Take your pick — pumpkins, costumes or candy — for the family-friendly fall activity perfect for your little kids. There are parades in NYC or on Sesame Street, an Arts & Music festival for revelers of all ages, and plenty of chances to score some tasty treats.
The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular at Sesame Place
100 Sesame Rd., Langhorne, PA; (866) 464-3566. Tickets are $45 when purchased in advance on sesameplace.com.
More cute than spook, The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular is ideal for the littlest monsters. From Sept. 24 through Oct. 30, Sesame Place transforms into a family-friendly not-too-frightfest. Guests are encouraged to come in costumes while finding their way through Abby Cadabby’s Magical Halloween Maze, taking in three Halloween-themed shows and hitting the hayride with their favorite Sesame Street characters. This year’s festivities also include a new ride — The Count’s Cruisers — where six Countmobiles spin, bump and bounce kids along. The beloved Neighborhood Street Party Parade gets a Halloween update with songs about trick-or-treating and characters doing the “Jack-O-Latern Jump.”
Hoboken Arts & Music Festival
Sept. 25 on Washington St. between Observer Highway and 7th St., Hoboken, N.J. Free.
The birthplace of Frank Sinatra and baseball throws a mean street party. This year’s fall festival has all the favorites, including local food trucks, three stages for live performances and plenty of options for kids and adults. Little ones will enjoy the activities on 3rd St., including rides, games, face painting, sand art and balloon animals. Kid-friendly performances will take place from noon to 4 p.m. on the 3rd St. Stage and feature Jason Didner & the Jungle Gym Jam, Preschool of Rock and Chrissy Roberts. Parents should sneak in time to check out the artist exhibits, crafts and variety of jewelry, paintings, sculptures and handmade items for sale. Note: Hoboken’s annual Ragamuffin Parade is on Oct. 31. Line-up starts at 3:15 p.m. on Washington St. between 13th and 14th Sts.; parade starts at 3:30 p.m. The costume contest begins at 4:30 at the Little League Field (5th St. & River Terrace) with prizes awarded in 5 age categories.
“Lime” Party at CarbBEING House
794-814 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn; caribpolitan.com. Free.
Fresh off the heals of Hispanic Heritage Month (9/15-10/15) and before Dia de los Muertos, CarribBEING is hosting its signature “LIME” party from 4 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 28. (“Lime” is a word used throughout the Caribbean to describe hanging out with friends.) The party will also be the official opening of Williamsburg-based artist Sylvia Hernandez’s quilt display. Pint-sized partygoers will enjoy the Day of the Dead face painting, trick-or-treating, candy giveaways and hot cider, while parents will appreciate the art and food and have the chance to meet Hernandez.
Village Halloween Parade
Sixth Ave., from Spring St. to 16th St. Free.
The legendary parade celebrates its 43rd year as NYC’s marquee Halloween event. On Oct. 31 from 7 to 10:30 p.m., hundreds of giant puppets, 53 bands, dancers, artists and thousands of costumed New Yorkers will march down Sixth Ave. It’s probably too crowded and too late in the night for little ones, so it’s better-suited for tweens and teens. Go early to claim a good viewing spot or show up in your most creative ensemble and join the throngs decked out in their spookiest, and freakiest attire.
The Asbury Hotel Halloween Party
210 5th Ave., Asbury Park, NJ; theasburyhotel.com; $5 per family admission benefits the Tyler Clementi Foundation
Asbury Park’s hottest new hotel is getting its howl on this Halloween with a family fete on Oct. 29 from 2 – 4 p.m. Suitable for ghouls and goblins of all ages, the party will include a costume competition and parade, face painting, pumpkin games, candy hunt and cookie decorating. If you’re staying for the weekend, the pool will be lit red to add to the spooky fun. The Asbury Hotel features bunk rooms that can sleep up to 8 people and the hotel’s living room has a kid-friendly ping-pong table and pinball machines.
“Today” Show Costume Contest
1 Rockefeller Plaza, NYC; todayshow.com. Free.
Bring the brood to the “Today” show plaza at Rockefeller Center for a chance to rub elbows with Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb. The fun starts at 7 a.m. on Oct. 31 and fans and families are encouraged to come in costumes. People come from all over the country to claim top prize at Today’s costume contest. Pro tip: Winners last year were dressed as characters from “Alice in Wonderland” and a family of chickens with their baby chick.
Face Painting at Kryolan City New York
277 Bleecker St., Manhattan; 800-579-6526
Kryolan Professional Make-Up is celebrating its first Big Apple outpost with a terrifyingly sweet deal. For $10, between 3 to 5.p.m. on Oct. 31, professional makeup artists will be using their best celebrity techniques to paint your little ones’ faces.
