By Marilyn Lester***Renewed, re-imagined, immersive and absolutely thrilling! Yes, indeed the Great Pumpkin Blaze at Van Cortlandt Manor in nearby Croton-on-Hudson, NY is more “spooktacular” than ever. Where else can Halloween 
hounds find a wonderland of 7,000 illuminated jack o’ lanterns: big, bright and dazzling? Thinking about the artistry, craftsmanship and creativity that’s behind this yearly enterprise is quite amazing; just going and experiencing is plain fun, and in a troubled current political environment, an antidote for combating the stress of daily news angst—a much-needed gift, and completely family friendly.
Beginning in 2005 as The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, subsequent years saw the popular event grow into one of the biggest Halloween extravaganzas in the country. The Blaze was, of course, on hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic and that crisis unavoidably sucked the air out of the balloon, as it did for pretty much everything. Over the post-pandemic years, the Blaze began coming back as it had been before, albeit inch by inch.
Until! With significant partners, forem
ost Con Edison, the event was transformed for this year’s edition. Several of the older displays were retired (we do miss the pumpkin trail into infinity) but many new ones have been included, with more jack-o-lanterns (all hand-carved) comprising the many thematic displays. The trail— the Pumpkin Promenade—itself, with its own atmosphere of synchronized lighting and an original soundtrack from entry to exit, is wider and easier to traverse.
Here’s what’s new at the 2025 edition of The Great Pumpkin Blaze:
• The 18th-century Gourd & Goblet Tavern for bites, and brews
• The Headless Horseman’s Hideaway for spooky vibes, legend-themed cocktails, and a surprise visit from a certain infamous rider
• The Yellow Brick road to the Land of Oz
• Star-gazing in the Pumpkin Planetarium
• Iconic New York landmarks carved in pump
kins
• The Blaze big top adventure—the circus comes to town, with a working carousel
• Life-sized dinosaurs, but try not to get stuck in the 24-foot spider web
There’s much more, including sweets and snacks at Café Blaze and the Blaze Boo-tique for exclusive souvenirs and local finds.
The Blaze is produced by Historic Hudson Valley, a nonprofit dedicated to education and preservation. All proceeds from the Blaze (and other Halloween events) support the programs of Historic Hudson Valley.
The Great Pumpkin Blaze at Van Cortlandt Manor runs through Sunday, November 16. For more information and tickets, go to pumpkinblaze.org
