Halloween falls on Saturday this year, and the Catskills are celebrating with haunted barns, costume parties, parades, and plenty of candy. Clocks turn back early Sunday as daylight saving time ends, giving revelers an extra hour of ghoulish antics.
Halloween has roots in Samhain, an ancient Irish festival marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. Its name comes from All Hallows’ Eve, the night before All Saints’ Day.
Irish immigrants helped popularize Halloween in the United States during the 19th century, bringing customs that included costumes, games, and mischief-making. By the early 20th century, communities were organizing parades and parties to keep young pranksters occupied. After World War II, suburbanization helped spread neighborhood trick-or-treating, while candy companies increased Halloween promotions in the 1950s, helping shape the holiday Americans celebrate today.
From Tannersville’s Trick or Trunk to Woodstock’s annual parade and Pine-Hill-O-Ween, here’s where to join the festivities.
Hunter
The Hunter-Tannersville school district’s Student Parent Teacher Organization will hold its annual Trick or Trunk from 3:15 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 31 on Main Street in Tannersville.
Main Street will be closed from about 3 to 8 p.m. between the traffic light and the top of South Main Street. Local businesses will remain open. Parking is available in the municipal lot on Tompkins Street, with overflow parking at Tannersville Lake and the public lot on Railroad Avenue.
Olive
Irish traditional music band Dervish will perform from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 31 in the Ashokan Center’s Esopus Performance Hall in Olivebridge. Tickets range from $15 to $35.
Saugerties
Saugerties Fire Department Halloween Parade
The Saugerties Fire Department’s Halloween parade steps off at 6 p.m. on Oct. 30. Participants can line up beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the municipal parking lot behind Mirabella’s. There will be candy, refreshments, and prizes for the best costumes.
Discarded books and scraps become a forest understory at the Read Forest, a gathering place at Saugerties Village Beach. An opening celebration runs from 3 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 31.
Afternoon of the Living Poets: A Halloween Reading
Poets Will Nixon and Patrick Hammer will give a Halloween reading from 3 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 31 at Jane Street Art Center.
An opening reception for Josh Kramb’s “What We Carry” follows from 4 to 6 p.m. at The Sketchbook Gallery. Kramb’s work includes wood-panel drawings and interactive pieces exploring race, history, and social justice.
Shandaken
Pine Hill Community Center will host Halloween activities and trick-or-treating from 3 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 31 at 287 Main St. in Pine Hill.
Cowboys & Creatures at Ralph’s Bar & Bowling
Ralph’s Bar & Bowling at Urban Cowboy Lodge & Resort in Big Indian will host a free Halloween party from 8 to 11 p.m. on Oct. 31. The evening includes a DJ, a costume contest, and food and drink specials. Costumes are encouraged.
Americana duo the Kennedys will perform at 7 p.m. on Oct. 31 at Phoenicia Playhouse. Vocalists and guitarists Pete and Maura Kennedy blend folk and rock, with prizes promised for the best costumes.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $27.70.
Windham
Halloween Horror Fest Haunted Barn
Mountain Brook Farm’s haunted barn will open Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, and again Nov. 7 and 8. The barn closes at 4 p.m. on Halloween. Weekday visits are available by appointment.
Admission costs $10.
Magician Sean Doolan’s show at Magic on Main explores Harry Houdini’s life, career, fascination with the paranormal, and cultural influence. This Halloween marks the 100th anniversary of Houdini’s death.
Tickets cost $30, and the show is suitable for ages 10 and older. Advance reservations are required; call or text 518-734-4218 to arrange a date and time. Magic on Main is at 5428 state Route 23 in Windham.
Woodstock
Woodstock’s Halloween festivities begin with music by the Rock Academy Showband at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 31. The parade follows at 5 p.m., featuring the Rock Academy drum line.
Hosted by the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce & Arts and the Rock Academy, the celebration includes a costume contest for children, adults, groups, and pets, along with trick-or-treating at participating businesses.
Drive-Through Halloween at Zena Firehouse
Woodstock Fire Department’s Company No. 4 will host a drive-through Halloween celebration from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 30 at 443 Zena Rd.
Children and adults can bring carved jack-o’-lanterns for a chance to win prizes for the best designs. Attendees in costume will receive a treat.
The Classics will bring funk, soul, and rock to Pearl Moon from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 31. Costumes are encouraged.
The Darkwave Disco afterparty follows from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., featuring DJ Tryst.
Station Bar & Curio will host its 10th annual Halloween party beginning at 6 p.m. on Oct. 31 at 101 Tinker St. Expect drink specials and a costume contest. After 10 p.m., the party is restricted to ages 21 and older.
Nearby: High Falls
Woodstock Farm Sanctuary will offer tours at 10 a.m. and noon on Oct. 31, giving visitors a chance to feed pumpkins to rescued pigs. Cheeky Eats will sell baked goods, and costumes are encouraged.
The sanctuary is at 2 Rescue Road in High Falls. Adult tickets cost $20.
Editor’s Note: Curious about the man inside the giant pumpkin in our lead photo? Read our profile of Douglas Haeberer, published last Halloween.
Mia Quick is an editorial assistant and reporter at The Overlook. Send correspondence to mia@theoverlooknews.com.
