Tomorrow’s the big day and organizers of the Poe Festival this Halloween weekend in downtown Riverhead are busy with final preparations for the three-day event.
The festival kicks off tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. with trick-or-treating along Main Street, where costumed characters will dispense treats — and a few tricks — to children of all ages from posts outside participating Main Street merchants. Trick-or-treating on Main Street will continue until 6 p.m., when preparations begin for the Halloween costume parade, which steps off at 7 p.m. on West Main Street near the library and continues east to McDermott Avenue. All are welcome to march in this first-ever Main Street parade.
Throughout the afternoon, visitors may stop in at various Main Street businesses for spooky tales and special readings of classic Poe poems and stories — everything from “The Telltale Heart” and “The Bells” written by the master of macabre himself to family-friendly spooky tales and ghost stories. Admission is free. Participating hosts include: Digger’s, Joe’s Garage, Riverhead Diner & Grill, Vines & Hops, Blue Duck Bakery and Ralph’s Italian Ices.
See complete Poe Festival weekend schedule.
In the evening, catch a special showing of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at the Suffolk Theater (free admission, with a $20 per person bar/restaurant minimum) or enjoy Halloween-themed live music at Dark Horse Tavern and Joe’s Garage, with more “Tales of Terror” readings at Vines & Hops, which will also host a 21-and-over Halloween party beginning at 10 p.m.
There’s a full day of family-oriented Poe Fest activities scheduled for Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m. with a party at the L.I. Aquarium and a “Kooky Spooky Haunted House” at the L.I. Science Center. (Admission charges apply for both events.)
Free hayrides along the riverfront are scheduled for 12 noon to 3 p.m.
Tales of Terror and other stories continue through the afternoon at Main Street locations, including Peconic Ballet Company, which presents “Nightmare On Main Street,” a spirited conglomeration of haunted stories, and the Suffolk County Historical Society, which has mounted a special Edgar Allan Poe exhibit to celebrate the festival. The museum opens at noon. See schedule for details.
The Dark Horse restaurant is offering a $10 “Lunch Boo-fey” featuring Poe Boy Sandwich, Monster Mash Bowls, Terri-fried Chicken, Bow Ties of the Dead and Raven Cakes. Don Duga, acclaimed artist and creator of the classic TV shows, “Frosty the Snowman” and “Mad Monster Party” will be at Dark Horse doing drawings for kids.
There will be games along with “Ghosts and Giggles” tales at the indoor farmers’ market at 221 East Main St. (corner of McDermott Avenue) from 1 to 4 p.m.
East End Arts will host family pumpkin carving at the school from 1 to 3:30, where $5 gets carvers a pumpkin to carve and the use of tools for carving it. East End Arts is holding a carved pumpkin contest, too. The winners — Most Creative, Most Scary, Best in Show — will be chosen by the public at 3:30 p.m. at East End Arts.
The Vail-Leavitt Music Hall will be the scene of three Poe Fest productions on Saturday. First up, on Saturday at 1 p.m., will be “Ghost Writers on Stage,” a short play written by St. George that conjures the fictitious meeting between Edgar Allan Poe, Frankenstein author Mary Shelley and Bram Stroker, who penned Dracula. That’s followed at 2 p.m. by “Monster Mash Revue,” a children’s musical. There’s more fun for kids at the Vail at 6 p.m. Saturday with “Little Monster Children’s Costume Party” featuring musical entertainment by Brady Rymer and Jen Kane.
A free fireworks display on the riverfront is scheduled for Saturday at 8 p.m.
Joe’s Garage is hosting a free costume party (with contest) Saturday night beginning at 9.
The fun continues on Sunday with “Eat, Drink & Be Scary” brunch at the L.I. Aquarium from 10 to 2 p.m. (admission charges apply), free hayrides on the riverfront beginning at noon, free “Tales of Terror” and other spooky stories at various Main Street locations, another “Lunch Boo-Fey” at Dark Horse from 1 to 3 p.m., a “Monsters and Mayhem in the Movies” exhibit of Hollywood memorabilia and original horror movie posters at the Vail-Leavitt Music Hall, with a screening of the exclusive Poe Festival video featuring Victoria Price, daughter of Hollywood horror film icon Vincent Price.
The Suffolk Theater will host a Vincent Price double feature beginning at 6 p.m. On screen: The Fall of the House of Usher and The Pit & The Pendulum. The Suffolk will also screen the Poe Fest video about Vincent Price, featuring his daughter, Victoria, who describes her life with a Hollywood horror icon. (Tickets: $10)
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