HAUNTED TREE HOUSE
AT THE LONG ISLAND AQUARIUM FROM 7PM-9PM
DETAILS
Special thanks to our Event Sponsors!
Tim Hubbard, Ken Rothwell, Diane Tucci/Main Street Agency, Golden Acres Organic Farm, Hilton Garden Inn & Residence Inn Long Island East Riverhead, Riverhead Rotary, Peconic Abstract, Riverhead Lions Club, Ed Rubio/SFX Fireworks, Waterdrinker Farm – North Fork
TRICK OR TREAT AT THE HAUNTED MUSEUM!
Saturday, October 25, 2025 – 2:00 – 4:00 pm
SUFFOLK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$1 admission per person. Family Fun for All Ages! Bring your tiniest tots to your tallest teens for a comical and fun Haunted Museum Halloween Event! Trick or Treat from museum gallery to museum gallery, and enjoy our “Haunted Hunt” scavenger hunt, as you encounter our ghosts and ghouls who live in our haunted hallways! You might even hear a ghost story or two! Enjoyable (not TOO scary) fun for even the youngest of witches and goblins!
HALLOWEENFEST 2025
EVENT TIME IS 4pm – 9pm and the Festivities will be primarily in the Town Square.
We will have performances by local music groups, theater and dance.
Town Square (4:00–10:00 PM)
- Kids’ activities including face painting, tattoos, crafts, zombie laser tag, and games
- Local food vendors, beer, and wine – Seaside Grill, Moonfish Brewery, Mugs on Main, Ben & Jerry’s
- Wristbands and valid ID required for 21+ alcohol service
- All no-smoking and no-vaping policies will be enforced
Pumpkin Derby (Details Below)
- 4:00 PM – Pumpkin Judging
- 4:15 PM – Sign-up
- 4:30 PM – Pumpkin Derby race
Stage Performances
- 4:00–5:30 PM – East End Arts Bands
- 6:00–6:45 PM – Riverhead School of Rock
- 8:00–9:30 PM – Performances & Prizes
- Peconic Ballet Theatre
- Blue Masques Theatre Group
- After the parade & performances– Fireworks
Parade
- 6:00–6:45 PM – Lineup TBD
- 7:00 PM – Parade on Main Street (staging at Griffing Ave, ends at the Riverfront behind the Town Square)
- 8:00 PM – Parade prizes announced at the stage
Downtown Crawl Specials
Restaurants, bars, and shops throughout downtown will join in with spooky specials all day and night, following the Alive on 25 downtown crawl footprint.
Haunted Tree House at the Long Island Aquarium
7-9pm
Coffin Races and Trick-or-Treating on Main Street are postponed for 2025 to allow enough time and resources for the best event experience planning and safety preparation. Organizers are working with community partners to bring them back in the future as part of HalloweenFest traditions.
LAMP POLE DECORATING
Lamp Post Decorating Contest
- Oct 10 – Oct 24: Community lamp post decorating downtown
- Oct 19 – Oct 31: Public voting, $150 Prize for Best Pole!
- In honor of Veteran’s Day, Hometown Hero banners will remain on alternating poles; corn stalks donated by Golden Acres Organic Farms of Jamesport
PARADE REGISTRATION
(DESCRIPTION REQUIRED SO WE CAN LINE YOU UP BEST!)
$500 Grand Prize for Most Creative Float
DOWNLOAD: Halloween Fest 2025 Particpant Form
Riverhead Halloween Events This Saturday
🎃 Get Ready to Roll! The Great Pumpkin Derby is Coming to Riverhead Halloweenfest! 🏁
Get your gourds ready! Join the fun-spirited, unique, and hilarious Great Pumpkin Derby at Downtown Riverhead’s Halloweenfest! Show off your American ingenuity and race your handcrafted Pumpkin Racer for a chance to win glory!
📅 Event Details
What: The Great Pumpkin Derby
When: Saturday, October 25th
Sign-up & Check-in: 4:15 PM
Race Start: 4:30 PM
Where: Town Square, Peconic Riverfront, Downtown Riverhead
Cost: FREE to enter!
🏆 Prizes and Glory!
Contestants will battle head-to-head for the coveted:
Pumpkin Derby Champion (Fastest Racer)
Best Decoration and Design
Racers will be judged on design, detail, creativity, and originality.
🥕 What is a Pumpkin Racer?
A Pumpkin Racer is a unique vehicle made from one pumpkin or fall gourd with independent axles and wheels attached!
🛠️ Official Construction Rules (The Short Version)
Gourd Only: Craft your race car using a single pumpkin or fall gourd.
Axle & Wheels: Insert two independent axles through your pumpkin and attach wheels to the axles.
No Chassis: You may not attach your pumpkin onto a pre-fabricated chassis of any kind (like a skateboard or toy truck). This is the “Anti-Stealth” Rule!
No Cheating: Our Race Officials have a keen eye and the “Mallet-O-Justice” ready for Cheater Pumpkins!
💡 Builder’s Tips: Axles and Wheels
Axles: Think straight and sturdy! Dowel rods, metal skewers, or small-diameter PVC pipe work great.
Wheels: Get creative! Look for things that are round and can have a hole drilled:
Ready-made toy wheels (from old kits/toys)
Old CDs or DVDs
Sturdy plastic jar lids or caps
Circles cut from hardboard or thin plywood
➡️ How to Enter
Build It: Craft your spectacular Pumpkin Racer according to the rules!
Name It: Give your Pumpkin Racer a creative Title/Name!
Check-in: Bring your fully assembled, ready-to-race Pumpkin Racer to the Information Table by 4 PM (for judging consideration) or no later than 4:15 PM for the race!
The Derby is for youth and adults, but due to limited space, only 1 Pumpkin Racer entry per person. Children under 16 should be assisted and registered by an adult.
See you at the starting line! Let the suspenseful, dramatic, and hilarious races begin!
Full event details, including the updated parade route, will be posted 24 hours prior to the event at HalloweenFestRiverhead.com.
This event is hosted by the Town of Riverhead and Coordinated by Main Street Agency . Please email mainstreetagencyevents@gmail.com or text 631-494-2978