It's time to celebrate the spookiest day of the year with some safe, family-friendly Halloween events and activities that will give you your fair share of thrills and chills.
Keep reading for Cortland County happenings and how to have a haunted good time while staying safe:
If you choose to take part in any of the activities below, please adhere to all social distancing guidelines. The information below is valid as of October 26, 2020. Reservations are required for many of the options listed below. Due to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, please contact businesses directly to confirm details.
FALL-THEMED MOVIE MONTH | OCTOBER
Throughout the month of October, Crown City Cinemas will be showing all eight Harry Potter films, as well as other family-friendly spooky movies! Tickets are $7 per person, with a minimum of 8 tickets purchased for each screening. To reserve a theater for a private showing just call or email Crown City Cinemas and they will help you find an available date and time.
Crown City Cinemas, 1130 NY-13, Cortland NY
GHOSTS IN THE PARK | OCTOBER 30-31
Be on the lookout for witches, ghosts and other hair-raising characters at Dwyer Memorial Park during Cortland Repertory Theatre's Ghosts in the Park. This family-friendly, spooky drive-thru will take place Friday, Oct. 30 at 4 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 31 at noon and 2:30 p.m. Upon entering the park in your car (or broomstick), you will fly around the globe, visiting places like Sleepy Hollow, Transylvania, Salem, Loch Ness and Roswell. Tune your car radio to their spooky station and be spellbound by the sounds of the season.
This experience is meant for all ages – no gore or guts, just lots of fun! Brought to you by a collaboration between CRT, the SUNY Cortland Musical Theatre Department, the Cortland Youth Bureau, the Cortland Performing Arts Institute, and community volunteers. A $5 suggested donation per vehicle will be taken at the gate. Tickets will not be sold in advance.
Dwyer Memorial Park, 6799 Little York Lake Road, Little York NY
FREAK AT THE PEAK: HAUNTED COASTER | OCTOBER 30-31
Greek Peak Adventure Center, 1856 NY-392, Virgil NY
MOVIES AT THE MOUNTAIN FT. HOCUS POCUS | OCTOBER 30
We can all agree Hocus Pocus is one of the most beloved Halloween movies of all time, and before you hop on a flying vacuum to try to track down the film, Greek Peak Mountain Resort will be featuring it on their outdoor cinema theater!
The movie will go on rain or shine. The film begins at 8 p.m. Concessions are unavailable, but Trax2Go will be available until 9 p.m. Face coverings are required is stepping away from your vehicle to access the restrooms.
Greek Peak Mountain Resort, 1856 NY-392, Virgil NY
HALLOWEEN TREATING AND COSTUME PARADE | OCTOBER 31
The Town of Virgil will be hosting a Halloween Treating and Costume Parade on Saturday, October 31 at 5:30 p.m. The parade will begin at the Virgil Town Hall. Face masks and social distancing will be required. Sponsored by the Virgil Youth Commission, Virgil Methodist Church, Virgil Fire Dpt. and the small businesses of Virgil.
Town of Virgil, 1176 Church Street, Virgil NY
MONSTERS IN THE MUSEUM | OCTOBER 31
Attention all little ghouls and goblins! The Homeville Museum is hosting their second annual Monsters in the Museum event on Halloween! There will be pumpkin decorating, ghost stories, crats and more to make this year's Halloween celebrations spook-tacular! games and crafts, ghost stories and prizes. Regular admission rates apply (Adults - $10; Youth 6-18 - $5; Free for ages 5 & under + members). Email Homeville@CNYLivingHistory.org to RSVP. Please include the number of people in your group and your preferred start time: 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. or 2 p.m.), and include a second choice if possible.
CNY Living History Center, 4386 US Rt. 11, Cortland NY
MOVIES AT THE MOUNTAIN FT. HALLOWEEN | OCTOBER 31
Few movies are as appropriate for Halloween as, well Halloween (1978, R), and Greek Peak Mountain Resort will be featuring the time-tested, classic movie on their outdoor screen on the scariest night of the year! The slasher movie stars Jamie Lee Curtis and follows a mental patient and murderer who escapes a sanitarium and returns to his hometown to stalk innocent passersby.
The movie will go on rain or shine. The film begins at 8 p.m. Concessions are unavailable, but Trax2Go will be available until 9 p.m. Face coverings are required is stepping away from your vehicle to access the restrooms.
Greek Peak Mountain Resort, 1856 NY-392, Virgil NY
ACTIVITIES AT HOME
Help your kids get their candy on while still social distancing with these stay-at-home Halloween activities.
GHOST SIGHTINGS
Is the Center for the Arts haunted? See for yourself as the Homer theater and concert venue launches a live "ghost cam" from Thursday, Nov. 29 through Halloween. The YouTube livestream will show two cameras focusing on the Theater and the South Tower for 24 hours. For many years, there have been rumors of spirits and ghosts wandering the halls of the Center for the Arts, but none have ever been recorded on camera.
GET ARTSY
If you want to have a hand-made holiday this year, look no further than Cheerful & Creative's take-home Hocus Pocus Door Hanger. The kit includes a pre-drawn, blank door hanger, paint, paint brush, instructions, stencil and a goodie bag of treats. Video instructions will also be available to view during the weekend of Oct 30 through November 1. You can pick up your materials on Thursday, October 29, 5:30-7:30 p.m. or Friday, October 30, 4-6 p.m.
Cheerful & Creative, 33 1/2 Main Street, Cortland NY
DECORATE OR CARVE A PUMPKIN
Carving pumpkins is the best Halloween activity to show off your crafting skills. You can go with the classic toothy grin and triangle nose or a design from your favorite movies like Harry Potter and Minions. If your knife skills are subpar, skip carving altogether and try painting a pumpkin instead. You can find the perfect pumpkin at these local pumpkin patches and farmers markets below.
Theresa's Pumpkin Patch, 5887 NY-281, Homer NY (behind Anderson's Farm Market)
Anderson's Market, 5887 NY-281, Homer NY
Dave's Veggies, 5178 NY-41, Homer NY
DIY HALLOWEEN COOKIES
Enjoy all the fun of decorating Halloween cookies without any of the prep work. The DIY Halloween Cookie Kits from Frosted Bakery are a fun project for the whole family, for ages 1-100. The easy-to-use kit includes everything you need - half a dozen assorted cutout cookies, M&M's, festive sprinkles, mini marshmallows, assorted frostings and decorating bags. Call to preorder yours today!
Frosted, 133 Main Street, Cortland NY
(607) 662-4200
DINNER & A SHOW
Kids (and adults) should eat something other than candy...right? Well, you're in luck! Don't worry about firing up the stove because a majority of Cortland County restaurants are offering take-out, curbside pickup and delivery options. Order from your favorite eatery, or try a new local spot, and settle in for an evening of family-friendly frights with a movie. Some of our favorites include: The Addams Family, Hocus Pocus, Goosebumps or Hotel Transylvania. If the kiddos have gone to bed, throw on a classic horror film, like Friday the 13th or Halloween. Here is just a sample of culinary fall treats the county has to offer, sweet and savory.
TIPS & TRICKS TO STAY SAFE
For those wondering about trick-or-treating, please consider the following:
- If you plan to give out treats, wear gloves and pass them out to avoid excessive touching of candy and bowl among the ghosts and goblins.
- If you expect having trick-or-treaters in your neighborhood, consider how many have come in the past and if you will need to establish 6 feet markers for possible lines.
- There are a lot of fun ways to get innovative and creative with passing out treats! Maybe try bagging candy up to avoid having kids reach (or having to pass out) multiple pieces.
- Now is the perfect time to give your facemask a Halloween themed makeover! When answering the door for trick-or-treaters, wear a mask.
- Make sure children (and adults) stay at least six feet apart from others. If you can’t keep physical distance, it’s best to avoid activities like trick-or-treating or going to a crowded pumpkin patch.
- Wash your hands thoroughly when you get home. Carry hand sanitizer so that kids can wash their hands while trick-or-treating.
- Set aside any candy that comes from outside your household for 24 hours before allowing children to handle it. Reality check: We know that it’s too much to ask of kids to wait to eat their candy. You might purchase a small amount of candy in advance so that you can have candy on hand that your kids can eat immediately on Halloween.
Please follow safety guidelines, social distancing of six feet and practice good hand hygiene while celebrating.
Share your Cortland County Halloween adventures with us for a chance to be featured! Tag @experiencecortland and use hashtag #experiencecortland.