How to Halloween Like a New Yorker

WNYC and Gothamist reporter Hannah Frishberg joins us with some of the best ways to celebrate Halloween across New York City. From the Great PUPkin dog costume contest and haunted attractions to a Lower East Side bookstore crawl and some truly unusual live performances.

Photo: WNYC & Gothamist

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Halloween in NYC: Events and Activities Mentioned in This Episode

28th Annual Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest

Saturday, October 24, noon to 1 p.m. at Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn. Free for spectators. Competing dogs must register in advance for a fee. Part of Fort Greene Park's free Halloween Festival, running from noon to 4 p.m.

Halloween on the Farm at Queens County Farm Museum

Saturday, October 31, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Queens. Trick-or-treating, a corn maze, hayrides, ghost stories and farm animals. Tickets are $15 for adults, $25 for children ages 2–17 and free for children under 2.

Ridgewood Asylum Haunted House

Open through November 1 at 272 Seigel Street, Brooklyn. An interactive haunted house with escape-room elements. General admission is approximately $43. Open Wednesday through Saturday, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., and Sunday, 6 to 11 p.m. Halloween week hours are 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Advance online tickets recommended.

Twisted Trails Haunted Attraction

Open on select dates through October 31 at 496 Annadale Road, Staten Island. Outdoor haunted trail with both scare-actor and less frightening no-actor sessions. Admission prices and hours vary by date; check the event calendar. An additional $10 fast pass is available. Children ages 3 and under enter free. Tickets are sold at the entrance on a first-come, first-served basis.

Lower East Side Halloween Bookstore Crawl

Saturday, October 24, throughout the day. Visit seven participating independent bookstores across the Lower East Side and surrounding neighborhoods, including Sweet Pickle Books, Book Club Bar and Yu & Me Books. Special discounts, costume contests and giveaways. Individual store hours and offers vary.

Halloween Movie Night Honoring Tim Curry at Brooklyn Conservatory of Music

Friday, October 30, at BKCM Prospect Park West, 963 President Street, Brooklyn. Doors open at 6 p.m.; screenings begin at 6:30 p.m. Featuring Clue and Muppet Treasure Island, plus costume contests. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children under 18 and free for children 2 and under. Popcorn and a soft drink included.

Catbaret: Meowloween at Caveat

Saturday, October 31, at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. at Caveat, 21A Clinton Street, Manhattan. Cat-themed comedy, music, burlesque and a costume contest. Tickets are $30.08 online, including fees, $35 at the door or $11.63 for the livestream. Ages 21 and older.

Swamp Dogg and Alana Amram's Muppet Cover Band at TV Eye

Saturday, October 31, at TV Eye, 1647 Weirfield Street, Ridgewood, Queens. Doors open at 2 p.m.; show starts at 3 p.m. An all-ages Halloween concert featuring Swamp Dogg and a tribute to Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. Tickets are $26 in advance before fees, or $35 at the door if available.

Haunted Hotel at Lakeside in Prospect Park

Open through November 1 at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside, 171 East Drive, Brooklyn. Haunted walkthrough recommended for ages 13 and older. Admission is $35 Tuesday through Sunday and $20 on Mondays. On Halloween, the Haunted Hotel is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The surrounding family-friendly Harvest Festival also features a pumpkin patch, $5 corn maze and $5 games.

53rd Annual Village Halloween Parade

Saturday, October 31, beginning at 7 p.m., rain or shine. Free viewing along Sixth Avenue from King Street to West 15th Street. The parade is expected to finish around 11 p.m.

Anyone wearing a costume can march for free. Participants should line up near Sixth Avenue and Canal Street between 6:30 and 9 p.m. No advance registration required for general marchers. Alcohol is prohibited. Paid VIP viewing and special-access options are also available.

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