See below for events in western Queens or continue to the next page for Halloween in Eastern and Central Queens.
Costume Shops in Queens
Not satisfied with the prepackaged monsters at the drugstore or party store? Find your dream costume at:- Rubie's Costume Company, 120-08 Jamaica Avenue, Richmond Hill, 718-846-1008
Rubie's is one of the largest costume manufacturers in the world, supplying costumes to retailers across the country. Their own retail headquarters in Richmond Hill is worth a visit for that hard to find item. It can get overrun with customers, but be patient and you'll find what you need. Rubie's also rent costumes for adults.
Halloween in Western Queens
Everybody Loves a ParadeThe Jackson Heights Halloween Parade is the second-largest Halloween parade in New York. It's all about the neighborhood kids and their costumes. And a few over-the-top grown-ups too.
- October 31, 2012, TBD
- USUALLY - but this year's is TBD - 37th Ave, starting at 89th St, ending at 76th St, Jackson Heights
- Sponsored by the Jackson Heights Beautification Group (JHBG)
Halloween Harvest Festival in LIC
The Halloween Harvest Festival is great chance to check out the Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City. Join the Halloween costume workshops where kids can learn from Socrates artists. Or enter your dog in the Canine Costume Contest. Plus there's face-painting and art-making, pumpkin-painting, and harvest foods from local restaurants. And the Red Door Theatre Company performs
- Saturday, October 20, 2012; free; rain or shine
- Festival is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Socrates Sculpture Park, 3134 Vernon Blvd at Broadway, Long Island City, 718-956-1819
What better way to celebrate the spooky season than to visit the grave of Harry Houdini? Before his death on Halloween in 1926, the famous contortionist, it has been said, left behind a code with which friends could contact him on a future Halloween night at his grave in Machpelah Cemetery, Ridgewood. Unfortunately, there's no chance to see the escape artist's ghost escape this Halloween. The cemetery will be closed on October 31.
- Machpelah Cemetery, 82-30 Cypress Hills St, Ridgewood, NY, 718-366-5959
Dead or Alive: Halloween at NY Hall of Science
At the NY Hall of Science, there will be catapults, bats, and robots, all to celebrate the unholy marriange of science and Halloween! Ah, the scientific method!
- October 26-28, 2012, Free with admission. Extra fee for some projects.
- NY Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St, Corona, NY 11368, 718-699-0005
- At Flushing Meadows Park
For the Halloween animal in you: bring the kids to the Queens Zoo's Boo at the Zoo, where they can enjoy face-painting, trick or treating, pumpkin-decorating, and a haunted habitat. And find out what the Zoo bills as "spooky animal presentations" at 1:30 and 3 p.m. Boo!
- October 27 and 28, 2012 - plus more events on October 31
- Free with regular zoo admission ($8 - free for childen under 12 wearing costumes), 718-271-1500
- Queens Zoo, 53-51 111th St, in Flushing Meadows Park, the Corona side
Harvest Fest and Pumpkin Patch at the Garden
The Queens Botanical Garden in Flushing has a Sunday afternoon of Halloween fun, stories, and music this October 14. Have you heard of the Fresh Meadows Poets? I haven't, but they'll be performing, along with bluegrass bands The Bakersfield Breakers and Lonesome Moonlight String Band. Plus, there are garden workshops and tours, a pumpkin patch, food like Famous Dave's Legendary Pit Bar-B-Que and Bayside Corn, crafts, and a beer tent.
- Queens Botanical Garden
- 43-50 Main Street, Flushing, NY
- Sunday, October 14, 2012, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Halloween Remixed at Flushing Town Hall
The preeminent arts organization in central Queens hosts two Halloween events this year in its Victorian headquarters. There's the Halloween Remixed Costume Party for grown-ups on Saturday night, and a Halloween bash for families on Sunday.
- Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd, Flushing, NY
- Halloween Costume Party
Saturday, October, 27, 2012, 8 p.m. - Halloween - Remixed (for kids and families)
Sunday, October, 28, 2012, noon
Trick or Treat at Louis Armstrong House
Ther's a free Halloween craft workshop for kids in the garden at the Louis Armstrong House Museum. Kids will get prizes for best costumes, and there will be live jazz.
- October 27, 2012, 1 - 4 p.m.
- 34-56 107th Street, Corona, NY 11368
- 718-478-8274
