“When witches go riding and black cats are seen, the Moon laughs and whispers, ‘‘Tis near Halloween.’”
Take the kids
Family events hand-picked by Erica Chase-Salerno, kidsalmanac@ulsterpublishing.com
The Halloween Spooktacular gives your youngest ghosts and goblins a chance to trick-or-treat, dress in costume, do science experiments and make creative pumpkin characters. Reservations are recommended.
Friday, Oct. 26
5:30-8 p.m.
$13/$9
Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum
75 North Water St.
Poughkeepsie
(845) 471-0989
https://mhcm.org/event/halloween-spooktacular-3
A Turn of the Screw is based on Henry James’ ghost story. And if you’re swamped with Halloweenness, you can choose to attend the following weekend instead!
Oct. 26-28, Nov. 2-4
Friday/Saturday 7 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m.
$15/$10
Doctorow Center for the Arts
7871 Main St.
Hunter
(917) 687-6646
www.greatnortherncatskills.com/events/turn-screw
Halloween Fest celebrates the holiday with trick-or-treating, a costume contest, crafts and snacks and bouncy houses.
Saturday, Oct. 27
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Vassar College, Josselyn Beach
124 Raymond Ave.
Poughkeepsie
(845) 437-5860
www.facebook.com/events/528931074236346
Residence Hall-oween offers allergy-free and traditional treats, crafts, games and a costume contest.
Saturday, Oct. 27
Noon-2 p.m.
Marist College, Foy Townhouses
3399 North Rd.
Poughkeepsie
(845) 575-3000
www.marist.edu/events?searchText=residence_hall-oween
Halloween Animal Myths and Stories shares truths and falsehoods about bats, wolves, spiders and traditional (and local) symbols of the season, followed by a scavenger hunt.
Saturday, Oct. 27
1-2:30 p.m.
Mud Creek Environmental Learning Center, 1024 Route 66, Ghent
(518) 828-4386
HalloWoodstock is the go(at)-to place for sweet treats, costume fun, pumpkins, vegan treats, hayrides and more – all in support of the animals.
Saturday, Oct. 27
10:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
$10/$5
Woodstock Farm Sanctuary
2 Rescue Road
High Falls
http://woodstocksanctuary.org/hallowoodstock-2018
Trick-of-Treat in the Halls gives the kids an advance look at college by exploring all of the dorms for trick-or-treating and games in each residence hall on campus. For ages 12 and under.
Sunday, Oct. 28
3-5 p.m.
SUNY-New Paltz, every dorm
1 Hawk Dr., New Paltz
(845) 257-SUNY (7869)
This Halloween Bash gives goodie bags for kids in costume and provides an opportunity to use all of that energy in the ice rink! $5 for rentals, $10 for adult admission and $5 for kid admission.
Sunday, Oct. 28
2-4 p.m.
McCann Ice Arena
14 Civic Center Plaza
Poughkeepsie
(845) 454-5800
The Woodstock Halloween Parade means a highly anticipated party with drummers, dancers, hula-hoopers and of course, trick-or-treating throughout the town.
Wednesday, Oct. 31
5 p.m.
Village Green
Woodstock
The annual Night of 100 Pumpkins follows Trick-or-Treat on Huguenot Street and the 6 p.m. New Paltz Halloween Parade. Enjoy free pumpkin bread, hot cider and cocoa while admiring the illuminated Jacks on display.
Wednesday, Oct. 31
6 p.m.
The Bakery
13A North Front St.
New Paltz
(845) 255-8840
There will be a Zombie Skate and Halloween Party at the Kiwanis Ice Arena in Saugerties on Saturday, October 27 from 4 to 6 p.m. Come in costume and skate, or just enjoy the other activities. There will be a haunted house in the back room as well as face-painting and spooky slime with music on and off the ice for dancing. All proceeds will benefit the Skating Club of Saugerties.
Saturday, Oct. 27
4-6 p.m.
$10 to skate & party; $5 to just party
Kiwanis Ice Arena
6 Small World Avenue, Saugerties
Haunted Huguenot Street is baaaaack
Haunted Huguenot Street connects Halloween with history where it happened. This year’s theme is about disease and the terrifying techniques used in 1700s healing. Tickets cost $25 general admission, $22.50 for seniors, armed forces, veterans and members. Tours run hourly from 5 to 10 p.m., Thursday to Sunday through October 28.
Historic Huguenot Street
81 Huguenot St., New Paltz
(845) 255-1660 , https://bit.ly/2AbUSSS
Cemetery tour & tales at Clermont
Legends by Candlelight Ghost Tours share stories about local residents in a historic cemetery setting on Friday and Saturday. Tickets cost $12 for adults, $10 for members and $5 for children.
Friday/Saturday, Oct. 26-27
6-9 p.m. on the hour & half-hour
Clermont State Historic Site
1 Clermont Ave.
Germantown
(518) 537-4240
www.friendsofclermont.org/events
All aboard the Catskill Fall Flyer Pumpkin Express
The Pumpkin Express puts the “go” in “gourd” on this family-friendly fall foliage train ride, complete with a pumpkin to take home! Admission costs $18 for adults, $12 for ages 2 to 12, $16 for seniors, military and veterans.
October 27-28, 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m.
Catskill Fall Flyer Pumpkin Express
149 Aaron Ct., Kingston
(845) 332-4854
www.catskillmountainrailroad.com
Carve a pumpkin at Long Dock Park
Pumpkin-Carving in the Park gives all ages an opportunity to create a creepy cat or a friendly fairy or whatever they like. Pumpkins are provided, but Jacks remain on-site for illumination on Halloween. These workshops are free and open to the public of all ages.
Carving: Thursday, Oct. 25, 3-6 p.m.
Display: Friday, Oct. 26, 6 p.m.
Long Dock Park, 8 Long Dock Rd., Beacon
(845) 473-4440, ext. 273
Halloween Journey at Catskill Center
If you long for more of a sense of enchantment in your life, hoping for a glimpse of the realm of Faerie that lies just beyond the veil that grows thinnest this time on the Wheel of the Year, check out the Halloween Journey, which makes its annual visit to the Maurice D. Hinchey Catskill Interpretive Center in Mount Tremper.
Conceived by actress Cara Cruickshank as “an event that promotes wonder, not fright,” and produced in partnership with the Pine Hill Community Center, Café de la Culture and 100,000 Poets for Change, the Halloween Journey is subtitled “A Mysterious and Magical Celebration of Catskills History, Ecology and Folklore.” It’s a fully immersive nighttime theatrical experience, set outdoors and lit mainly by candles and jack o’ lanterns, but totally kid-friendly.
The evening begins with a bonfire and live folk music, with seasonal treats including hot apple cider and homemade chili for sale. Next, you embark on an adventure into the forest to encounter legendary characters of Catskill history, fantasy and folklore.
The Halloween Journey will be staged twice this year: between 6 and 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, October 26 and 27 (the rain dates are October 28 and 29). Online in advance (or at the gate if space is still available), tickets will cost $25 per adult, $18 per child. To reserve tickets or view a trailer of the Halloween Journey, visit www.halloweenjourney.com/home.
Friday/Saturday, Oct. 26/27,
(rain dates: Oct. 28/29)
6-9:30 p.m., $25/$18,
Catskill Interpretive Center
5096 Route 28, Mount Tremper
Wimpy Kid Live in Pine Plains
Wimpy Kid Live: The Meltdown Show with Jeff Kinney is coming to town in celebration of the latest release of the 13th book in the Wimpy Kid series, The Meltdown. Fan tickets cost $16.99 and include a copy of the book, a pre-personalized bookplate signed by the author and a photo with the author. Companion tickets are free for parents, guardians and children under 6 when accompanied by a corresponding fan ticketholder, and are required for show entry.
Thursday, Nov. 1, 7-9 p.m.
Stissing Mountain High School
2829 Church Street, Pine Plains
(845) 876-0500
Join the family! 
