Month: October 2025

The Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze returns!

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Rising up from the grounds of a historic Hudson Valley mansion is a Halloween display that transports you into a magical world. Your walk through the grounds is filled with the artistry of over 7000 carved pumpkins that have been curated into a fantasy of light and sound.

The ultimate fall experience in the Hudson Valley has returned.  The Great Jack O Lantern Blaze kicks off the fall season and runs through November  16th.   A great event for all ages. 

Located on the grounds of an 18th-century estate on the banks of the Croton River in Westchester, Van Cortlandt Manor is perfect setting this popular event.  Enter through an arched gate of lit and carved pumpkins along dark paths lit with.  The mood has been set for an event like no other.

Artists have been at hard at work carving lanterns thousands of pumpkins and transforming this historic site into a magical Halloween world.  Guests will marvel at the pumpkin lit tunnel, the bridges, and other features such as the giant spider web and the smoke bellowing dragon, all crafted with lit Jack O’ Lanterns.

Visitors will enjoy a dazzling display of, flowers, fish, Celtic designs, traditional jack O’ Lanterns, The Headless Horseman, ghosts, scarecrows, dinosaurs, and so much more.

The Ferris wheel, the carnival side show and the Day of The Dead have all returned and the carrousel is truly an inspiring spectacle.  As you wind toward the end you come to the manor house itself which puts on a dazzling light display

New this year you can go over the rainbow with the massive new, WICKEDLY fun emerald-hued storybook pumpkin dreamscape

Stop by the Headless Horsemen Hideaway for spooky sips and haunting visits from the Horseman himself.  Great photo ops!

Returning Favorites fall-themed sweets and snacks at the courtyard snack stand .And of course the Blaze gift shop to find exclusive souvenirs and local finds.

Stop by and see the Headless Horseman himself and enjoy a cocktail.

This is the perfect event to celebrate the fall season right in the Hudson Valley!

. Proceeds from your ticket purchase support the education and preservation efforts of Historic Hudson Valley.

For tickets and more information: https://pumpkinblaze.org/blaze-hudson-valley.html

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Rent: the award winning musical now on stage at the Music Theatre of Connecticut in Norwalk

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Rent is  a rock musical with music, lyrics, and book by Jonathan Larson. It is inspired by  the 1896 opera La Boheme by Puccini.  Rent  tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive and create a life in the East Village of New York city , in the days of before gentrification and when HIV/Aids was still raging.

The young artists live in a rundown loft in Alphabet City and are months behind on their rent.  They band together to feed each other, stay warm and keep a roof over their head even when the electricity it turned off.   A former friend who now owns the building with his wealthy wife wants to evict them.  It is this pending eviction, the knowledge some of their friends are HIV positive, strengthen their bonds and their friendship to stay in the only home they have.  The story and music is both emotional and moving and you cannot leave the production without being touched by this story.

Rent stars Jacob Heimer (B’way- Beautiful) as Roger, Joe Tolentino (Regional- Rent w/ director Adam Pascal) as Mark, Cedric Leiba JR. (Tour- Rent, Miss Saigon) as Angel, Darrick Penny (Regional- Rent w/ director Adam Pascal) as Tom, LaDonna Burns (Nat’l Tour- Rent, MTC- Ghost (CT Critics Circle Award Winner)) as Joanne, Olivia Fenton (Ivoryton- Hank Williams: Lost Highway, MTC- Moon Over Buffalo) as Maureen, Gabriela Gomez (Disney Cruise- Aladdin) as Mimi, Matt Mancuso (Valley Shakespeare- As You Like It, MTC- Ghost) as Benny, and Ensemble cast includes Sadie Seelert (B’way- Mary Poppins), Leeanna Rubin (Nat’l Tour- Annie), Carlos Pérez (SToNC- The Little Mermaid), Charles Romano (Legacy- Sweeney Todd). Rent is directed & choreographed by Chris McNiff with music direction by David Wolfson. The production team also includes stage management by Theresa Stark, fight & intimacy direction by Dan O’Driscoll, scenic design by Marty Marchitto, lighting design by Scott Borowka, prop design by Claudia Ruck, costume design by Diane Vanderkroef, and sound design by Jon Damast. Ticket prices range from $45-$60 plus fees and can be purchased online.

Music Theatre of Connecticut

tickets and information https://www.musictheatreofct.com/

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