Who says COVID has to be the ‘Grinch who stole Halloween’? Not Nyack, where residents and visitors can enjoy safe, socially-distanced, and virtual ways to enjoy this special holiday.
Alas, there will be no famous Nyack parade this year. But the village will continue its 30-year tradition of crazy spookiness with family-friendly online activities, as well as special Halloween touches in the village — all while keeping COVID at bay with masks and social distancing.
What to expect? Following are the devilish details.
Halloween lights, decorations and displays will bedeck the village and surrounding community in spooky splendor for the October season. Nyack artists will ply their skills to create decorations throughout the village — definitely worth a tour through town to enjoy these special creations. Also in the neighborhood, homes in Nyack, Upper Nyack and South Nyack will be decorated in their famously over-the-top displays.
A ghostly trail painted on the sidewalks will guide people to spooky, fun spots throughout the village.
Ghoulish greeting cards, a collaboration between local artists Bill Batson and Marisol Diaz, can be found at Koblin’s Pharmacy (96 Main St.), Pickwick Book Shop (8 S. Broadway), and the Nyack Farmers Market (Main Street parking lot, Thursdays, 8am-2pm). Find out more: visitnyack.org/boo-batson-2020
Special promotionswill be offered by select Nyack merchants and restaurants during the Halloween season.
Nyack’s Safe Haven outdoor shopping and
dining events continue with street closings
on October 23 and 30. (NOTE: October 30 has been cancelled due to stormy weather!) Shoppers, diners, and kids are invited to enjoy everything the village
has to offer. Social distancing and masks required.
Special activities for the kids at the Friday events will be led by Lynnette Marshall of Nyack Basics, a community-based childhood development and literacy program. Marshall, who has been working with Nyack’s youngest citizens for decades, will offer Halloween-themed crafts and spooky story time at the corner of South Broadway and Hudson Street from 4:00pm to 5:30pm on both Safe Haven evenings.
Parking is free throughout Nyack during the Save Haven events — for shopping, dining, take-out pick-ups and general enjoyment of the village.
Nyack’s Maskarade will also be underway throughout October. Maskarade is Nyack’s ongoing competition for people who’ve taken the challenge of pandemic mask-wearing to new levels of creativity.
We all have to wear masks. But why not make Halloween a great opportunity to throw away the disposables, get creative and pull out all the stops? Nyack Merchants United is inviting everyone to put their best mask forward and compete.
The Maskarade Red Carpet finale will be held virtually on Facebook Live on Friday, October 30 at 6:00pm. Full details are available on the Nyack Maskarade Facebook page.
Halloween From Home sponsored by the Nyack Chamber of Commerce, is a main ingredient in the Nyack Halloween mix, allowing everyone to participate in a virtual Halloween celebration on Facebook from the comfort of their homes. From October 26 to 31, Nyack businesses and residents can post and view Halloween-themed videos and photos on the Nyack Chamber of Commerce Halloween from Home Facebook Group.
Any family-friendly Halloween-themed content is welcome — such as cooking/baking tutorials (the slimier the better), Halloween cocktail recipes (poison optional), DIY decoration tutorials, carved pumpkin pics, decorated home portraits, pet costumes, musical performances, and ghost stories.
Nyack-themed videos are highly encouraged. Along with the videos/photos, businesses are encouraged to include links to their websites, menus, promotions, or events.
All posts will be approved before appearing on the Facebook Group. (Please, no personal photos of costumes or photos of children.) Contributors who do not have Facebook or who need assistance with video or other tech should reach out to the Chamber for support at nyackhalloween@gmail.com.
Safety is the watchword for everything we’re doing in Nyack. We’re mindful of the dangers of virus spread, and continue to monitor the health of our community. But we also want our local families, visitors and businesses to get some relief — by enjoying fall in our beautiful village.
