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 Tammy Severino is the President of RPC Development, a business and development consulting firm for local businesses and not-for-profit organizations. She has more than 20 years of experience in writing, from business writing to journalism to creative writing. In her spare time, this fashionista follows and writes about fashion, travel, and other lifestyle topics. |
| Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. It is wonderful to watch the pure joy on children’s faces that comes with dressing up, going to parties and, of course, getting free candy. For adults, it is one of the few days of the year to channel one’s inner child and enjoy all of the fantasy that comes with celebrating the day. On Long Island, there is ample opportunity to celebrate Halloween – from fun to fantasy to downright scary. Read on for some suggestions of how to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve. Sadly, Disney’s Haunted Mansion is roughly 1,150 miles from Long Island. But, fear not, there are many places to visit locally for a good scare this October. Darkside Haunted House (Wading River), Chamber of Horrors’ Trilogy of Fear (Hauppauge), and NYZ Apocalypse (Deer Park) are among the scary attractions you will find in Suffolk County. Not to be outdone, Nassau County is home to Bayville’s Scream Park, The Haunted Castle in Sands Point and The Franklin Square Horror. Each offers attractions and/or interactive experiences designed to see how much scream they can extract. If you prefer a little less fear factor in your holiday themed ente rtainment, or, perhaps are bringing children with you, there are some events that offer different paths from which you can choose. In Rockville Centre, head to Spooky Fest and choose the option that best works for your group. Yaphank’s Trail of Terror comes complete with a fall festival for families or frightening attractions for the brave of heart. Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns, Old Westbury Gardens’ annual event, features hundreds of carved pumpkins and is always a family favorite. History buffs can take a ride to Old Bethpage Restoration Village for their 1800’s Haunted Halloween day with pumpkin carving, ghost tours, costumes and daytime parade. If you are looking for Halloween fun for the younger set, you have lots of options! From the Ghostly Gala at the Long Island Children’s Museum, to safe trick-or-treating at the mall (nearly all on LI offer this) to strolling through the Haunted Trail at the Girl Scouts of Suffolk County’s Camp Edey location (best for ages 8 and up), you will have fun in a safe, friendly environment with your costumed kiddies. Before All Hallows’ Eve officially arrives, be sure to head to one of Long Island’s farms to pick your pumpkin. Bring it home with a bale of hay, corn stalk or pot of mums for the front porch. Several of the farms offer family-friendly corn mazes – from the simple to the complex – for those looking for some added fun or try a hay ride to complete the experience. Whatever you choose for Halloween fun, I wish you a ghoulishly good time! |
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20 lucky winners will win $500 each in prizes totaling $10,000. 