Take advantage of the final days of daylight savings time to take in some of our picks for this week. The circus is in town, plus we have four Halloween-themed events to get you in the holiday spirit–pun fully intended. Enjoy!
Beginning Wednesday, October 21
The Big Apple Circus: The Grand Tour
Lincoln Center
Various times
The Big Apple Circus brings “The Grand Tour,” a 1920s-themed circus spectacular to the Big Top this fall. This awesome extravaganza features acts from around the world—including jugglers, clowns, aerialists and acrobats from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America, in addition to domestic and rescue animals. Set against a roaring twenties transportation-themed backdrop of ships, trains, and automobiles, this international consortium will perform to live music played by the seven-piece Big Apple Circus Band. The show runs two hours with an intermission. Tickets start at $25, children under 3 are free if they sit on the lap of a paid adult, one child per lap. Runs through Sunday, January 10, 2016.
Beginning Saturday, October 24
Día de los Muertos Weekends
New York Botanical Garden
10am-6pm
In honor of the final closing weekends of its current exhibit “Frida Kahlo: Art Garden, Life,” the New York Botanical Garden will host a Día de los Muertos Celebration over two weekends this month. Garden visitors can enjoy a parade of giant skeletons, live music, stilt dancers, and more. Craft activities include mask making and face painting. Plus be sure to check out master carver, Ray Villafane at work (October 24-25) on the annual Giant Pumpkin Carving Display (open through November 1). Free with garden admission. Also occurs on Sunday, October 25, Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1.
Saturday, October 24
Haunted High Line Halloween
The High Line
11am-3pm
Delve into the High Line’s spooky past during its annual Haunted High Line party! Journey back in time to when freight trains rumbled past 10th Avenue, or “Death Avenue,” as it was nicknamed in the 1890’s. Families with children of all ages can trick-or-treat with ghosts, such as the West Side Cowboy and the Mad Cookie Baker, listen to terrifying tunes and tales, snap a photo in the photo booth, and journey through a haunted train tunnel. This event is free.
Ghouls & Gourds 2015
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
12pm-5:30pm
This year’s Ghouls & Gourds festival at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden will be one for the books. Festivities will include games, arts and crafts, live musical performances, the Book Barn featuring signings and readings by local children’s authors and illustrators, and, of course, the annual Halloween costume parade for all ages, featuring giant puppets and massive drums. This event is free with garden admission and will take place rain or shine.
Sunday, October 25
Halloween Parade and Pumpkin Flotilla
Central Park
3:30pm-7pm
Join Central Park for its annual Halloween Parade and Pumpkin Flotilla this Sunday. In addition to the costume parade and pumpkin float on the Harlem Meer, there will be live music, scary storytelling, pumpkin carving demos, Discovery Station arts and crafts, and more. This event is free.
Thalia Kids’ Book Club: Guys Read Terrifying Tales
Symphony Space
4pm
Six of the contributors to the newest book in the Guys Read series—including Jon Scieszka (The Stinky Cheese Man) and Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants)—will read from a new collection of original ghost stories at “Terrifying Tales,” a Halloween-themed installment of Symphony Space’s Thalia Kids’ Book Club series, co-presented with Bank Street Bookstore. In addition to the readings, this afternoon of spooky fun will include a costume contest, an audience Q&A, and a writing activity where kids will have the opportunity to draft their own scary story. Recommended for ages 8 through 12. Tickets are $15.
