It is finally starting to feel like Fall around here. Some mornings this week were really cold but the weather this weekend looks gorgeous, so get out there and enjoy it and don’t forget to stop by Blind Brook’s Fall Fest and support our amazing schools!
Blind Brook Fall Fest
Saturday, October 21st, head to BMP Ridge Street School (390 North Ridge Street, Rye Brook) from 12:00pm-3:30pm for our annual Fall Fest. For $25 per child there’s entertainment, crafts, DJ, games, haunted hallway, face painting, food trucks and more fun to be had. Don’t miss it!
Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze
I’m putting this up early in the guide to encourage you to make reservations for this for a future weekend. It fills up fast and this weekend is already sold out as is next weekend but there are weekday spots and a few November weekend slots open. See what I mean? This an amazing experience that kids AND adults love. “The tri-state area’s biggest, most electrifying fall event returns for 40 delightful nights in 2017!
See more than 7,000 individually hand-carved, illuminated jack o’ lanterns in this elaborate walk-through experience. Meander through an historic, 18th-century riverside landscape and discover a breathtaking display – all made of jack o’ lanterns!
Come gawk at more jack o'lanterns than ever before. Tens of thousands of visitors experienced last year’s Blaze, which was sold out EVERY NIGHT! Complete with sound effects, elaborate synchronized lighting and an all-original soundtrack by recording artist Richard Christy, this not-to-be-missed spectacle is the area's most innovative Halloween happening.”
Click here to learn more and/or to buy tickets.
Port-Chester Rye Brook Library
Our very own library has a fun day of Halloween treats planned for us on Saturday, October 21st! At “11:30am** Singalongs with Chloe: babies, toddlers, and preschoolers will have fun singing songs, and playing with instruments and bubbles. And at 2:30pm** The Remarkable Renaldo: children ages 5 and up will enjoy this interactive circus, magic and juggling show. We encourage children to come in costume, and parents to bring cameras to take pictures of them with Halloween characters.”
Today, Friday, October 20th, from 4-5pm, kids in grades 3-5 can have fun being creative and learn some cool new things during the Gadgets Science Fun Club.
Today, Friday, at 4pm check out Yoga With Angela. “Relaxing, soothing and fun. Peaceful. Like a day off. This is how tweens describe yoga with local instructor Angela Brandt. Ages 7-12.”
On Saturday from 10:30-11:30 stop by the library for Storytime & craft
Sing Along Sundays with Chloe will take place on Sunday from 4-4:30pm. "This is a great way to “celebrate early childhood through music and movement! Children and parents are sure to love the captivating songs, live accordion music, and activities designed with specific cognitive milestones in mind. This class will feature a variety of child-sized instruments and props, and a wealth of both traditional and original songs to add to your singalong repertoire! Get ready for a fun, creative, and engaging experience!”
Head to Larchmont this weekend (Saturday-Monday) for Larchmont’s Annual Scarecrow Festival! “Come enjoy all the scarecrows on the front lawn of the library and VOTE for your favorite! Voting will take place from 12pm to 2pm during the annual Ragamuffin Parade on Saturday, October 21. The three scarecrows with the most votes will be displayed in the library. Don’t miss the fun by being a part of this Larchmont Halloween tradition!”
On Saturday, October 21st send Dad out with the kid(s) for the Daddy & Me Animal Show from 9:15 - 10:00 am. This event is $10/family members, $15/family non-members
Ecology Club for Families with Special Needs will also meet on Saturday from 3:30 - 4:30 pm.
Scared by the Sound at Playland
Playland transformed for the Halloween season last weekend! “2017 marks the 18th consecutive year of Scared by the Sound Haunted House located at historic Playland Amusement Park. The only thing scarier than a closed and abandoned amusement park after dark is what you'll experience at this 12,000 square foot haunted house and cemetery, located next to the darkened rides and Seaside Walk. This haunt is also home to a terrifying cast of characters all awaiting for your arrival and most eager to help you get your Halloween season adrenaline rush.
Rated one of the best haunts in New York in all categories, Scared by the Sound is open for 9 nights this October and is also open rain or shine with free parking.
Tickets are available in advance online or at the box office nights of the event.
Please be sure to visit us at our permanent Scared by the Sound Interactive display located at Playland Amusement Park all season long. Watch the video monitor as unsuspecting Park goers are transformed into ZOMBIES in real time.
This is a walk-through dark attraction. Night time event may be too scary for children under 10 years of age, alone or with an adult. Strobe lighting and fog may be in use during this night time event. Persons adversely affected by these effects are advised not to enter.”
The Bruce Museum is a hidden gem located just up the road from us in nearby Greenwich, CT. After you’ve checked out the museum, head across the street to a super fun playground the kids are sure to love!
On Friday from 2:30-2:45pm, check out the Marine Tank Animal Feeding.
And on Sunday from 1-4pm check out Toulouse-Lautrec Family Day. “Step into the limelight at the Bruce Museum! Fun, hands-on activities throughout the Museum inspired by our exhibit In the Limelight: Toulouse-Lautrec Portraits from the Herakleidon Museum. From 1:30-3:30 pm, sit for a unique portrait by caricaturist Dan Springer and see a Toulouse-Lautrec painting come to life with mime and moving statue Linda Peck. At 1:45 pm and again at 2:45 pm, join us for dance performances by Allegra Dance Greenwich.”
Westchester Children’s Museum
Good news! The Westchester Children’s Museum is open for business and for you and the kids to enjoy! This “sunlit, colorful, vibrant learning space is filled with interactive exhibits that explore science, art, technology, design and the environment, with places to build, play, and create.” The museum is open Wednesdays through Sundays 10-4. Current exhibits include:
MAKERSPACES
BUILD YOUR OWN ROLLER COASTER
KEVA PLANKS
WIND TUNNEL DESIGN CHALLENGE
TODDLER BEACH
SHADOW PUPPET THEATER
From Friday, September 15th until November 30th, the American Dream Collection: Works by Lynn Mara will be on display! “Drawing inspiration from the beauty of her natural surroundings and the wide spectrum of American iconography, artist Lynn Mara captures the vibrancy of the American spirit through her paintings. Her Impressionist style, bright, colorful palate, and distinct subject matter ranging from bold images of the American Flag, energetic equestrian scenes, to sun-bleached landscapes are joyful and accessible for young visitors.
Artist Lynn Mara is the Winner of the Design a Bus Contest for the 40th Anniversary of the Hampton Jitney, her bus can be seen traveling between Long Island and Manhattan. She was also named Winner of the 2017 HAMPTON CLASSIC poster design. The artist is a devoted mother of four sons, and lives and works in Greenwich CT. with her husband Frank.On View in the Westchester Children’s Museum Art Gallery.”
And the most exciting day of the year is here for the museum and it’s visitors! Saturday October 21st is Explore-A-Thon Day from 10-4pm, “Our Annual Interactive Day of Play, Experimentation, and Discovery. There’ Science, Art, Music, Movement, Tinkering, Engineering, Building, Animation, Nature, Crafts, Fun and Food Trucks
Register online and save time!
Touch-a-Truck / CCNS Fall Fair
Also on Saturday, October 21st, from 11am-3pm kids can “Climb. Explore. Learn. TOUCH! Touch-a-Truck is a unique and interactive event that allows children to see, touch, and safely explore their favorite big trucks and heavy machinery, as well as to meet the personnel who protect, serve, and build the Rye and surrounding communities. We have an exciting list of trucks and vehicles and as well as Anthony's Hotdog cart & Arthur Ave wood fired pizza for food and treats. There will be bounce houses, crafts and much more!
The CCNS Fall Fair is an annual event, which began over 30 years ago as a way to raise funds for the school. This is the second year we are doing a Vehicle Fair. Children will get to sit on and explore many different vehicles that they see daily in our community. The Fair includes age appropriate vehicles, rides, crafts, food trucks, bake sale and a raffle and is fun for the whole community.” Prices are $15 per child and $35 per family 3 +. The fun will take place at Christ's Church Nursery School (Rectory Street & Milton Road Circle, Rye, NY.)
Have you checked out the Hudson River Museum and Planetarium yet? “The Hudson River Museum is a multi-disciplinary cultural complex that draws its identity from its site on the banks of the Hudson River, actively reaching out to broaden the horizons of all of its visitors.”
Early Explorers takes place on Saturdays & Sundays from 1 - 4pm. This is a “safe space for children to explore, play, and create with their families. The room hosts a large-scale dollhouse, blocks, puppet theater, and books. A Junior Docent is present to answer questions and suggest activities. Must be accompanied by a caregiver. Up to age 5.”
In addition, planetarium shows take place on Saturday and Sunday at 12:30, 2 and 3:30pm.
Barnes & Noble
On Saturday at 11am, stop by Barnes & Noble for the Good Day, Good Night Storytime. “In this previously unpublished picture book by Margaret Wise Brown, author of the beloved children's book Goodnight Moon, readers will take comfort in the reassuring world of the little bunny and delight at the attention to detail and hidden surprises on every page. Join us for Storytime, with activities to follow.”
Our closest store is in City Center in White Plains but other nearby locations include Eastchester’s new store complete with a fabulous café!
Ghost The Musical at White Plains Performing Arts Center
Last weekend, Ghost The Musical came to The White Plains Performing Arts Center until October 29th.
“GHOST THE MUSICAL follows Sam and Molly, a young couple whose connection takes a shocking turn after Sam’s untimely death. Trapped between two worlds, Sam refuses to leave Molly when he learns she is in grave danger. Desperate to communicate with her, he turns to a storefront psychic, Oda Mae Brown, who helps him protect Molly and avenge his death.
The cast features the talents of Natalie Weiss (Molly), Steven Grant Douglas (Sam), Wayne Shuker (Carl) and Ellisha Marie (Oda Mae). Completing the cast are Jaela Cheeks-Lomax, Kenya Hamilton, Chloe Kostman, Greg Laucella, Kenneth-Kyle Martinez and T.J. Newton.
Natalie Weiss rose to fame as a semi-finalist on Season 4 of American Idol and on her widely successful YouTube videos and web series “Breaking Down the Riffs” which collectively have reached over 3 million views, but Broadway theatre fans know her from her roles in Saturday Night Fever, Les Misérables, Everyday Rapture and Wicked. Natalie has toured the world teaching and performing solo concerts. She has the privilege of singing on the Original Broadway Cast recording of Dear Evan Hansen and will soon be heard on the soundtrack for the upcoming Hugh Jackman movie musical, The Greatest Showman, based on the life of P.T. Barnum, with original music by Pasek and Paul.”
For tickets visit the theatre box office Monday-Friday (11am-6pm), purchase the tickets online at wppac.com or call 914-328-1600.
Stepping Stones
Stepping Stones museum is another amazing place for the kids. Located about 20 minutes north of Rye Brook, in Norwalk, CT, it’s perfect for the whole family! Check them out here, then head on over for a fun filled day of learning and hands-on activities the kids will adore!
So many fun events planned for the weekend! Check them out right here.
Maritime Aquarium
There is always SO much going on at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT.
Octoberfest Cruises will take place on Saturdays in October from 5-6:30pm at a cost of $50 ($45 for aquarium members.) “Hoist Ale on Saturday evenings in October as The Maritime Aquarium offers special Octoberfest Cruises featuring tastings from local craft breweries. The adults-only cruises will showcase different Connecticut breweries each Saturday. Sample and enjoy their flagship and seasonal brews, while taking in the gorgeous sights on Long Island Sound. Participants must be at least 21 years old.”
And to celebrate Halloween, don’t miss the AquaScarium Halloween Prowl this weekend and next (Oct. 21-22 & 28-29) from 10-5pm. “FREE admission for children ages 3-12 in costume when accompanied by a paying adult. There's no trick about this treat as the Aquarium transforms into the AquaScarium, with an admission discount for kids in costume, face painting, special activities and lots of safe (non-scary) family fun!
Activities Include:
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Seven special activity stations where kids can earn stamps on AquaScarium cards. Activites include a witch-hat ring-toss game, a skeleton puzzle and more. Fully stamped cards can be exchanged for a free popcorn in the Aquarium's IMAX theater.
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Face-painters will enhance Halloween alter egos between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., turning guests into wild creatures, superheroes, princesses and more. There’s a $5 fee.
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A dragon will be loose … but not too loose … at a free “Meet the Dragon” station, where Aquarium educators will invite guests to touch or hold a live bearded dragon. Times are 10:30-11:30 a.m. and 12:30-1:30 & 2:30-3:30 p.m.
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The normal Toy-Boat Workshop will become a Pirate Toy-Boat Workshop from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There’s a $5 fee to build a boat.”
Have you checked out "Journey With Jellies" A bigger & even better jellyfish exhibit yet? “Get close to some of the most strangely beautiful – but painfully dangerous – animals in the sea as The Maritime Aquarium presents a newly expanded exhibit of jellyfish, including species we've never displayed before!
See Pacific sea nettles in an enormous new display, bizarre flower-hat jellies, "upside-down" jellies in a cool half-dome, and more!”
Check out the Coral Reef Exhibit! “A rainbow of colors dart and dash in our new 3,000-gallon Coral Reef exhibit, open now just past the Sea Turtles exhibit.
Meet more than 40 species of reef fish native to the Indo-Pacific, including brilliantly colored varieties of tangs, triggerfish, wrasses and more.
Displays explain why reef systems are so important to the ocean, yet why they’re also so fragile.
Plus, learn how global ocean currents can connect water in reefs on the other side of the planet to our local Long Island Sound – and thus, how our stewardship of the Sound also means good stewardship of all Earth's marine ecosystems.”
The aquarium is definitely worth a trip up the Merritt or 95!
Click here to learn more about Maritime.
Most Saturdays from 10-12 Michael’s offers a fun Kids Club® craft that kids can participate in while their parents shop. This Saturday’s project is making Kids Club® Vampirina Friendship Bracelets. The cost is $2 per project and supplies are included. Sign up in store or online, or just drop in. Parent or guardian must remain on premises during the event.
Also on Saturday from 1-3pm, children “can participate in the MAKEbreak Halloween TShirts event. Buy a t-shirt, and the supplies to decorate it will be provided.”
Lakeshore also hosts a free craft workshop for kids most Saturdays from 11-3pm. This Saturday’s craft also sounds super fun, creating Feathered Friends Bird Feeder! Tree Art! Appropriate for kids ages 3 & up. No reservation necessary. Free.”
Clay Art Center’s Drop In Class
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Ornament Making Projects - December 2 & 9 (two sessions at 1:30 & 3:30)
SPACE IS LIMITED. Tickets go on sale at the front desk at 10am the day of class. Call us at 914-937-2047 to register or drop in by 1:45. First Come First Served. Class maximum is 12 people.”
Westchester Broadway Theatre Production of Annie
Annie Get Your Gun is on stage at the Westchester Broadway Theatre from September 14 - November 26, 2017 and returns December 28, 2017 - January 28, 2018. “Set in the Wild West, where Frank Butler is the sharpest sharpshooter around and the heart-throb of Buffalo Bill's travelling Wild West show. He'll take on any challenge... and win. That is, until Frank meets his match in the rough and ready tomboy sharpshooter, Annie Oakley. Romantic sparks fly, but as long as he is competitive and she is stubborn the course of true love never will run smooth. Irving Berlin’s score filled with memorable hit songs, including “Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better,” "They Say It's Wonderful", “I Got the Sun in the Morning,” Doin' What Comes Natur'lly ,” and the show-stopping hit, “There’s No Business Like Show Business.”
Buy tickets here.
Halloween Comes to Lasdon Park
This sounds like a wonderful event! “Dozens of toy trains chugging through a miniature world, an enchanted castle with a magical fairy garden, a “live” friendly dinosaur and much more will be featured in 10th annual Halloween Train Show, beginning Saturday, Sept. 30 and continuing weekends through October at Lasdon Park, Arboretum and Veterans Museum.
Show dates are Saturdays and Sundays, October, 21 and 22; and 28 and 29. Times are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
The principal attraction of the event in the Main House will be the huge railroad layout, featuring Lionel and similar scale trains traveling past magical creatures and beloved characters ending in a fantasy land with a real storybook ending.
The house will be decorated as an enchanted castle. Step inside and explore the rooms where you will find a magical fairy garden, featuring a beanstalk growing through the ceiling and a dragon in his lair.
Visitors can also stroll through the Lasdon Conservatory’s “Rainforest” exhibit, the “enchanted” hay maze, the “Down the Rabbit Hole” walk or the “Dinosaur Garden” and meet and greet a “live” dinosaur.
There will be music, entertainment, face painting, storybook readings and hayrides at certain times (dates and times vary).
Food will be available from Fork in the Road Café food truck, which will have a full menu for lunch or early dinner. The Garden Shop will offer fall mums, pumpkins, gifts, food and refreshments.
The Westchester Veterans Museum will be open, featuring the exhibit “The War to End All Wars,” marking the 100th anniversary of American involvement in World War I.
The entrance fees are $5 per child and $10 per adult.
Lasdon Park is located at 2610 Amawalk Road (Route 35) in Somers.
For information, including dates and times of special attractions, go to lasdonpark.org or call (914) 864-7268.”
Apple & Pumpkin Picking
One of my favorite fall activities, Apple and Pumpkin Picking has begun already. Nearby orchards include Harvest Moon which also happens to have Fall Festivals on “weekends only from September 9th - October 29th 10am-5pm and Columbus Day Monday,” Barton Orchards, Silverman’s Farm, Wilken’s Farm, Dr. Davie’s Farm in Rockland, Outhouse Orchards and Stuart Farm.
Lyndhurst Mansion Halloween Fun
“Day or night, visitors can walk Lyndhurst’s historic landscape and view the Halloween Sculpture Garden and Scarecrow Invasion. From visitor parking to the mansion, Lyndhurst’s carriage drive is lined with ten steampunk outdoor sculptures backed by scarecrows dressed and designed by local schools. This is a perennially popular place to take Halloween selfies. During the day, the sculptures are backed by the particularly beautiful grounds as leaves change color and start to fall and spectacular views of the Hudson River and new Mario Cuomo (Tappan Zee) Bridge open up. At night, these are eerily lit and add to the Halloween fun.
No advance reservations necessary. On view October 6 – 31, daytime during mansion opening hours. See at night from October 19 – 31, evenings during Jay Ghoul opening hours. $5 per person at gate – cash only. Free when attending other Halloween events.
NO RESERVATIONS NECESSARY
SCARECROW INVASION AND
HALLOWEEN SCULPTURE GARDEN
Daylight hours, October 6 through 31
In addition, CLASSIC MANSION TOURS WITH A HALLOWEEN TWIST September 30 through October 31
During the day, Lyndhurst offers Classic Mansion Tours – with a Halloween twist. The first floor is decorated for the fall with lush foliage and Halloween vignettes throughout each room. The second floor of the mansion is not decorated and visitors can see Lyndhurst’s main rooms in all their traditional splendor. These tours also highlight many Gothic furnishings that Lyndhurst unveils only during the Halloween season.
For those wanting a traditional tour experience adorned with seasonal decorations, this is the best option. The guided tour will focus on the home’s many original furnishings and decorative arts as well as the history and architecture of the building.
Please note, advance online ticket purchases are recommended as tours sell out.”
Weekends at Stone Barns Center
“Experience what's happening on the farm, meet our farmers and greet the season!
On a Saturday or Sunday visit to Stone Barns from April through November, participate in a variety of seasonal, hands-on activities and drop-in tours, all included with your one-day admission ticket.
Weekend tickets sell out. We recommend purchasing tickets in advance:
Tickets become available for purchase 6 weeks in advance.
This season on the farm-
Because every day is different on the farm, exact programming changes each week, but a sample weekend day this spring, summer or fall will include activities like:
Meet the: Sheep: 10:00 – 10:45 am
Meet the: Chickens: 10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Farm Activity: Lettuce Planting: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Blue Hill chef joins the Farm Activity 11:30 am-12 pm
Getting Grounded: Adult Walking Tour 11:30 am (45 minutes)
Hands-on Taste: Spring Rolls 1:00 - 1:45 pm
Making the Rounds: Greenhouse Tour 1:15 pm (20 minutes)
Meet the: Sheep: 2:00 - 3:00 pm
Farm Activity: Prep the Field Beds 2:00 - 3:00 pm
Meet the: Compost 2:30 - 3:00 pm
Meet the: Pigs 3:00 - 3:30 pm
Getting Grounded Tour: Adult Walking Tour 4:00 pm (45 minutes)
This is a sample schedule; a full schedule of the day's programs will be available to you upon entering the farm the day of your visit.”
Other weekend ideas?
The movies are always a fun weekend option. Currently in theaters for the kids is My Little Pony: The Movie and The Lego Ninjago Movie. Personally, for adults, I can’t wait to see the movies Battle of the Sexes and Stronger.
What about a Farmer’s Market? Pleasantville has a great one Saturdays from 8:30-1pm!
Harrison's also has a great Farmers Market open Saturdays, from 8:30-1 from May 20th to November 18th at Ma Riis Park by the train station.
Rye also has a great Farmer’s Market on Sundays from 8:30-2pm in the parking lot behind Village Social and Chase Bank (Theodore Fremd Ave.)
Have you checked out Fun Fuzion in New Rochelle yet. Fun Fuzion is Westchester’s only indoor amusement park. There’s bowling, mini golf, billiards, lazer tag, and a fun house with games and rides. There’s also a movie theater next door! Definitely a spot worth visiting!
Legoland is a fun place to visit with the kids especially during Halloween! “Treat the kids to spooky, kooky, bricktastic fun all Halloween season! Jump inside the world's spookiest box of LEGO® bricks at the only Halloween Party that’s built for kids! Our LEGO® FUNgineers are busy making the attraction boo-tiful and are planning awesome activities around every creepy corner including a Halloween-themed LEGO mosaic build activity, Haunted MINILAND takeover, Spooky, kooky scavenger hunt, Brick or Treat bat build, Minifigure ghost photo ops, And more!
Visit The Ultimate Indoor LEGO Playground for these spook-tacular Brick or Treat events on the following weekends: 10/21-10/22, 10/28-10/29 and 10/31”
Perhaps the Zoo? Nearby ones include the Bronx Zoo. Boo at the Zoo has started and is super fun! Eleven days of Halloween traditions like pumpkin carvings and the costume parade. Plus a hayride, seasonal food and beer, and much more! Check out the schedule and pick a weekend to come. Other nearby zoos include The Central Park Zoo and the Beardsley Zoo in Connecticut.
or Central Park Zoo?
Maybe take a stroll around the New York Botanical Gardens- Artworks by renowned artist CHIHULY will be on display until October 29th. Check out the “breathtaking works of art that dazzle with color, light, and form—by day and night.” SCARECROWS & PUMPKINS is also taking place until Halloween and is open from 10-6. There are Guided Activities on Weekdays; 1:30–5:30 p.m. and Saturdays & Sundays; 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
And Bowlmor bowling alley is a fun option in White Plains!
The Greenwich beaches are open year round, but Park/Beach Passes are required from May 1 to October 31.
Another fun spot to check out, which often has fun weekend activities is Muscoot Farm. http://www.muscootfarm.org
The Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce is holding a Cookie Scavenger Hunt in Downtown Chappaqua on the same day as the Ragamuffin Parade -- Sunday, October 22nd, from 12-3:30pm. Sounds fun and yummy!
Remember, it’s always a good idea to call ahead, to ensure a scheduled activity is still running. Email me at ryebrook@hamlethub.com and let me know if we missed any super fun, family friendly events and/or if you would like to advertise with us!
Photo Credit: Kelly Schwark