Halloween takes over Central Park on Friday, October 30th, when the annual Pumpkin Flotilla heads to the Harlem Meer. This free family event starts at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, and you’ll find live music, spooky stories, crafts, pumpkin carving demonstrations, and a costume parade before the pumpkins take to the water.
Watch the Pumpkins Set Sail
The costume parade is only part of the fun. At twilight, the Central Park Conservancy’s signature Pumpkin Flotilla sends up to 50 glowing jack-o’-lanterns across the Harlem Meer. This year also includes live bat encounter presentations from the Organization for Bat Conservation.
Want your pumpkin in the flotilla? Bring a carved pumpkin that weighs about 8 pounds after carving, or roughly the size of a soccer ball. Drop-off takes place near the Dana Discovery Center, and spots go to the first 50 pumpkins that arrive.
- 4:00 to 5:45 PM: Pumpkin drop-off, crafts, spooky stories, live entertainment, and carving demonstrations
- 6:00 to 6:30 PM: Halloween Costume Parade
- 6:30 PM: Pumpkin Flotilla launch
- 7:00 PM: Event ends
The event is free, open to all ages, and no tickets are required. The flotilla is weather permitting, so check the forecast before heading out.
The Event Planner Expo is right around the corner. It isn’t too late to grab your tickets and be a part of this exciting three-day event.
