At the end of October, Greenport transforms from a quiet harbor village into a spooky dreamscape: streets lined with jack-o’-lanterns, ghosts floating in shop windows and the sound of children’s laughter echoing through the waterfront. This year, the Greenport Business Improvement District and the Village of Greenport are doubling down with the 6th Annual Greenport “Halloween Village,” a full-day celebration on Saturday, October 25.
The day kicks off at 11 a.m. with the 13th Annual Greenport Halloween Parade, a local favorite that has become one of the North Fork’s most beloved community traditions. The lineup begins at 10:30 a.m. outside the Floyd Memorial Library, where goblins, witches, pirates and princesses will join the North Fork Academy of Dance and the Greenport Fire Department’s decorated fire engine for a colorful march down Main and Front Streets. The procession ends at Mitchell Park, where costumed kids can catch a free ride on the recently restored carousel, courtesy of the Friends of Mitchell Park and Greenport Village. Rides are free for children 12 and under from 11:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
By noon, Main Street becomes trick-or-treat central. From 12 to 3 p.m., Greenport’s storefronts will hand out sweets, stickers and little treasures during the annual Trick-or-Treat for All Hobgoblins and Witches. This year’s event again includes the Teal Pumpkin Project, which provides non-food treats for children with allergies or families hoping to avoid sugar overload.
For those who prefer a challenge with their candy, the BID’s annual Scavenger Hunt returns with a haunting new twist. Participants — both children and adults — will search downtown storefronts for numbered bats, black cats and other Halloween “ghoulies” hidden in displays and windows. Completed forms can be dropped off at Blue Duck Bakery for a chance to win a prize. Entry forms are available throughout the village and online at https://greenportvillage.com/event/halloween-village/.
At 1:30 p.m., the courtyard of Blue Duck Bakery becomes the scene of a chilling reenactment. Performer Lisa A. Dabrowski, in character as Lizzie Borden, will tell the infamous tale of the 1892 axe murders that haunted Fall River, Massachusetts. The performance, part storytelling and part theater, isn’t for the faint of heart — or for very young children.
“Was it 40 whacks, or 41?” the announcement teases. “Find out — if you dare.”
Over at the North Fork Arts Center, the Sapan Theater will host a special matinee screening of Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit at 2 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday — a perfect way to wind down after a morning of marching and mischief.
As the sun sets over the harbor, Greenport’s restaurants and bars will keep the festivities going with Halloween-themed food, cocktails and desserts for grown-up ghosts and ghouls. From pumpkin-spiced martinis to cider-braised short ribs, the BID promises plenty of “nibbles and boos” across the village.
Whether you’re five or fifty-five, community members are urged to bring a costume, a sense of adventure — and maybe an umbrella — the rain date is Sunday, October 26.
