September 2022: Celebrate Halloween on the Harlem Meer! Join us on October 26 and 27 for family-friendly programming, including ghoulish crafts, spooky entertainment, and a festive pumpkin patch. Bring your own carved pumpkin to the Conservancy’s signature pumpkin flotilla, and watch with us as our 100-pumpkin fleet sails across the Harlem Meer at twilight. Costumes encouraged!
The Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla is a cherished annual tradition that the Conservancy has presented in Central Park for nearly 30 years. This magical event returns to the Harlem Meer each October, welcoming friends and neighbors from the surrounding communities and throughout New York City. The iconic festive flotilla—featuring homemade jack-o’-lanterns bobbing into the open waters in a dusk-time spectacle—is a must-see NYC event for kids of all ages.
The Conservancy’s Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla features homemade jack-o’-lanterns bobbing in the Harlem Meer.
The Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla was once known as the "Pumpkin Sail," but because there have never been pumpkins for sale at the event, the name was changed to avoid confusion. Traditionally a naval term, a “flotilla” refers to a formation of ships. In our flotilla, the ships are jack-o'-lanterns, carved and donated by New Yorkers.
This celebration was held for the first several years at the Pool. We relocated it to the Harlem Meer in 1993 as a way to celebrate the opening of the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center.
The Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla has been a cherished annual tradition in the Park for nearly 30 years—here’s a look at the event in the 1990s.
In the early days of the event, pumpkins would float independently atop the Pool. But with the introduction of the flotilla, two long lines of connected pumpkins now sail behind a kayak paddled by a "pirate" or "wicked witch" in the Harlem Meer. This has proven more fun to watch—and drastically reduces pumpkin retrieval time! The jack-o’-lanterns are equipped with waterproof LED lights to give them a ghoulish glow.
The Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla has welcomed visitors from all over the country into the picturesque north end of the Park for decades now. This spooky and awe-inspiring evening is unlike any other fall event in New York City!
Traditionally a naval term, a “flotilla” refers to a formation of ships. In our flotilla, the ships are jack-o'-lanterns, carved by New Yorkers.
This year, our Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla is on Thursday, October 27, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. You're also invited to join us on Wednesday, October 26 for Halloween crafts and family-friendly entertainment. These events are free and open to all ages. Tickets are not required. If you’re interested in submitting your own pumpkin to the flotilla, be sure to check our guidelines!
We hope to see you at this memorable autumn event! Use the hashtag #CentralParkHalloween to share the fun from the Harlem Meer or to follow along from home.
Suggested Reading
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Wildlife
Flying in Plain Sight: The Bats of Central Park
Nine species of bats live in New York State, and Central Park’s 843 acres of sprawling meadows, woodlands, and water bodies play a crucial role in their health.
Tags: Pollinators / Nature Lovers
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Plants and Trees
What Are Central Park’s Most Colorful Fall Trees?
In appreciation of this photogenic time of year, we asked a Conservancy arborist what trees you should look for this autumn and where to find them.
Tags: Fall / Trees
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Park Information
Celebrating Central Park in Children’s Books
Central Park is the setting for many terrific stories. Here’s a collection of children’s books—set in the Park—that are recommended by the New York Public Library.
Tags: Best for Kids
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Things to See and Do
A Walk in the Park: A Neuroscientist Explains the Benefits of Walking in Nature
New York is a city of walkers. And there’s perhaps no better place to stretch your legs in this bustling metropolis than Central Park.
Tags: Tips for Visiting / Nature Lovers
