HUDSON BLVD PARK KIDS HALLOWEEN HANGOUT | The emerging Hudson Yards neighborhood is scaring up some frightfully good activities for its annual event along Hudson Blvd Park. During two windows of opportunity (10 a.m.-noon and 2-4 p.m.), kids can paint pumpkins, get their own faces painted, sip cider, and listen to spooky (but not too terrifying) tunes and stories. Then, at 6:30 p.m. (across from the 7 train stop), all ages can enjoy a screening of Tim Burton’s 1988 flick “Beetlejuice,” starring Michael Keaton in classic performance that serves as a cautionary tale of what can happen when kids consume too much sugar in a single setting.
Free. Thurs., Oct. 26; afternoon events at the concession kiosk and playground in Hudson Blvd Park (W. 35th to 36th Sts., mid-block btw. 10th & 11th Aves.). Visit hudsonyardshellskitchenalliance.org.
HALLOWEEN KIDZ KARNIVAL | Please don’t refer to it as Pier 26 — at least not for this one special afternoon every year, when that part of Hudson River Park is transformed into “Halloween Central.” Designed for ages 2-8 (all ages are welcome), there will be face painting, treats, personalized pumpkin art projects, spooky interactive tales from the Story Pirates, and mildly-to-really-thrilling rides (for the more adventurous tykes).
Many of the activities are free, some are $2. Sun., Oct. 29, 12–5 p.m. at Hudson River Park’s Pier 26 (at N. Moore St.). Visit hudsonriverpark.org.
NOTE: On Oct. 27, The Above Event Was Cancelled Because Sunday’s Inclement Weather Forecast.
HAUNTED HIGH LINE HALLOWEEN | This costume-encouraged, kid-centric event isn’t haunted by the past so much as informed by it. Events and activities that pay tribute to the nearby area’s industrial heritage include the Cookie Corner. Located in the 14th St. Passage, it’s an interactive opportunity where you can meet the ghost La Cocinera and hear about her work at the old Nabisco factory. Ask her how she made Oreos and biscuits, and she’ll answer with a story and a special treat. Then, kids can try their hand at the Cookie Factory Art Project. The Great Ragidy Supreme has a special magic show full of Halloween-themed surprises and enchantments (11:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.). At 1:30 and 2:30 p.m., Spanish songs from The Bilingual Birdies will have kids and their caretakers dancing around.
Elsewhere along the elevated park (btw. the Diller von-Furstenberg Sundeck & Chelsea Market Passage), once you emerge from the Ghost Tunnel (a spooky immersive walkthrough where the West Side Cowboy and his horse Cyclone reside), you’ll hear about the gruesome trade of a Meatpacker, get your face painted by Agostino Arts, and take home an old timey GIF taken at Bosco’s Photobooth. Interactive opportunities also abound via a science experiment showing how trains once kept produce and dairy cold during deliveries, and a Mobile Garden full of creepy crawly bugs and insects. Dancing, karaoke, yummy seasonal treats, and a Superhero Clubhouse round out the roster of activities that’s so jam-packed it’s scary.
Free. Sat., Oct. 28, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. on the High Line, btw. W. 14th to 16th Sts. (enter at W. 14th St. & 10th Ave.). This rain or shine event for children up to 12 years of age and their caregivers (who are highly encouraged to show up in costume) has limited capacity. To ensure a faster check-in process, RSVP via thehighline.org/activities (RSVPing does not guarantee participation).
JACK-O’LANTERN COMPOSTING | Days after the Halloween decorations have all been put in a box (or coffin?) to hibernate until next year, that hollowed-out gourd no longer appropriate for the front steps or kitchen counter must be contended with. To the rescue comes this annual ritual. Members of the 300 West 23rd, 22nd, 21st Streets Block Association, the West 400 Block Association 23rd, 22nd, 21st Streets, and the NYC Compost Project (funded by NYC Sanitation and hosted by the Lower East Side Ecology Center) will be on hand to supervise the purpose-driven destruction of pumpkins, then provide compost education and outreach (and free snacks!).
From 10 a.m.–1 p.m. on Sat., Nov. 4, at Clement Clarke Moore Park (W. 22nd St. & 10th Ave.). For more info, send and email to 300wba@gmail.com. Also visit nyc.gov/compostproject.
—BY SCOTT STIFFLER
