The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze

More than 7,000 hand-carved jack o’lanterns light up the riverside grounds of Van Cortlandt Manor. Ten acres of an 18th-century estate above the Hudson become a half-mile walk past life-sized dinosaurs, a working carousel, a planetarium built entirely of glowing gourds, and the Headless Horseman riding out of the dark. Arches, tunnels, and clearings open up where the pumpkins climb well above head height, all of it lit in sequence and scored to an original soundtrack, so the light moves with the music and the walk keeps reintroducing itself around each bend. New for 2026: a longer path with more displays than any previous season, movie-monster photo ops, storybook characters carved to look like they’ve stepped off the page, and a full pumpkin dance party. Spooky, not scary. No jump scares, no actors chasing you — it works as well for a six-year-old as for the friend who claims they’ve outgrown Halloween. Two ticketed add-ons let you step off the trail midway: the Gourd & Goblet Tavern, inside the manor’s 18th-century brick tavern, and the Headless Horseman’s Hideaway, a pop-up lounge with visits from the Horseman himself. Both must be booked in advance. Advance tickets only — not

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