The 12th annual Spooky Fest, presented by The Center for Science, will return every weekend in October for a celebration of the Halloween season.
This special event focuses on family-friendly activities and attractions, including decorated wooded paths and festivities with eerie lighting, special effects and popular Halloween characters.
“Long Islanders with children are searching for family-friendly events they can enjoy together with Halloween activities. Spooky Fest offers a one-of-a-kind experience with seasonal attractions and activities families can enjoy together and build lasting memories. We encourage attendees to join in the fun and dress up in their costumes and share their Halloween spirit with us,” said Center for Science Executive Director Ray Ann Havasy.
The event features non-scary attractions including the “Enchanted Halloween Walk.” Here visitors take a walk through the woods and are treated to colorfully lit Halloween stories and meet friendly Halloween characters along the way including butterflies, friendly ghosts, happy scarecrows, dinosaurs, aliens and Cinderella’s carriage complete with a prince and princess.
Other activities include Halloween arts and crafts, fortune telling, face painting and a DJ playing Halloween and other great music. New to Spooky Fest 2023 is an interactive glow tent.
Also returning is the “Spooky Woods,” a quarter-mile walk through the dark woods of the Tanglewood Preserve.
This special attraction includes the sights and sounds of animatronic zombie dinosaurs, eerie smoke and lights and other spooky Halloween displays. Unlike any attraction on Long Island, visitors will enjoy a moderately “scary” thrill without jump out scares and is recommended for children ages 7-10.
Spooky Fest 2023 takes place at The Center for Science’s Tanglewood Preserve at 1450 Tanglewood Road, Rockville Centre on October 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, and 27-29.
Each night the event is open from 6 pm to 9:00 p.m., rain or shine. Tickets are sold in advance online on a limited first-come, first-served basis.
To purchase tickets, go to https://www.cstl.org/spooky-fest/. Prices are $22 for non-scary attractions only and $27 All Inclusive (Non-scary attractions plus admission to The Spooky Woods). Ages 2 and older must have a purchased ticket.
The organization’s mission is to encourage science learning and literacy. The organization is also home to the New York metro area’s largest permanent animatronic dinosaur exhibit and many different animals.
For more details, information and directions visit https://www.cstl.org/spooky-fest/
or call (516) 764-0045.