What to Do for the Halloween Weekend in the Southeast-Brewster Area

Halloween in on Monday, and while there are many events on the day of the Eve of All Hallows, to give the holiday its full old-fashioned name, there will also be many things to do this weekend. The weather will be a bit warmer on Saturday and Sunday than the current cold snap, but it doesn’t look like it will rain on any costumed parades.

Here are some things to do this weekend:

Ragamuffin Parade and Trunk or Treat: The Annual Ragamuffin Parade will kick off this Saturday at Merkel Park in Brewster. Registration is at the park at 9 a.m. and the parade starts at 10 a.m. Three prizes will be awarded for best costume and there will be fun, activities, food, music, and candy. For further information, click here.

Halloween at the Museum: The Putnam History Museum in Cold Spring will be welcoming children for trick-or-treating from 4 to 7 p.m. on Monday. The museum is at 63 Chestnut Street in Cold Spring. Please contact Rachel at rachel@putnamhistorymuseum.org or 845-265-4010 for more information.

Day of the Dead Celebration: The Southeast Museum and the Brewster Public Library will hold a Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos) Celebration on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will include face painting, crafts, storytelling, and a parade. The event is free and is at the library at 79 Main Street.

Monster Bash: The Patterson library will hold a Monster Bash Halloween Party at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Come dressed up for an extravaganza, with creepy snacks, awesome crafts, games, and prizes for disguises. The event if for kids aged kindergarten and up. The library is located at 1167 Route 311 in Patterson.

Bird hike at Westmoreland: The Westmoreland Sanctuary will hold a bird hike on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. for every aged 8 and older. Participants will learn how to identify birds and assist in recording the birds we see and hear for our monitoring records. There is a $5 fee for non-members. The sanctuary is located at 260 Chestnut Ridge Road in Mount Kisco.

A History of Funerals: St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site will present a lecture, “Rest in Peace: A History of Funerals in America,” with Nancy Coffey, a professor at the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service. The lecture is at 1 p.m. on Saturday and is free. The historic site is at 894 South Columbus Avenue in Mount Vernon.

Family Cooking Classes: The Westchester Italian Cultural Center in Tuckahoe will hold a family cooking class at 2 p.m. Saturday. Kids will make ghost mini pizzas, creepy brain popcorn, and severed finger cookies. These treats are not only spooky, but tasty as well. You must register in advance and prepay. Child fee: Members $30, Non-Members $40; Parent & Child fee: Members $55, Non-Members $65; Additional person: Members $30, Non-Members $40. The center is at 1 Generoso Pope Place. For more information, call 914-771-8700.

Haunted Trains and Dinosaurs: The Ninth Annual Halloween Train Show will take place on Saturday and Sunday at Lasdon Park, Arboretum, and Veterans Memorial from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day. The huge railroad layout in the Main house includes Hogwarts Castle among other features. The dinosaur garden is outside. Visitors can explore the trail and see some of the thrills of the season. Tractor-drawn wagon rides will be available every half hour. The main garden will also feature a display of mums and the Westchester Veterans Museum will be open. The train display and house entrance fee is $3 per child and $5 for adults. Wagon rides are $5. Lasdon Park is at 2610 Amawalk Road (Route 35) in Somers. For more information, click here.

Halloween Trail: You can drop in on the I Spy Halloween Trail at the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum in Cornwall-on-Hudson on Saturday or Sunday. Walk the trail and find objects like bones and skulls cleverly hidden along the trails and then visit with spiders and snakes in the Creepy Critter Room. The museum is at Muser Drive across from 174 Angola Road. For more information, call 845-534-5506.

SEE:

• The Best Real Haunted Places in the Hudson Valley
• Hudson Valley Guide to Halloween 2016
• Hudson Valley Guide to the Perfect Pumpkin 2016

Image by Evan Swigart, via Wikimedia Commons.