Are you ready for Halloween? Across the U.S., the spooky season seems to grow bigger — and a whole lot more bewitching — every year. Nowhere is that more true than in Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, where the calendar overflows with haunted happenings, eerie adventures, and enough Halloween spirit to stretch longer than a witch’s fingernail.
For some people, Halloween started over the summer. According to the National Retail Federation, one-quarter of consumers purchased at least one Halloween item in August with costumes and candy number one. A great majority, however — 42% according to the report — prefer cooler weather to get them in the mood to shop fall.
For me, the itch for candy corn and a costume hits mid-September as that's when many bars
and restaurants in Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow start decorating. The Tapp is always decked out, as is Horsefeathers, J.P. Doyle's and Hollywood North Pizza.
This yearI Scream, a new self-serve ice cream and frozen yogurt shop, should be open, bringing excitement and devilishly good desserts to in Sleepy Hollow. It's also the first year for The Village Confectionery, which opened in June and has gone all out for Halloween — think a reimagined entryway that evokes a magical forest complete with a witches house.
I had lots of ghoulish fun checking it out along with all the other great places to eat and drink. Most refreshing: sampling all the pumpkin beer: JP Doyle's has a Hollow Haunt IPA; The Cube Inn has the Gourd Reaper from Narragansett Brewery while Horsefeathers has the Horseless Gourdsman, created with Yonkers-based Simple Motive Brewing.
Horsefeathers also has a pretty cool Jack O'Lantern tiki glass filled with a special Halloween concoction. Needless to say there's a lot to see, do, eat and drink, all with a seasonal twist. For those who live and work here, it's always a treat.
Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @jeannemuchnick or via the lohudfood newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Trick or treat with food writer Jeanne Muchnick
