8 early Long Island Halloween events opening this September
See thousands of carved and lit jack o’ lanterns on a trail in the woods at USDAN Summer Camp for the Arts in Wheatley Heights. Credit: Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns/Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns
Halloween may be in October, but the haunting season begins now. September is when that spooky feeling starts to set in. Here’s a list of eight places that will get your ghoul going early.
Opens Sept. 22: The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze
Visitors can stroll a pumpkin trail and be surrounded by a Halloween wonderland featuring thousands of pumpkins during the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze at Old Bethpage Village Restoration. Credit: Tom Nycz/Historic Hudson Valley
The Blaze is firing up a return to Old Bethpage Village Restoration starting Sept. 22.
Walk through this half-mile loop featuring more than 7,000 illuminated pumpkins all hand-carved by local artists. The designs vary from classic Halloween characters to massive pumpkin displays featuring the Statue of Liberty, a 12-foot high smoke breathing sea monster and a 20-foot spider web made of jack-o’-lanterns.
“We even have a nautical theme featuring a lighthouse with a rotating light, an ocean scene, a boating scene and an underwater scene,” says creative director Michael Natiello.
New this year will be a tribute to the circus with pumpkin characters like acrobats, clowns and sideshow artists such as a strongman, a contortionist and a sword-swallower. Plus, there will be new costumed pumpkin creations with humanlike features including arms, legs and feet.
COST $29; for all ages
MORE INFO 1303 Round Swamp Rd., Old Bethpage, pumpkinblaze.org
Opens Sept. 22: Witch Craft Halloween Pop Up
People attend “Hocus Pocus”- themed Halloween pop-up bar experience in Farmingdale. Credit: Kendall Rodriguez
Fans of Disney’s Halloween classic “Hocus Pocus” can see witch sisters Winifred, Sarah and Mary come to life at the Witch Craft Halloween Pop Up at The Edgewood on the Green in Brentwood starting Sept. 22.
“When the sisters come out, they perform skits and songs from the movie,” says Michael Marra, president of Unique Social Events. “They also venture out into the crowd to interact table side with the guests, which invites photo opportunities.”
Guests can order starters ($15-$18) such as cranberry barbecue chicken wings or pesto arancini, entrees ($23-$30) like sweet potato gnocchi or a bourbon bacon burger plus desserts ($8-$12) including pumpkin cheesecake or the double chocolate spell book brownie with fudge. Craft cocktails ($17) named after each witch get served with dry ice for a smoking effect. Everyone goes home with a souvenir cup commemorating the event.
COST $20-$30 per person (doesn’t include food or drinks); for all ages
MORE INFO 600 Long Island Ave., Brentwood, 516-274-8586 (text only), witchcraftpopup.com,
Opens Sept. 22: Bayville Scream Park
Over on the North Shore, the Scream Park boasts six haunted attractions that will bring thrills and chills on Sept. 22.
Begin with the anchor haunt Bloodworth Haunted Mansion before heading off to face the inmates at the Bayville Haunted Asylum. Uncle Needle’s awaits you at the Funhouse of Fear in 3D then battle with zombie mummies at the Temple of Terror. Don’t miss the prisoners from the Bay View Sanitarium on the loose at Evil in the Woods while neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases break out in the Cage.
New this season are three secret bars — Dr. Decay’s Toxic Quarantine Club, Diablo’s Lost Tequila Cantina and Zombie Pirate’s Voodoo Lounge — hidden inside the haunted houses ($10 to access).
COST $33.75-$59.75; for ages 12 and older
MORE INFO 8 Bayville Ave., Bayville, 516-624-4678, bayvillescreampark.com
Opens Sept. 28: Rise of the Jack O'Lanterns
RISE of the Jack O'Lanterns features thousands of carved and lit pumpkins on a trail in the woods at USDAN Summer Camp for the Arts in Wheatley Heights. Credit: Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns/Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns
Families gather annually to see thousands of hand-carved pumpkins lit up at the USDAN Summer Camp for the Arts in Wheatley Heights, which opens Sept. 28.
“The area is wooded and we make the trail spooky,” says executive producer Mike Pollock. “It’s also paved and very walkable.”
This year prizewinning pumpkins that weigh over 100-pounds return as both hand painted and hand carved. The pumpkins will feature over 50 different themes ranging from prehistoric animals and sports teams to horror movie icons and Alice in Wonderland.
“There will be a behind-the-scenes peek into how we do the carving,” says Pollock. “There’s a video you can watch and you can also look right into the studio to see what’s in production.”
COST $26.25-$35 adults, $18-$24 kids 3-17. All tickets are sold in advance; for all ages
MORE INFO 185 Colonial Springs Rd., Wheatley Heights, jackolanterns.com
Opens Sept. 29: Chambers of Hell
Performer in the optical illusion room at Chambers of Hell Haunted House circus experience in Hauppauge. Credit: /Morgan Campbell
Fear what’s inside the Chambers — a horror trilogy held in Hauppauge starting Sept. 29. The three-parts to this haunt each have their own style.
“The first is very theatrical, the second gives you the darkness and the third is all blood and guts,” says co-owner Matt Guiliano.
Enter the Bourbon Street Massacre, which is a trip through the streets of New Orleans with vampires, voodoo and a swamp with mushroom people and a creepy hag. Part two is called Legends where attendees take on cryptids like Wendigo, Mothman, La Llorona, Bloody Mary and the Yeti. The journey concludes with the Inferno where you enter through a coffin and get placed into the pit of hell.
COST $40; for ages 13 and older
MORE INFO 1745 Express Drive North, Hauppauge, 631-686-4424, chambersofhell.com
Opens Sept. 29: Darkness Rising
Darkness Rising features 30 live actors across a 10,000 square foot haunt in Copiague. Credit: Kevin Baird
Hold your breath and remain calm as you venture through the two-part haunt in Copiague opening on Sept. 29.
The first part is The Coven’s Curse featuring a group of witches who have put a curse on a village in the 1600s.
“The vibe is more old school horror with forest and swamp sets,” says co-owner/founder Kevin Baird.
The second part is called Jack the Ripper’s Reign of Terror, which is where the gore comes in.
“You are roaming the streets of Victorian London and you must survive Jack the Ripper and various other characters who are coming after you,” adds Baird.
COST $28-$38; for ages 12 and older
MORE INFO 800 Chettic Ave., Copiague, 516-799-4747, darknessrising.org
Opens Sept. 29: Gateway's Haunted Playhouse
Look out for the Mad Clown at Gateway's Haunted Playhouse in Bellport.
Beware before entering this haunted attraction in Bellport, which opens on Sept. 29. Attendees must watch out for the Sandman.
“This year’s haunt is based on a true story of when Gateway was a hotel back in the 1940s. Judge Michael Hawthorne sent some people off to death row that were actually innocent," says haunt director Paul Allan. “The judge returned as a demonized Sandman and got inside people’s dreams at the hotel.”
COST $40-$50; for ages 14 and older
MORE INFO 215 S. Country Rd., Bellport, 631-286-1133, fearli.com
Opens Sept. 29: Halloween House LI
Immerse yourself in 10 spooky settings at this Halloween experience now at its new location inside the Broadway Commons in Hicksville, opening Sept. 29.
“There are two ways to experience the attraction,” says founder Justin Schwartz. “You can walk through at your own pace and even go back into rooms if you like. The other way is to accept the Halloween House challenge, which involved tackling the list of tasks in every room including trivia, Easter eggs and scavenger hunts.”
This 10,000 square foot facility is for people of all ages and features no live actors. Rooms include the Beetlejuice Room, the Graveyard Movie Theater, the Haunted Hotel Room, the Glow-in-the-Dark Room, the Zombie Bunker and the interactive Trick-or-Treat Room.
“You actually can go up to the house and trick-or-treat," says Schwartz. "A person answers the door and gives you candy.”
COST $24.99-$29.99; for all ages
MORE INFO 358 N. Broadway, Hicksville, halloweenhouselongisland.com
David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.
