudsonvalley.org, 914-366-6900.

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