Great Jack 'O Lantern Blaze: 3 things to know ahead of the annual attraction
July is a time for patriotism, pools and popsicles, and most people are savoring the summer season for as long as it will last. But Halloween fans in the Lower Hudson Valley are already planning trips to haunted attractions and other spooky locations.
One of the biggest autumn destinations is right here in our backyard. Westchester County is known for being the location of Sleepy Hollow, the town featured in the famous legend written by Washington Irving. It's also home to the Great Jack 'O Lantern Blaze, one of the largest pumpkin sculpture displays in the country— and one of the Lower Hudson Valley's best Halloween attractions.
Tickets for the Great Pumpkin Blaze go on sale in August, so be sure to keep an eye out as this popular event sells out fast. Tickets can be found at the Historic Hudson Valley website.
Here are three things to know for those interested in finding out the buzz about the Blaze.
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What's new for the 2024 Jack-O-Lantern Blaze?
Each Pumpkin Blaze seems to get bigger and better every year. Last year, the Hudson Valley location debuted the first ever fully-operational pumpkin Ferris wheel and many other interactive sculptures, including the famous Pumpkin Planetarium, a realistic replica of the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, and of course, the Headless Horseman Bridge.
This year, the Blaze is celebrating twenty years of Halloween magic in the Hudson Valley.
“We’re so grateful for the community's support these past twenty years – and we’re thrilled to be able to launch this landmark year of The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze with some incredible new experiences that highlight the historic features of Van Cortlandt Manor, Blaze’s longtime home,” said Rob Schweitzer, spokesman for Historic Hudson Valley, the non-profit educational organization that produces the Blaze.
This year, the Great Jack 'O Lantern Blaze will be open on select dates from Sept. 13 to Nov. 17.
The Blaze is introducing a new VIP experience for adults 21 and older for 2024. The Gourd & Goblet Tavern at Van Cortlandt Manor will give a handful of visitors access to an 18th century style tavern speakeasy located at the midway point of the Blaze path.
The Gourd & Goblet Tavern offers exclusive cocktails and food items not available anywhere else at the event, as well as tavern games and a special souvenir. Historic Hudson Valley says tickets for the tavern will be very limited. It requires a separate ticket and is only available with a corresponding Blaze ticket in the same time slot.
“On the pumpkin trail itself, all visitors can meet our pumpkin version of classic movie monsters, an homage to the Starlight Drive-In that existed here in the mid-20th century," Schweitzer said. "Our anniversary celebration also includes special pricing of $20 tickets on selected weeknights.”
Over 7,000 pumpkins were featured in 2023
Since 2005, Historic Hudson Valley has sponsored intricate, colorful sculptures made from thousands of pumpkins, some real and some fake, at the 17th Century Van Cortlandt Manor estate in Croton-on-Hudson. Over 2 million people have visited the attraction since it opened.
Last year, over 7,000 pumpkins were used for the sculptures, which vary from prehistoric dinosaurs several feet tall to scenes from colonial Hudson Valley to a bright cityscape fit with plenty of twinkling lights.
2023 Blaze Jack O'Lanterns featured from local sculptors
So, who exactly is behind all of these intricate sculptures? Schweitzer says local artists from across the state spend months sculpting and perfecting their designs to be showcased at the annual event, which typically runs from September to early November.
Each Pumpkin Blaze event takes about 45 to 90 minutes to walk through and takes you on a colorful and sometimes educational journey. Locations include Croton-on-Hudson and Bethpage on Long Island.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Westchester's Great Jack 'O Lantern Blaze two months away. What to know