The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze returns to Hudson Valley for its thirteenth year! For forty evenings, including Halloween Night, illuminated jack o' lanterns cover the sides of the historic buildings and landscape of Van Cortlandt Manor.
You'll get the chance to stroll around the beautiful, extensive property, watching aquatic creatures, from small schools of tropical fish, to the enormous Sea Serpent creeping up by the Croton River, or a walk through a tunnel surrounded by stars glowing from all directions.
Each piece of the show, every animal, structure, or design, is made entirely out of pumpkins.
The Blaze, which the event has been nicknamed in past years, is run by creative director, Michael Natiello. Natiello describes the festival as a land art installation. The display of jack o' lanterns across the Van Cortlandt Manor is primarily meant to showcase the beauty of the property, with its rich history and impressive architecture.
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This year, the event introduces some exciting new additions, such as a pumpkins Statue of Liberty, and the 20-foot tall jack-o-lantern carousel!
The Blaze has grown into more of a fall festival than an exclusively Halloween-themed event, as it runs for nearly two months, and incorporates over seven thousand jack-o-lantern pumpkins creating various, intricate designs.
To catch the event, you'll need to buy tickets in advance. Adults are $20, children 3-17 are $16, and children under 3 go for free!
Since it began in 2005, the festival has grown in popularity as well as extravagance. So it's no surprise that tickets sell out earlier and earlier each year. So make sure you make your reservations early! The running dates are September 29th-30th, October 1st, 6th-9th, 12th-31st. November 2nd-5th, 9th-12th, 17th-18th, 24th-25th.
Look, Neil Patrick Harris made it to the Blaze in 2015, and even gave a shoutout on twitter!
I love this season. Go see the Hudson Valley Jack-o-lantern Blaze. 7,000 pumpkins! @hhvalley #pumpkinblaze pic.twitter.com/z6SbPUsfws
— Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) October 19, 2015
You can order tickets online or over the phone 914-366-6900 (there will be an extra charge for phone reservations).
[Feature Image Courtesy ThisIsColossal] [Feature Image Courtesy TimeOut NY]