BEST HALLOWEEN EVENTS & ACTIVITIES IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY NY

Get all the details on the six best Halloween events in Westchester. This year, we've rated the top six celebrations in the area from tamest to scariest, so you'll know which events are best for your kids and family.

Is there anything worse than bringing your child to an event that he (and you!) are excited about, only to have him become overwhelmed or fearful, begin crying, or get so worked up you have to leave early? Loud noises, scary characters, uncomfortable situations...with children, and especially those with special needs, it's always best to know in advance what you'll be facing. Below, we've rated the six top Halloween happenings in Westchester from tamest (G) to scariest (R). Because each child is different, we recommend using this as a guideline -- you know your child best.

Rated G

Lyndhurst BooFest: This interactive, family-friendly evening geared toward younger children includes barn dancing, a silly 19th-century mansion tour, fortunetelling, story-telling witches, trick-or-treating, and a tour of hundreds of scarecrows representing characters from the past, present, and future, created by local elementary and middle school students. There is a little "boo" at the end of the mansion tour, but the costumed guide is more funny than scary. October 28. 5-9pm. $13; $8 ages 3-12; $7 scouts. Reservations required; call Ira Stein at 914-631-4481 x43230 or e-mail ira_stein@nthp.org. Lyndhurst, 635 South Broadway, Tarrytown.

Legend Celebration: A haunt-filled day at the homestead of Washington Irving, creator of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. There will be ghost stories, live musicians, magicians, puppeteers, a spooky mime scarecrow, old-fashioned games, tasty treats, house tours, and hands-on activities like make-your-own scarecrow. Throughout the day, Jonathan Ellers will offer his special one-man adaptations of Irving's Rip Van Winkle and The Devil and Tom Walker. Visitors are encouraged to come in costume (not scary). October 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30. 10am-4pm: $12; $10 seniors; $6 children 5-17; free children younger than 5. Washington Irving's Sunnyside, 3 West Sunnyside Lane, Tarrytown. www.hudsonvalley.org/events/legend-celebration.

Rated PG

The Great Jack O' Lantern Blaze: Arguably the area's biggest, most elaborate Halloween happening, the Blaze will be on for 21 nights this year. More than 4,000 individually hand-carved, illuminated jack o'lanterns make up this walk-through experience. This year, there will be slithering snakes, a giant spider web, super-sized dinosaurs, pirates, ghosts, a collection of creatures based on Greek and Roman mythology, and a mammoth jack o'lantern King Kong perched atop a high building. Atmospheric music, sound effects, and new synchronized lighting complete the experience. The Blaze is ideal for all ages, but kids who are particularly sensitive to the dark may feel a bit overwhelmed. October 1-2, 7-10, 14-16, 20-23, 27-31, November 4-6. Evenings; times vary. Advance tickets required; all admissions are by timed ticket only. $16 (Saturdays $20); $12 children (Saturdays $16); free children younger than 5. Order online at www.hudsonvalley.org/events/blaze or call 914-631-8200. Van Cortlandt Manor, 525 South Riverside Avenue, Croton-on-Hudson.

Irving's Legend: A live performance flavored with spooky organ music. Master storyteller Jonathan Kruk offers a dramatic reading of Washington Irving's classic tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Recommended for ages 10 and up for spookiness; younger children may have difficulty staying focused for the entire 45-minute performance. October 8-9, 14-16, 21-23, 27-30. 6-9pm (performances on the hour). Admission by timed-ticket only; advance purchase required at www.hudsonvalley.org/events/irvings-legend or 914-631-8200. Philipsburg Manor/Old Dutch Church, 381 North Broadway (Route 9), Sleepy Hollow.

Rated PG-13

Horseman's Hollow: Taking the tale of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to its darkest extremes, Philipsburg Manor transforms into a terrifying landscape ruled by the undead, the evil, and the insane. Visitors start out walking a haunted trail, stumbling upon scary scenes of a town driven mad by the Headless Horseman. Elaborate costumes, and the work of award-winning feature film make-up artists make it seem all too real. Recommended for ages 12 and older. Some younger kids can handle it, but there are plenty of older kids (and adults) who will find it too intense. October 8-9, 14-16, 21-23, 27-30. Evening performances on the hour. $20 (Saturdays $25). Admission by timed-ticket only; advance purchase required at www.hudsonvalley.org/events/horsemans-hollow or 914-631-8200. Philipsburg Manor, 381 North Broadway (Route 9), Sleepy Hollow.

Rated R

Scared by the Sound: Now entering its second decade of haunting, this nighttime, walk-through style, interactive haunted house is considered to be the most frightening Halloween event in Westchester. Elaborate scenes are combined with intense startles and scares, and strobe lighting and fog are in use. No infants or pregnant women may be admitted. Although children younger than 12 are allowed entry when accompanied by an adult, the event is not recommended for children younger than 8. If your child has special needs or sensory integration issues, this is not the event for her. October 7-31. 8-11pm Fridays; 7-11pm Saturdays, Sundays, and Halloween eve. $14; $10 children younger than 12. Cash only. Note: Scared by the Sound runs a "Hardly Haunted Matinee," a G-rated version of the event, on October 29-30, 12-4pm. Playland Amusement Park, 100 Playland Parkway, Rye. www.scaredbythesound.com.

Halloween is too much fun to pack into just one day of the year -- celebrate the spooky holiday all October long with more great kids' Halloween events in Westchester. And take a peak at our collection of Halloween articles for costume tips and ideas, ghoulish recipes, safety advice, and more!

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