This summer flew by in the literal blink of an eye, but it’s hard to be upset and mourn the end of summer when there’s so much to look forward to in the fall and the New York Botanical Garden is giving NYers a bunch of exciting events to add to their fall bucket list.
From September 17 through October 30 “Fall-O-Ween” at NYBG will be offering an array of attractions and activities for all ages, from lawn games and self-guided tours to spooky nights on select evenings and dance parties.
The full list of programming that will be offered is as follows:
Ongoing programming:
Plethora of Pumpkins
Learn about some of the many pumpkin varieties to be found at NYBG this fall, from decorative gourds to the best pumpkins to use for pie. Fun photo opportunities and pumpkins can be found along the way.
Where: Conservatory Lawn and Conservatory Plaza
Disappearing Plants
Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the Native Plant Garden to learn about plants that have been extirpated from the adjacent Thain Family Forest—meaning they no longer grow in the forest spontaneously due to the encroachment of invasive species and human disturbance.
Where: Native Plant Garden
NYBG Beer Garden
Craft beers, ciders, and seltzers are available for sample and purchase. Grab-and-go meals, snacks, and drinks can also be purchased at the nearby Pine Tree Café.
Where: Visitor Center Cantina
Flavors of Fall: Artisan Demonstrations
Savor your favorite flavors of the season’s harvest and explore the botanical backgrounds of pumpkins, spices, maples, chrysanthemums, and more with food and beverage talks, demonstrations, and tastings.
Where: Leon Levy Visitor Center
Scarecrows and Pumpkins
Delight in fearsome and friendly scarecrow displays among a tableau of pumpkins and gourds large and small along the trails of the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden.
Where: Everett Children’s Adventure Garden
Kiku
Artfully trained Japanese chrysanthemums—or kiku, a staple of fall flowering beauty—are on display in unique, sculptural forms that take nearly a year to grow to shape.
Where: Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Special Weekends and Events
Bales & Ales (21+)
Celebrate the beginning of autumn and the harvest season at NYBG with music, games, and light bites.
Where: Daffodil Hill
When: Saturday, September 24, 12p.m. 5p.m.
Price: Non-Member $48, Member $20
Sensational Seeds Weekend
Learn and explore the stories shared by seed cultivation and seed-saving in this rich weekend of activities and adventures at the Edible Academy. Join chefs and gardeners to dig in with hands-on gardening, cooking demonstrations, and seedy crafts.
- Gardening Activities: plant and tend to crops in the garden
- Makers Station: make your own colorful harvest bag using botanical stamps
- Culinary Demonstrations: delight in culinary demonstrations presented by local chefs and culinary educators
- Celebrate Seed Stories: learn all about the practice of saving seeds
- Tours of African American Garden: participate in guided tours of our African American Garden
- Live Entertainment: family-friendly music performances throughout the day
Where: Multiple locations
When: Saturday, October 8, Sunday, October 9, and Monday, October 10, 12p.m. – 5p.m.
Pumpkin Carving Face-Off Weekend
Witness master carvers compete in pumpkin carving challenges.
- Top Carver: A Master Pumpkin Carving Face-Off
- Pumpkin Carving with Adam Bierton
- Design Your Own Pumpkin
Where: Multiple locations
When: Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16, 11a.m. – 4p.m.
Pumpkin Parade Weekend
Pumpkin-related fun.
- Parade Prep with Materials for the Arts
- Pumpkin Parade
- Pumpkin Carving with Adam Bierton
- Giant Pumpkins on Display
- Meet the Growers: Q&A and Seed Harvesting
Where: Multiple locations
When: Saturday, October 22 and Sunday, October 23 11a.m. – 4p.m.
Spooky Nights
Spooky Nights are back with fun for all ages. Wear your Halloween costume and explore the twisting trails of the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden by flashlight during this frightfully fun nighttime adventure.
- Spooky Pumpkin Garden
- The Secret Life of Scarecrows: Live Shadow Puppet Performance
- Monster Mash Dance Party
- Kiku After-Hours
Where: Multiple locations
When: Saturday, October 22 and Saturday, October 29, 6:30p.m. – 9p.m.
Halloween at the Garden
Celebrate the spookiest holiday with all things pumpkin as artist Adam Bierton tackles some of the largest pumpkins in the world, carving them into stunning and frightful sculptures.
Where: Conservatory Plaza
When: Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30, 11a.m. – 5p.m.
For more information on each event and to purchase tickets head to NYBG’s website.