Halloween Festivities

Here are some ideas for the little kids AND big kids for celebrating Halloween this year --

New York City style, of course:

image from www.mimithesardine.files.wordpress.com

If you're looking for a place to take the munchkins, check out "Halloween with the Dinosaurs" on October 31st from 2PM to 5PM at the American Museum of Natural History, located at 79th Street and Central Park West. Admission is $10 per person ($9 for museum members). Over thirty of the halls inside the museum will open for pumpkin carving, crafts & trick-or-treating. Plus, there will be live band performances and characters such as Curious George and Clifford the Big Red Dog. (Gosh, I'm happy that kids still know who those two are!)

If you prefer to venture out Friday night, take the kiddies to the Children's Museum located at 212 West 83rd Street near Broadway for their Halloween party. Regular admission applies.

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum will have their Halloween "Spooktacular" on both Saturday the 31st and Sunday the 1st. Stilt walkers and interactive scarecrows (I.kid.you.not.) greet you at the door. Face painting is from 11:00AM to 4:00PM and the magic shows (wait. magic shows?) are from 12:00PM to 2:00PM. Kids can also enjoy a haunted house and a pumpkin patch. As posted on their website, the first 100 kids who arrive on Oct 31st & Nov 1st will get a free trick-or-treat goody bag. RUN! Regular admission applies there as well.

So if you're a big kid and you want to attend something that will make you purchase a Hello Kitty nightlight in order to sleep, check out the tour of the Merchant's House Museum, built in 1832, located at 29 East 4th Street between Lafayette and the Bowery. It is the sole 19th century house in the city that is completely preserved - a landmark home to ninety percent of its original furnishings. According to their website, if you happen to have an "experience" with any ghosts during the tour, they ask that you please share it with the staff so they can add your tale to their collection. So, ya know, if you happen to get in a long political debate with a see-through person, write it down.

If you're up for a little candy corn-clubbin', click here for the long list of parties. Looks like many celebrities will be hosting this year including Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon, Real Housewives Kelly Bensimon & Jill Zarin, 30 Rock's Katrina Bowden, Tyson Beckford (sign me up!), O'Neal McKnight and DJ Josh Madden.

And finally, you can always watch the Halloween parade that goes up 6th Ave from Spring Street to 21st Street.

map from http://www.halloween-nyc.com/

I lived in the village during the past two parades and I warn you, anything goes. (insert smiley face with BIG eyes). If you prefer to watch from a distance, it will also be broadcasted on NY 1 from 8-9:30PM.

May everyone have a fun and safe Halloween this weekend!

postscript: if you missed the nation's biggest dog parade in Tompkins Square Park last weekend, you can click here to see the guaranteed-to-put-a-grin-on-your-face photos.

until next time.
-g