The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze
Fall festival · Croton-on-Hudson · New York
Historic Hudson Valley strings more than 7,000 hand-carved, lit pumpkins across the grounds of the 18th-century Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson. The walking trail passes 23 built displays set to an original soundtrack, among them a pumpkin dance party and a Hudson River scene, and the event has drawn over two million visitors in its 22 years.
Don’t miss
Plan your visit
Select evenings in September and November; every night in October. Timed entry.
Dates from the official announcement. Always confirm before you go.
Color nearby peaks: October 26–October 30
Color builds from October 13 · mostly bare by November 19
Sampled at The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze’s own coordinates and elevation (18 m) rather than a regional average.
This window comes from 27 weather points across New York, nudged 2 days later to match 2 published peak dates from smokymountains.com and almanac.com. Against New York's own climatology, the 2026 weather puts the peak 1 day earlier. How the forecast works
When to go to The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze
The color window runs about 24 days, holding until around November 6. Against New York overall, that is 13 days later.
From New York City it is about 34 mi, close enough for a morning drive. Hartford is about 74 mi out.
The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze on the map
Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of New York, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.
More things to do in New York
Leaves & views
Plan from a city
Frequently asked
- When is The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze open in 2026?
- The 2026 season runs Sep 18 – Nov 8. Select evenings in September and November; every night in October. Timed entry.. Dates can shift, so check the official site before you go.
- When does The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 26–October 30 (best estimate October 28). Color starts around October 13 and is mostly bare by November 19.
- How do I get to The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze?
- The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze is at Van Cortlandt Manor, near Croton-on-Hudson. The closest city is New York City, about 34 mi away. It's part of New York's fall lineup.
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