Westbury, NY is the kind of place a lot of New Yorkers only know as a stop on the LIRR.
Turns out, plenty of people would happily stay a while! The Long Island village lands at #100 out of 585 on Niche’s ranking of the best places to retire in New York, and one stroll down Post Avenue explains why.
This Friday, the village’s 1927 movie palace is giving everyone, retirees very much included, a reason to stay out past dark.
The Space at Westbury is hosting Candlelight: Halloween Classics on Friday, October 30, with shows at 6 pm and 8:30 pm.
30 October 2026 18:00
The Space at Westbury
Picture “Thriller,” “Ghostbusters” and “Stranger Things” played by a live string quartet in a room full of candlelight, one night before Halloween weekend goes full chaos.
It’s the perfect kickoff to your spooky weekend that lies ahead, and tickets are already going fast. We have all the details on how to see it!
Why Westbury keeps winning people over
The village has had a serious glow-up.
Back in 2016, Westbury landed a $10 million award from the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, and the money went straight into the heart of town.
According to Governor Hochul’s office, Post Avenue got new trees, benches, bike racks, LED lighting and wider sidewalks. A new plaza now links the LIRR station to the main retail strip, and 52 acres around the station were rezoned for new homes and shops.
State officials called it a more walkable, culturally vibrant, transit-oriented downtown. And now, it’s never been easier to make a whole evening out of it.
Niche gives Westbury an overall A, and the village’s crown jewel is sitting right on Post Avenue.
The theater that came back from the dead
Fittingly for a Halloween concert, this venue has a bit of a resurrection story.
And it hits a little different right now, with Manhattanites rallying to save the AMC in Kips Bay before it closes at the end of 2026.
The Westbury Theatre opened on November 10, 1927, with room for 1,600 moviegoers across its orchestra, loge and balcony. Architect Douglas Pairman Hall gave it a medieval Tudor look that still makes it stand out on Post Avenue.
Then came the slow fade. The theater was split into two screens in the late 1970s, crowds dwindled, and in 2001 it was forced to close over building safety code violations. It sat dark for years.
Restoration work kicked off in 2010, and in late 2013 the old movie palace reopened as The Space at Westbury, now a go-to stop for touring bands, comedy specials, and now candlelight concerts.
What you’ll hear
Picture that Tudor-style auditorium lit up by a sea of candles while the Highline String Quartet tears through the soundtrack of every Halloween sleepover you’ve ever had. T
he tentative program includes:
- Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”
- The “Ghostbusters” theme
- The “Stranger Things” theme and Danny Elfman’s “Beetlejuice”
- “The Addams Family” theme and John Carpenter’s “Halloween”
- “Tubular Bells” from “The Exorcist” and Bernard Herrmann’s “Psycho” prelude
- “Time Warp” from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”
- A medley from “The Nightmare Before Christmas”
The classical side brings serious goosebumps too, with Saint-Saëns’ “Danse Macabre,” Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain” and a movement from Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8.
There’s also Gounod’s “Funeral March of a Marionette,” a tune you’ll recognize as the “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” theme. The whole thing runs about an hour.
Don’t wait too long on tickets
Tickets for the event are flying fast and there are multiple ways to experience the spooky glow on Friday.
Zone C, which is the cheapest option starts at $41.50 before fees, while prime Zone A tickets closer to the stage run closer to $72.
Seats are first come, first served within each zone as well, so getting there early pays off.
Good to know before you go
- When: Friday, October 30, at 6 pm or 8:30 pm. Each show runs about 60 minutes.
- Doors: Open an hour before showtime, and there’s no entry once the music starts.
- Where: The Space at Westbury, 250 Post Avenue, Westbury.
- Getting there: Take the LIRR straight to Westbury station. From there, the theater is about a 9-minute walk down Post Avenue.
- Ages: 8 and up. Anyone under 16 needs to come with an adult.
- Accessibility: The venue is ADA compliant.
- Snacks: Food and drinks are available to buy at the venue.
Make a Long Island weekend of it
The area is worth sticking around for!
Just down the road, Old Westbury Gardens’ 200-acre English estate is serving peak fall foliage and a giant LEGO exhibit.
And if you’re heading back to the city for the big night itself, our guide to NYC’s 2026 Halloween lineup has everything from the Village parade to haunted houses.
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