The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze 2024: Essential Guide with Insider Tips
Immerse yourself in a magical world of over 7,000 carved pumpkins at The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze! This enchanting Halloween spectacle transforms the historic Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson into a breathtaking wonderland of light and color. Discover the latest details about the 2024 event, including dates, times, and ticket information. Prepare to be enchanted by this unforgettable Halloween experience the entire family will love.
Pumpkins Galore in the Hudson Valley!
The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze in Croton, NY, is THE fall event in NY’s Hudson Valley and one of the most popular Halloween attractions in the US. Over 7,000 pumpkins are carved, stacked and staged in different scenes. There are dragons, the Statue of Liberty and a working carousel! It’s rumored that the orange glow can be seen from space!
Proceeds from The Blaze benefit Historic Hudson Valley, a non-profit educational organization that maintains Van Cortlandt Manor and other major sites in the region including Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate, and Philipsburg Manor.
The event organizer, Historic Hudson Valley, engages an army of 1,000 volunteers to assemble the pumpkins on the grounds of Van Cortlandt Manor, a post-Revolutionary War estate. The site’s manor and ferry houses are spooky sets for the pumpkins in the dark. Contributing to the eerie atmosphere is the piped in soundtrack.
Long Islanders don’t have to trek north to feed their craving for pumpkins. The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze is staged at a second location – the Old Bethpage Village Restoration.
Read More: Visit the Home of Washington Irving, Creator of the Headless Horseman
New for 2024!
The Blaze celebrates its 20th year in 2024 with an illuminated birthday cake and Celebration Arch. A new VIP experience, the Gourd and Goblet Tavern debuts. A limited number of tickets will be sold each night to access an 18th-century brick speakeasy positioned mid-way along the pumpkin trail. Ticket holders receive one themed cocktail or mocktail and snacks. Tavern games and an indoor bathroom (!) are additional perks.
And be on the lookout for the new Kraken, scheduled to rise from the Croton River.
2024 Ticket Info for the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze
Purchase your tickets to the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze in advance on the event website. Admission times begin at sundown and continue in 1/2 hour blocks. The final entry time is 9:00 pm. The organizers offer a FLEX ticket option, permitting ticket holders to attend any day or time session, even those that are sold out. The FLEX ticket also includes a complimentary snack and drink of choice. However, the FLEX tickets sell out almost immediately. To snag one of these coveted tickets, you really need to be on top of your pumpkin game.
The Blaze is a rain or shine event. So, you can buy your tickets well in advance and hope the weather’s nice. Or, wait to see the forecast and then take a chance that tickets will still be available online. No tickets are sold on-site at either the Hudson Valley or Long Island locations.
I’ve gone in the rain, the bitter cold and on perfect Indian summer evenings. It’s definitely better when the weather’s good and tickets are almost always available at the last minute for later, mid-week sessions.
Picture-Taking Tips
If you choose one of the first slots, you can catch the pumpkins at dusk to capture many of the intricate details. Crowds are thinner at that time too, so you can linger longer.
Guests attending the Blaze file in a one-way loop through the exhibits. I’ve always found that the crowd moves fairly quickly.
The event is very popular and dates in and around Halloween sell out quickly. The Blaze runs from late September until early November, though, so there are plenty of sessions available. The Croton Blaze is open 7 days a week most of the season. However, the Long Island Blaze is closed most Mondays and Tuesdays.
Getting to the Blaze by Car or Train
Parking for the Blaze is free. Have your tickets available when you approach the parking attendants. They’ll check your admission time before they let you park. Don’t bother arriving too early; there’s not enough to do prior to entering the event to keep little ones entertained.
I prefer to go through the Blaze first and then consider food, bevvies and souvenirs.
The Hudson Valley Blaze is a quick, well-lit walk from the Metro North train station in Croton. The trip to Croton from Grand Central takes about 45 minutes.
Cider, Hot Cocoa and … BEER!
If you attend a late night session, you might want to cap off your Blaze experience with a warm beverage. Hot apple cider and cocoa are available. And (drumroll) the Hudson Valley’s largest craft brewery, Captain Lawrence, is a featured vendor at the Croton Blaze site.
Read More: Best Places for Hot Cocoa in the Hudson Valley
Restaurants near the Blaze
I’ve yet to attend the Long Island Blaze, but I attend the Croton event annually. I need something a bit more substantial than the snacks on site. Fortunately, there are a number of restaurants in and around Croton, including pizzerias, diners and fine dining spots. As mentioned, the Blaze is popular. Make a reservation at sit-down spots well in advance and give yourself enough time to eat and get to the Blaze for your ticketed admission time.
My top suggestion for pre-Blaze dining is DD’s Diner. It’s a bright, cheery spot right on Route 9A just south of the exit for the Blaze. The food’s reliably good and the service is efficient. Want something a little extra? The Tavern has a small interior and a large outdoor patio. I’d eat here post-Blaze so you can linger over a drink (or two!) and not feel stressed about getting to the Blaze for your entry time.
Blaze Souvenirs
Don’t leave without stopping by the Blaze Boo-tique for a souvenir. Pick up a pumpkin Christmas ornament or a copy of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. Irving’s mansion, Sunnyside, in nearby Irvington, is open for tours. It’s a great add-on to your Blaze experience. Or, head to the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, the fictional site of Ichabod Crane’s wild flight from the Headless Horseman!
